Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has opened registration for the second Khotwa (RizeUp) program intake for the academic year 2023-24. The program is aimed at creating sustainable academic and personal accomplishments for students.
The second intake will include 600 students qualifying for overseas studies, set to commence in January and September 2024. The departing students will have a two-year journey at 38 community colleges in the US and Canada, pursuing 42 majors across agriculture, arts and humanities, business administration, law, engineering, health, and information and communication technologies. After completing the two-year program at community colleges, Khotwa (RizeUp) students will transfer their credits to international or local universities to obtain a bachelor’s degree.
We remain steadfast in our unwavering commitment to provide Emirati students with the essential resources and support to empower their educational journeys and futures in the workplaces of tomorrow. Following its successful launch last year, we are poised to select the second intake of Khotwa (RizeUp) students to embark on their next education chapters across North America. Our commitment persists in introducing Emirati youth to new international mindsets and cultures, enriching their overall educational experience and capabilities through on-site academic advising support.
Dr. Bashaer Almatrooshi, Executive Director of the Talent Enablement Sector at ADEK, shared.
The program, launched in September 2022, seeks to offer higher education opportunities in the US and Canada to 6,000 UAE national students by 2028. Students are committed to a two-year homestay program that requires them to live with local families carefully selected by ADEK and reputable homestay organizations across North America, where they will be exposed to alternative cultures.
The program is open to UAE National students at public, private, and charter schools in Abu Dhabi, as well as National Service graduates with a minimum GPA of 65 percent in their grade 12 finals and a minimum of 3.0 in IELTS tests. Priority will be given to candidates whose families receive social support. Shortlisted candidates will undergo a three-stage selection process, including a mandatory five-day bootcamp, interviews, and engaging pre-departure events.
Along with covering tuition fees and living costs throughout their homestay community college programs and their future bachelor’s degree studies, the scholars also receive living allowances, including the costs of one additional year of English language studies, and continuous one-on-one advisory support from ADEK’s academic counselors during their education journeys.