Are you an outstanding student looking to pursue your degree at Abu Dhabi University (ADU) in the United Arab Emirates? Are you seeking financial support to help achieve your educational goals?

Abu Dhabi University (ADU) aims to develop and empower outstanding students, encouraging them to pursue and achieve their educational goals. To support this mission, ADU offers scholarships and financial aid programs across various categories to cover students’ educational expenses. Scholarships are available to students with excellent academic performance who want to pursue their master’s and bachelor’s degrees.

ADU scholarships are open to students of all nationalities and backgrounds. International students can apply for different schemes, such as the Athletic Scholarship for sporting excellence and team spirit, and the Family Tuition Waiver, which benefits siblings and successive generations with reduced tuition fees. However, some scholarships are limited to specific groups. The Abu Dhabi University Scholarship is exclusively for UAE residents and candidates from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Scholarship is available only to students who attended public secondary schools in the UAE.

Any Abu Dhabi University scholarship is valid for four years or until graduation, whichever comes first. In some cases, students may need to meet English language requirements.

Applicants do not need to reapply for a scholarship as long as they continue to meet the scholarship maintenance requirements outlined in each scholarship’s details.

The scholarship application process begins after a student is officially admitted to ADU and receives a unique student ID number. This ID is used to securely log into a university-registered account, which has a section for Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Because student information, including academic records, is already processed upon admission, any scholarships for which the student is eligible will appear on their account page. The student can then choose to complete the online application form for any scholarship listed there, based on merit.

Important Dates 2025–2026

 Fall Semester

• 22 August 2025 – Registration deadline for newly admitted students
• 25 August 2025 – First day of classes
• 29 August 2025 – Tuition fee payment deadline

Fall Term B (Postgraduate)

• 13 October 2025 – First day of courses for postgraduate students
• 14 October 2025 – Payment deadline

 Winter Semester

• 2 January 2026 – Registration deadline for newly admitted students
• 5 January 2026 – First day of classes
• 6 January 2026 – Payment deadline

Spring Semester

• 20 February 2026 – Registration deadline for newly admitted students
• 23 February 2026 – First day of classes
• 27 February 2026 – Payment deadline

Spring Term B (Postgraduate)

• 27 April 2026 – First day of courses for postgraduate students
• 28 April 2026 – Payment deadline

Summer Semester

• 26 June 2026 – Registration deadline for newly admitted students
• 29 June 2026 – First day of classes
• 30 June 2026 – Payment deadline

Scholarship Duration: 4 years

Host University: Abu Dhabi University (ADU)

Location: United Arab Emirates

Level of Study: Undergraduate and Master’s

Eligible Countries: Check the scholarships for countries

Scholarships Available at ADU

Abu Dhabi University (ADU), UAE, offers scholarships for both Master’s programs and undergraduate degrees, and offers several options that give every individual a chance to experience the benefits of higher education. Please review the available scholarships at ADU:

The postgraduate scholarships of Abu Dhabi University include the following programs:

• Merit-based Graduate Scholarships: Applicants with an undergraduate CGPA of a minimum of 3.5 (or equivalent), who are willing to pursue their postgraduate studies at ADU, are eligible for a 25% waiver on tuition fees.
• Alum Scholarships: ADU alums willing to continue their graduate studies at any of ADU’s branches at the postgraduate level will be eligible for a 20% waiver on tuition fees.

The undergraduate scholarships offered at Abu Dhabi University include:  

• Athletic Scholarships: 25% waiver on tuition fees for continuing Abu Dhabi University students each academic year.
• Academic Scholarships: 20% tuition fee waiver for continuing Abu Dhabi University students
• University Scholarships: Starting from 15% up to 50% tuition fee waiver for UAE residents and GCC candidates, providing officially attested documents
• Family Tuition Waiver: The Family Tuition Waiver applies to related students, including siblings, spouses, or parents with multiple enrolled students at ADU.
• H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Scholarships: This fully funded Scholarship offers a 100% waiver on tuition, application, registration fee, student services fee, and health service fee.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should fulfill specific requirements for the Abu Dhabi University Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarships:

1. Merit-based Graduate Scholarships:

• To maintain the scholarship, applicants should provide at least a CGPA of 3.5 in the Master’s level program
• If students qualify for multiple postgraduate waiver programs, they must choose one and cannot switch during their entire study.
• Failure to meet the minimum required Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in any semester results in the loss of the waiver for the following semester. Once the required CGPA is met again, the waiver is automatically reinstated.
• Students found guilty of violating a student code of conduct or an academic integrity offense lose the waiver for the remainder of their study at ADU.
• The merit-based tuition waiver applies to winter and summer terms but does not cover repeated courses, including grades F, WA, and W.

2. Alum Scholarships:

• To maintain the scholarship, applicants should provide at least a CGPA of 3.0 in the Master’s level program.
• If a student qualifies for multiple postgraduate scholarships, waivers, or grants, they must choose one scheme without the option to change during their entire study.
• Failure to meet the minimum CGPA in any semester results in the loss of the tuition fee scholarship for the following semester. Once the CGPA reaches the required score, the scholarship is reinstated automatically.
• Students violating the student code of conduct or committing an academic integrity offense forfeit the tuition fee scholarship for all subsequent semesters.
• Postgraduate tuition fee scholarships for ADU alums cover Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer semesters.
• All postgraduate scholarships, waivers, and grants for ADU alums apply to credit hour tuition fees and exclude repeated courses, including grades F, WA, and W.

