The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has issued a warning regarding the proliferation of unauthorized links and forms claiming to accept exemption requests from the standards required for studying abroad.

The Ministry asserted that it has not issued or endorsed any links or forms outside its official channels.

The warning comes in light of a recent legislative decree, Decision No. (5) of 2025, issued by the Council for Education, Human Development, and Society.

This decision aims to regulate and oversee the higher education process for Emirati students studying abroad.

It includes mandatory standards and controls to ensure the quality of education received by Emirati students overseas, as well as to confirm that their academic qualifications are officially recognized and valid for use within the country.

The decree allows scholarship bodies to submit requests for exemptions in cases where specific fields of study or universities do not meet the conditions for studying abroad for Emirati students.

According to the Ministry, applicants can submit a single exemption request that covers multiple fields of study and universities in general, rather than submitting individual requests for each case.

Students may submit an 'exemption request' through the Ministry's official website, which will be reviewed by a dedicated exceptions committee.

Decision-makers are aware that there are exceptional cases that may warrant some flexibility.

Thus, these exceptional cases will be examined carefully, taking into account specific considerations related to the scholarship body, the host country, the type of specialization, the student’s circumstances, or other justified reasons.

The Ministry has encouraged students and their families to familiarize themselves with all information regarding the standards for studying abroad and the exemption process by visiting its official website.