E-Paper
Sign In
UAE schools offer up to 50% off fees in scholarships; top grades not mandatory
From partial fee awards to scholarships covering up to 50 per cent of tuition, schools across the country are expanding opportunities for high-achieving students in academics, sport, performing arts and leadership
- PUBLISHED: Wed 9 Sept 2026, 6:00 AM
For parents in the UAE facing rising school fees, a scholarship can make a significant difference — but schools say the awards are not simply about getting the highest marks.
As the academic year 2026-27 gets underway, schools are highlighting scholarship opportunities for students at key transition points, with awards increasingly recognising talent in areas ranging from academics and sport to performing arts, leadership and character.
Recommended For You
At Arcadia British School, scholarships are offered primarily as partial fee awards at Years 7, 10 and 12 — entry points that coincide with major stages in a child’s education.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“We see scholarships as an important way of recognising exceptional young people and providing opportunities for them to flourish within our community,” said Giles Pruett, executive principal of Arcadia British School and member of the Board of Governors at Arcadia Education.
“Our Principal’s Awards for Excellence recognise achievement and potential across three principal areas: Academic Excellence, Sporting Excellence and Performing Arts Excellence. Importantly, however, we are not simply looking for students who achieve the highest examination scores or perform at an exceptional level.”
UAE schools look beyond academic results
For schools, the scholarship process is increasingly being used to identify students who can contribute to the wider school community, rather than simply rewarding examination performance.
Pruett said character remains a key consideration, with schools looking for students who demonstrate qualities such as leadership, kindness and determination.
“Character is enormously important at Arcadia. We therefore look for students who will contribute positively to school life, demonstrate leadership potential and embody qualities such as kindness, integrity, determination and aspiration,” he said.
At Arcadia, awards in Years 7 and 10 can provide a fee bursary of up to 25 per cent, while a small number of exceptional Year 12 students can receive awards of up to 50 per cent.
Sporting applicants are expected to have representative honours and demonstrate an all-round skill set across multiple sports, while performing arts candidates can be assessed across music, dance and drama.
Regent International School is also offering merit-based scholarships across selected year groups. David Williams, the school’s principal, said awards can recognise a broad range of achievement.
“We recognise that excellence comes in many different forms. Scholarships can be awarded for academic achievement, but we also look at areas such as sport, music, performing arts, and leadership,” he said.
Both existing and prospective Regent students can apply, with assessments varying according to the scholarship. Awards are applied towards tuition fees and do not normally cover costs such as transport, uniforms, examination fees or extracurricular activities.
Gems, new Dubai schools expand options
At Gems Education, scholarship opportunities are available to both existing students and those looking to join the network, with different programmes catering to different areas of talent.
Lisa Crausby OBE, Group Chief Education Officer, Gems Education, said the group offers opportunities specifically open to expatriate students, alongside programmes for Emirati students and school-specific awards.
“The Gems Genius Scholarship is open to eligible students of all nationalities, whether they are currently studying within Gems or applying to join Gems from another school," she said.
The Gems Genius Scholarship is available to students entering Year 10/Grade 9 and Year 12/Grade 11 for the 2027 academic year, with applications opening in October 2026. The scholarships are awarded for two years.
Gems says it awards scholarships to hundreds of students each academic year through its various pathways, including the Gems Genius Scholarships, Centre of Excellence Scholarships, and individual school-based awards.
Meanwhile, Rugby School Dubai is offering scholarships covering typically up to 10 per cent of annual tuition fees for students entering Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 in August 2027.
“Our standard scholarships are partial awards, typically covering up to 10 per cent of annual tuition fees and reviewed every two years. Scholars have access to a tailored programme including mentoring, enrichment, leadership pathways and opportunities to represent the School,” said Henry Price, Founding Principal.
Emirati students can also apply for the Ruwad al Emarat Scholarship, which covers 50 per cent of fees from Years 4 to 13.
At newly opened Queen Elizabeth’s School in Dubai Sports City, the scholarship programme is still being developed as the school establishes its founding culture.
The school is looking beyond academic performance, with its selection process designed to assess students’ strengths, character and potential contribution to school life.
“Our scholarships take the form of a contribution towards fees. As a new school establishing its founding culture, we are developing the programme thoughtfully and considering awards from Years 5 to 9 (Year 9 opens in September 2027),” said founding principal Dan Clark.