3. Athletic Scholarships:

• The Athletics Scholarship is granted to students actively participating in ADU sports teams (as a coach, captain, or player) with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.75.
• The scholarship applies throughout the student’s enrollment at ADU with full-time status (minimum 12 credit hours).
• English language proficiency, as defined by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, must be met.
• An approved recommendation letter from the ADU Student Affairs Department is required.

To maintain this scholarship, one should provide the following:

• A CGPA of 2.75, at least
• Enrollment of 12 passed credit hours from last semester, but for Winter and Summer terms
• Minimum enrollment of 12 credit hours registered in the current semester, but for Winter and Summer terms
• The scholarship does not cover any repeated courses, such as courses graded as F, WA, and W
• Recommendation letter approved by the ADU Student Affairs Department

4. Academic Scholarships:

• This scholarship is for continuing students who get at least a CGPA of 3.60 for two consecutive semesters
• This scholarship is applicable for the period the student has enrolled at ADU with full-time status

To maintain this scholarship, applicants should provide the following:

• A minimum CGPA of 3.60
• At least 12 passed credit hours per semester, but for Winter and Summer terms
• The scholarship does not cover any repeated courses, including courses graded such as F, W, and W

5. University Scholarships:

• University scholarship is for UAE residents and GCC nationals who meet the specified criteria
• Students who have newly graduated from secondary school and joined ADU within two years of their secondary school graduation will be eligible for scholarships with a value from 15% up to 50% waiver on tuition fees.
• Meeting the English language requirements
• This scholarship applies to the period the student is enrolled at ADU with full-time status (a minimum of 12 credit hours).

To maintain this scholarship, applicants should provide the following:

• A minimum CGPA of 3.60
• At least 12 passed credit hours per semester but for Winter and Summer terms.
• The scholarship does not cover repeated courses, including graded courses such as F, W, and W.

6. Family Tuition Waiver:

• This scholarship is for multiple family members studying an undergraduate course at ADU; the family tuition waiver applies based on the number of enrolled family members.
• A 15% waiver is granted to each student when two family members are enrolled.
• A 20% waiver is granted to each student when three family members are enrolled.
• A 25% waiver is granted to each student when four or more family members are enrolled.

To maintain this scholarship, applicants should provide the following:

• Each family member must maintain a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.5.

7. H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Scholarships:

• This scholarship is for the top 20 public secondary school graduates in the UAE who are newly admitted and join the University in the fall semester of the year they graduate only.
• Receipt of this scholarship depends upon the selection and formal approval of the Office of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed AI Nahyan.
• The scholarship is for the period the student who is enrolled at ADU on a full-time basis (at least 12 credit hours)
• Meeting the English language requirements
• EmSAT or equivalent international exams are necessary, with a minimum EmSAT Math score of 1,200, English 1,600, and Arabic score of 900 for all colleges.

To maintain this scholarship, applicants should provide the following:

• A minimum CGPA of 3.70
• At least 12 credit hours per semester, but for Winter and Summer terms
• The scholarship does not cover any repeated courses, including courses graded such as F, W, and W

International Student Required Documents

Applicants must submit the following documents along with the non-refundable application fee, as outlined in the Abu Dhabi University fee schedule:

• An official high school certificate attested by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the UAE Embassy in the country of issuance.
  Note: Students unable to complete attestation in time may receive conditional admission for one semester. All attested documents must be submitted by the end of the semester to avoid an account hold.
• A valid passport copy (minimum validity of six months).
• One recent passport-size photograph.
• A letter confirming adequate financial resources (equivalent to USD 5,000 or another convertible currency) to cover tuition, accommodation, and living expenses.
• A signed declaration confirming the applicant’s commitment to abide by Abu Dhabi University’s policies and regulations.
• Police Clearance Certificate.
• Good Conduct Letter issued by the applicant’s school.
• Once the applicant meets Abu Dhabi University’s admission requirements and confirms their intention to enroll, proof of payment of the International Student Fee will also be required.

Applicants should provide the following documents:

• Online application form
• High school certificate and transcript or equivalent
• Offer letter from the UAE Ministry of Education
• Passport-size photo
• Copy of a valid passport
• English language proficiency records such as IELTS, TOEFL IBT, and TOEFL ITP (taken at ADUKG or AmidEast institute only)
• A non-refundable application fee is required.

Interested applicants can check out the further eligibility requirements for undergraduate courses here.

You can also check the postgraduate requirements by visiting the Postgraduate Admission Requirements page.

How do you apply for an Abu Dhabi University Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarship?

Eligible applicants can apply either by visiting the campus or by filling out an online application form.

Apply Now

Interested applicants must receive an offer letter from the ADU admissions department and obtain their student ID number.

The ID number allows the students to open their university account with the Financial Aid and Scholarship section, or applicants can apply online.

Applicants must check the ADU website for more scholarship details or read the FAQs for any questions.

Check More Opportunities:

Boustany Foundation Harvard University MBA Scholarship Fall 2027

The Atomic Energy Scholarship (AES) of China 2026 at Xian Jiaotong University

2026 Chinese Government Scholarship at UCAS Beijing