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Abu Dhabi has launched one of the largest university scholarship programmes to date, offering 6,000 Emiratis the opportunity to study in the US and Canada.
Total funding for the project is AED 1.9 billion ($500 million) and will pay for students to attend university until 2028. It targets those who have not previously benefited from government funding overseas.
The Khotwa (RizeUp) programme was created by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office.
“This landmark initiative is a strategic investment by the Abu Dhabi government to continue to develop future-capable Emirati bachelor’s degree holders,” said Minister of State for Early Education and Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek) Chairman Sara Musallam said.
“Hotwa will enable students who did not benefit from our previous scholarships to study at international colleges and universities and graduate with highly qualified, effective and productive citizenship, enriching our national employment opportunities and promoting play an active role in our knowledge-based economy.”
The department aims to enroll its first batch of 100 students this year, with the number of scholarship recipients set to increase each year to 6,000 by 2028.
Who is eligible for the Overseas Scholarship?
Students in public, private and charter schools in Abu Dhabi with a GPA of at least 65% in the Year 12 final exam are eligible for the RizeUp program as long as they score at least 3.0 in the IELTS exam.
The same standard applies to NS graduates without a bachelor’s degree.
The Abu Dhabi Government Media Office said in a statement that priority will be given to candidates whose families are receiving social support.
This will enable more Emirati students who have not previously won scholarships to study abroad.
Living abroad with family
Candidates to join Khotwa (RizeUp) are required to participate in a homestay program during a two-year community college where students will live with “local and prominent North American homestay families carefully selected by Adek”.
Officials did not specify which subjects were preferred, but stressed the “importance of new specialisations to enhance graduate employability, address priority industry needs and complement the current and future needs of the UAE economy”.
Shortlisted candidates must attend a five-day boot camp at Adek headquarters in October to assess their readiness for study abroad.
“The boot camp will follow behavioral interviews and self-assessments, group case studies, role-playing and scenario simulations, and a soft skills training program,” said Dr. Bashaer Almatrooshi, Acting Executive Director of Adek.
“It will be a developmental experience for successful applicants and for those who may not be eligible this time around.
“Those who are selected must meet key criteria, including willingness and ability to learn in a new environment.”
Successful applicants will leave the UAE in January 2023 to attend designated community colleges and homestay programmes.
In addition to tuition and living expenses that cover the entire boarding program, RizeUp participants will receive a living stipend and ongoing one-on-one advising support from academic advisors, officials said.
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Updated: September 22, 2022 2:47pm
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