São Paulo – UAE citizens interested in pursuing a diplomatic career can register for scholarships to study abroad, including Brazil. Registrations are open until May 31, according to information released by the Emirates Diplomatic Academy.
The scholarships will be offered to people born in the Arab country that wish to be a part of the diplomatic corps of the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) and they can be applied to courses in 133 first-class universities, in 16 countries, selected to the program.
Most of the universities are in the United States. But universities were selected also in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Japan, Denmark, Switzerland, South Korea, Singapore, France, Norway, Canada, Australia, China, Malaysia and Russia. In Brazil, the only university selected was the University of São Paulo (USP).
However, EDA states that it will also analyze scholarship requests to first-class universities not in the list. The program will provide financial support to courses beginning in 2018 or 2019. “The program aims to provide to future diplomats a full education in areas of strategic importance to the Ministry,” states the EDA.
Upon finishing their majors, the students must return to the UAE and register in EDA’s post-graduation program Diplomacy and International Affairs. It will provide specialized knowledge in regional and global issues, mainly those relevant to the UAE and the Middle East and will serve as an introduction to the diplomatic career.
Among the requirements to receive a scholarship are a GPA equal or above to 85 in high school, commit to work at MoFAIC for the same period taken to complete the abroad studies (at least three years), don’t change majors without the Ministry’s approval, among others.
The program also has requirements regarding the students’ behavior abroad. They can get involved with political organization, display unethical behavior that can compromise the UAE reputation or take part in activities conflicting with the teachings of Islam.
Those selected will receive financial support throughout the course abroad. The students that are single will receive AED 15,000 (USD 4,000) per month and the married students will receive AED 18,000 (USD 4,800). The students will also have health insurance for them and their dependents, travel and book subsidies, among others.
Further information and registrations: http://www.eda.ac.ae/admissions/scholarships
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
