Education is not inexpensive, especially when one goes for higher education, and many learners and their families look for ways of financing their education. There are numerous ways and opportunities mentioned below by which students can get financial help in the UAE to attain their dream universities

Let’s take a look at some financial aid and scholarship options for university students in the Emirate.

Government Financial Aid Programs

The UAE government provides several scholarship schemes to help students in their endeavour to get education at higher learning institutions. These programs are intended to widen the access to universities so that the student from the low income or those who have exceptional merits can afford to go to university.

Khalifa University Scholarship Program

At present, there are numerous scholarship opportunities at Khalifa University including for the UAE students and the foreign students. These scholarships cater tuition fees and sundry charges and also may come with travel grants for other expenses based on the kind of scholarship. It also awards scholarships to excellent students in various fields of study through merit basis.

Ministry of Education Scholarships

Facilities for education in the UAE are also offered by the Ministry of Education with scholarships for Emirati students to either within or outside the country. These scholarships are perhaps very much given to students in line with the performance of their academic results and more often than not, students offered these scholarships are expected to maintain a certain academic average to qualify for such scholarships. It provides also other types of scholarships for the students who wish to study in the areas of need for the country such as engineering, medical doctor, teachers among others.

Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) Scholarships

ADEC provides scholarships to the Emirati students who want to pursue their studies in the country or in another country. These scholarships target fields of Learning required in Abu Dhabi UAE and More such as Science Technology and Innovation. Another point is that ADEC also offers the students with disabilities some forms of financial assistance.

Dubai Government Scholarships

There are scholarship programmes through which the Dubai government supports its students in their studies. For instance, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) offers academically inclined scholarship, leadership oriented scholarship and need-based scholarship.

Applying for Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid in the UAE typically involves several steps, depending on the specific program or scholarship.

Research Eligibility Requirements

Every scholarship or financial aid program that should be provided has set its specific requirements that should be fulfilled. Some of these are the student’s academic achievements, his or her financial status, country of origin, and the course of study. These requirements should however be well researched to be in a position to identify the programs one qualifies for.

Prepare Necessary Documents

When filling out financial aid forms most of them will ask for several documents including but not limited to the following: transcript, proof of income, identification and letters of recommendation. Having seen the documents required when applying for a student loan, try to obtain them before applying so that you do not have any troubles when applying for the loan.

Complete the Application Form

Complete the application form regarding the certain kind of financial aid or scholarship one is applying for. Make certain that you complete and fill all the details correctly as any form of incomplete or wrong information could lead to rejection or a very slow processing of your application.

Submit by the Deadline

Scholarship and the other financial aids are always limited in time. It is recommended that you should submit your application before the date of submission to avert some hitches that are bound to happen near the given date. If assignments are submitted close to the due time then they are rarely taken into account.

Follow Up

After application You should contact customers of respective authorities or institutions to see if they received it and what next. Certain may entail further interviews or other kinds of assessment.

Understanding Grants and Loans

The financial assistance which is available for university students in the UAE includes grants and loans. It’s important to understand the differences between these types of aid.

Grants

Loans are monies advanced to a student which are not expected to be reimbursed since they do not have to be paid back like a loan. This is usually given depending on the student’s financial status, performance or both. Grants offered in the UAE may come from the Federal and State government, universities or from private bodies. These resources may be expended on fees and/or charges that attend instruction including tuitions, books, living and other schooling expenses.

Loans

Loans on the other hand must be paid back in full, with interest. In the UAE, government and private banks afford student loans to the students in order to provide them financial assistance in the course of their studies. This will often apply for some loans which may be cheaper in terms of interest rates or where the balance is to be paid after graduation. However, one should learn all the terms and conditions that are in place before taking a loan because it is a long-term commitment in terms of spending money.

Merit-Based Scholarships

Another major type of financial aid is merit-based scholarships which is neither a grant nor a loan. These are scholarships that are provided to the deserving students based on merit, which may be academic, music, sports among others. Often these scholarships pay a large part of tuition fees, and can also include such bonuses as a grant for living expenses.

Need-Based Scholarships

These are given depending upon the merit and the requirement of the student most specifically the financial requirement. They intend to assist those who may not be financially well off to pay for university education and other expenses. Need-based scholarships can be from the government, university or any private organisations or from any other source.

The scholarship and the financial aid to make university education affordable for the students. Students can avail of a wide range of government and public scholarships offering significant financial aid to the students. However, due to higher competition, it is necessary for the students to take a proactive approach when searching for scholarships.