RAK expands scholarship scheme

RAS AL KHAIMAH // The emirate is to award 60 full scholarships to high school graduates next year in a major expansion of its Sheikh Saqr Programme for Government Excellence. "This year we have 60 scholarships covering universities in Ras al Khaimah and also overseas," said Dr Mohamed Khalifah, the general manager of the scholarship programme, which is sponsored by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr, the Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras al Khaimah.

Since its establishment in 2004, the programme has supported 100 students, so yesterday's announcement represents a significant enlargement. The awards are open to Emirati and expatriate graduates of Ras al Khaimah high schools. Forty students are being offered for the Ras al Khaimah Medical & Health Sciences University (RAKMHSU) and are available to expatriates pursuing nursing and pharmacy there, and to Emiratis for medicine and dentistry courses.

The remaining 20 scholarships are for school-leavers applying to other universities, whether at home or abroad. "We started the scholarship programme for students pursuing medical degrees at RAKMHSU in order to encourage national students to actively participate and become the future leaders of the country's health and human services sector," said Dr Khalifah. Emiratis and those applying to universities other than RAKMHSU are asked to apply directly to the office of the Sheikh Saqr Programme in Nakheel.

Expatriate applicants will be automatically referred by the university. The deadline is the end of the week. The university will also offer its own scholarships and discounts for academic achievement as of September. High school students who maintain an average 95 per cent and above in biology, physics and chemistry can have 20 per cent of their first-term fees waived, and those who average 90 to 95 per cent can have 15 per cent waived.