MoHESR Updates the National Scholarship System and Financial Allowances (United Arab Emirates, June 2026)
MoHESR announced Cabinet approval of a new resolution on scholarships and financial allowances. The resolution modernizes scholarship governance and expands financial, academic, healthcare, and social support for UAE scholarship students.
MoHESR announced Cabinet approval of a new resolution on scholarships and financial allowances. The resolution modernizes scholarship governance and expands financial, academic, healthcare, and social support for UAE scholarship students.
What Changed?
The scholarship system now includes a comprehensive governance framework covering eligibility, destination and university selection, academic discipline selection, admissions, monitoring, evaluation, and outcomes. It also expands benefits, including monthly stipends, priority-specialisation allowances, tuition coverage, travel tickets, health insurance, graduation allowances, academic excellence incentives, family support, spouse health insurance for married scholarship students, and an increased study readiness and settlement allowance of AED30,000.
Old System vs New System
The UAE already provided scholarship support, but the previous system did not include the same updated Cabinet-approved governance framework, benefit package, AED30,000 readiness and settlement allowance, and explicit alignment with priority universities, strategic specialisations, and labour-market needs described in the new resolution.
Scholarships are governed through a more comprehensive national framework with expanded student benefits and stronger alignment to priority sectors, future economic needs, approved universities, and strategic fields of study.
Who Is Affected?
Student Impact
Scholarship students receive stronger financial and social support, clearer governance across the study-abroad journey, and improved alignment between chosen specialisations and future employment pathways.
Parent / Family Impact
Families may benefit from greater financial stability and clearer scholarship rules, especially where living, healthcare, travel, and settlement support affect the overall cost of study abroad.
School / Institution Impact
Schools and university guidance teams advising Emirati students should update counselling materials to reflect the new scholarship governance, priority fields, and benefit structure.
Teacher / Staff Impact
No direct teacher-specific operational change was identified, although counsellors and academic advisers may need to explain the new scholarship rules to eligible students.
Key Dates
- 2026-06-22: MoHESR announced Cabinet approval of the scholarship and financial allowances resolution.
What To Do
- Prospective applicants should review MoHESR scholarship eligibility
- priority specialisations
- approved universities
- benefit rules
- and required application steps before selecting programmes or destinations.
What To Watch Next
Watch for detailed implementation guidance, updated application procedures, lists of priority specialisations, approved university pathways, and how scholarship outcomes are monitored.
Global Context
The change is important for international universities and scholarship researchers because it ties overseas study funding to national workforce priorities and may influence where UAE scholarship students apply and what fields they pursue.
Source Record
Source type: Official announcement
Source name: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research