Scholarship applications opens for 'exceptional' Emirati students

Applications have opened for the third cohort of the AED1.1 billion Hamdan bin Mohammed Scholarship that gives exceptional Emirati students access to leading global universities and prepare them to become Dubai's future leaders.

Making the announcement on Monday, Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) said eligible students can apply through the ‘Emirati’ section on the Dubai Now app until June 30.

Launched in 2024, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the programme encourages Emirati talent to pursue strategic fields that support the emirate’s future growth.

The scholarship reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to invest in people as the foundation for sustainable development.

The programme offers 100 fully-funded scholarships every year to outstanding Emirati graduates from public and private schools across various curricula, enabling them to pursue bachelor’s degrees in future-focused fields that add strategic value to key sectors and contribute to preparing a new generation of leaders and innovators capable of driving Dubai’s continued development.

It has attracted strong interest from high-achieving Emirati students in its first two years, many of whom are now studying at leading universities around the world. Approximately 70% of current scholarship recipients are enrolled at universities ranked among the top 100 globally.

Students are pursuing a wide range of specialisations, including computer science, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, business and finance, medicine, law, and social sciences, reflecting Dubai’s future-focused development priorities.

Dr. Amna Almaazmi, CEO of Growth and Human Development at KHDA said: “The diversity of specialised fields pursued by scholarship students highlights the programme’s pivotal role in building future leadership capabilities by equipping outstanding Emirati students with knowledge, global exposure and leadership skills, while supporting them in achieving their ambitions and contributing meaningfully to the UAE’s development journey.”

The scholarship is open to Emirati students who have completed high school during the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 academic years. Students must hold a family book from Dubai and should not have received any other scholarship offers. Applicants should also have received a conditional or unconditional offer from an eligible university and academic programme that meets the scholarship criteria, and scholarship recipients must commit to full-time study in the host country. 

More information about the programme, its benefits, and application criteria are available on the KHDA website.