If you're looking to begin your academic journey in the UAE, the Abu Dhabi University Scholarship is the perfect opportunity for you. In this article, we'll explain in detail the scholarship, its benefits, and the application steps.

The Abu Dhabi University Scholarship 2025-2026 is available to international students. This scholarship is available for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies and offers a full waiver of tuition fees, application fees, registration fees, student services fees, and health services fees.

Abu Dhabi University is committed to empowering and inspiring outstanding students to achieve their educational goals. Our scholarship and financial aid program is a fundamental pillar of our academic excellence strategy and reflects our commitment to supporting the development of the United Arab Emirates. We consider providing equal opportunities for students who wish to pursue higher education and enabling them to contribute effectively to society, regardless of their financial status, a vital national duty.

The maximum duration of any scholarship is four years, or after graduation, whichever comes first. In some cases, English language proficiency is required. You do not need to reapply for a scholarship as long as you meet the scholarship maintenance criteria (described in the details of each scholarship section).

The scholarship application process begins after a student is officially accepted to Abu Dhabi University and receives a unique identification number. This number is used to securely log in to the university's financial aid and scholarship account.

Since the university has processed the student's data, including their academic records, upon admission, any scholarships they are eligible for will appear on their account page. Students can complete the online application for any scholarship listed here, as they are eligible based on their merit. The application is completed, the student enters the necessary information, uploads any required documents, and submits online.

Scholarship Summary

• Study level:  Bachelor's / Master's
• Institution(s):  Abu Dhabi University
• Study in:  United Arab Emirates
• Courses offered:
  • Bachelor's Programs:  Click here
  • Master's and PhD Programs:  Click here
• Deadline: Click here to check application deadlines.

Scholarship coverage

University scholarships

• Academic Scholarship: This scholarship covers 20% of tuition fees for continuing students at Abu Dhabi University.
• Abu Dhabi University Scholarship: This scholarship covers a 15% to 50% discount on tuition fees for UAE residents and candidates from GCC countries.
• His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Scholarship: This fully-funded scholarship offers a 100% waiver of tuition fees, application fees, registration fees, student services fees, and health services fees.
• Sports Scholarship: This scholarship covers a 25% discount on tuition fees for continuing Abu Dhabi University students for each academic year.
• Family Tuition Waiver: When two or more members of the same family are enrolled at Abu Dhabi University to study an undergraduate course, a family tuition waiver of 15, 20, or 25 percent of the tuition fee will be applied depending on the number of family members enrolled.

Master's scholarships

• Merit-Based Graduate Scholarship : This scholarship covers a 25% discount on tuition fees.
• Graduate Scholarship: This scholarship covers a 20% discount on tuition fees.

Eligibility criteria for the Abu Dhabi University Scholarship

To qualify for this scholarship, the candidate must meet all of the following requirements:

• Required languages:  English
• Eligible countries: All countries of the world

Eligibility Requirements for Undergraduate Scholarships

Academic Scholarship:

• This scholarship is available to continuing students who maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.60 for two consecutive semesters.
• The academic scholarship will be applied throughout the student’s full-time enrollment at Abu Dhabi University (registered for at least 12 credit hours).

Abu Dhabi University Scholarship:

• The university scholarship is awarded to UAE residents and GCC nationals who meet the specified criteria.
• Students who have recently graduated from high school and who enroll at Abu Dhabi University within two years of graduating from high school may receive a scholarship of 15% to 50% off tuition fees for each campus based on their high school average.
• Fulfilling the English language proficiency requirements set by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
• The scholarship is valid for the entire duration of the student's full-time enrollment at Abu Dhabi University (registering for at least 12 credit hours). This excludes the first and subsequent semesters for students who do not meet the English language proficiency requirements.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Scholarship:

• This scholarship is available to the top 20 graduates from public high schools across the UAE who have been newly admitted and join Abu Dhabi University in the fall semester of the year they graduate from high school only.
• Eligibility for the scholarship is subject to selection and official approval from the office of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
• The scholarship is applicable for the period during which the student is registered at Abu Dhabi University full-time (registered for at least 12 credit hours).
• Meet the English language proficiency requirements set by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the United Arab Emirates.
• EmSAT (or international equivalent) test requirements: Applicants must achieve a minimum score of 1200 on the EmSAT in Mathematics, 1600 in English, and 900 in Arabic for all faculties.

Sports Scholarship:

• This scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate active involvement in ADU athletic teams (either as a coach, captain, or player) with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75.
• The Athletics Scholarship will be applied to the period during which the student is enrolled at Abu Dhabi University full-time (registered for at least 12 credit hours).
• Fulfilling the English language proficiency requirements set by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
• A letter of recommendation approved by the Student Affairs Department at Abu Dhabi University

Family tuition fee exemption:

• Each registered student benefits from a 15% discount on tuition fees (number of registered family members is 2)
• Each registered student benefits from a 20% discount on tuition fees (number of registered family members is 3)
• Each registered student benefits from a 25% discount on tuition fees (registered family members are 4 or more)

Eligibility requirements for a master's scholarship

Merit-Based Graduate Scholarship:

• Applicants with a bachelor's degree GPA of at least 3.5.
• A cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 is required for the Master's program.

Graduate Scholarship:

• Applicants must be graduates of Abu Dhabi University.
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for the Master's program.

How to apply for Abu Dhabi University scholarship?

Step 1: Complete your online application. Access  the online application page here .

Step 2: Upload the following documents:

• A certified copy of the official high school or secondary school certificate (or equivalent)
• Passport size photo with white background
• A copy of a valid passport (and residence visa if you are a resident of the UAE)
• Language Proficiency Certificate: Official score report for IELTS Academic (5.0), EmSat English Test (1100), TOEFL IBT (61), CBT 173 or ITP 500 (ITP is taken at AmidEast Institute only), Cambridge Exam (154-161), IESOL/SESOL (B1/B2), or Pearson PTE (36-41).
• A certificate of good conduct issued by the secondary school where the student completed Grade 12/Year 13. This applies to all individuals who have met their academic requirements at private schools.

Step 3: Submit the application.