Eighty-seven high-achieving secondary school students have been selected to participate in the rigorous 18-month NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Summer Academy enrichment program as recipients of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholarship for Outstanding High School Students, Class of 2027.
Now in its 16th year, the program offers a transformative academic and cultural experience that prepares Emirati students in the UAE for admission to, and success at, top global universities. The scholarship is one of the most prestigious opportunities available to Emirati secondary school students, recognizing both academic excellence and leadership potential.
Graduates emerge with the skills, confidence, and perspective to succeed on the world stage. Alumni have gone on to study at Yale, Princeton, NYU New York, NYU Abu Dhabi, the London School of Economics, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, King’s College London, and many other leading institutions around the world.
“The Summer Academy reflects our commitment to investing in young people with the talent, curiosity, and determination to shape the future of the UAE. By nurturing academic excellence, critical thinking, and leadership, the program empowers students to pursue opportunities at the world’s leading universities while remaining connected to the values and aspirations of our nation. I congratulate the Class of 2027 and look forward to seeing all they will accomplish.”
The program begins in the summer after Grade 10 or Year 11 and runs for 18 months, combining two intensive summer sessions in Abu Dhabi with academic-year enrichment. Each summer, students spend five weeks at NYU Abu Dhabi engaged in rigorous critical thinking and academic writing courses, allowing them to actively develop and apply these core intellectual skills. Complementing the academic coursework, a dedicated leadership and public speaking course empowers students with communication and collaboration skills. Additionally, the program offers targeted test preparation for language and mathematics, ensuring students are fully equipped for their future academic journeys. Co-curricular activities complement classroom learning and help build leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
One of the unique aspects of the Summer Academy is the opportunity for students to experience research and university-level learning at NYU Abu Dhabi. During their first summer, students are introduced to the University's research ecosystem through visits to its research centers, where they explore emerging fields of study and learn how research and innovation address global challenges.
In their second summer, students deepen that experience by enrolling in an NYU Abu Dhabi Track Course, an undergraduate-level course adapted for Summer Academy students and taught by the university’s faculty. Students choose from disciplines such as engineering, biological sciences, entrepreneurship, and other contemporary fields. Through laboratory work, project-based learning, field trips, and classroom instruction, they gain first-hand experience of university-level study while becoming familiar with NYU Abu Dhabi's academic environment and expectations.
Faculty and staff provide continuous academic and personal support, including evening sessions that deepen discussions and strengthen community. During Grade 11 or Year 12, students take part in online classes and refresher weekends to reinforce key skills. In Grade 12 or Year 13, the program guides students through the college application process, from researching universities to finalizing essays and submitting applications.
The program concludes with a graduation ceremony where students and their families celebrate their achievements and receive official certificates of completion.
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice Provost for Strategy and Planning at NYU Abu Dhabi Fatma Abdulla said: “Each new Summer Academy cohort brings together exceptional students with the ambition to challenge themselves and the potential to make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond. Over the next 18 months, these scholars will engage in rigorous academic study, develop lasting friendships, and gain the confidence and perspective needed to thrive at leading universities around the world. We are delighted to welcome the newest recipients of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholarship into the NYU Abu Dhabi community.”
The recipients of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholarship for Outstanding High School Students for the Class of 2027 are:
- Abdulaziz Ahmed Sarhan Saeed Alkaabi
- Abdulla Khaleefa Abdulla Mohamed Alhammadi
- Abdulrahman Mohammed Jamea Yousif Ajja
- Ahmad Abdulmajeed Ahmad Abdulla Alhashmi
- Ahmed Faisal Ahmed Saeed Alhefeiti
- Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Almesmari
- Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Sultan Al Hallami
- Ahmed Mohammed Saif Hamad Alkaabi
- Ahmed Zain Ali Saleh Alyafei
- Aisha Humaid Hamad Saeed Alshamsi
- Aisha Ibrahim Abdulla Redha Alblooshi
- Aisha Mohammed Ali Mohammed Alhubshi
- Ali Ahmed Ali Ahmed Alhammadi
- Alia Ahmad Hamad Bin Fahad
- Aliya Ali Asad Ali Abubaker
- Alya Mohammed Saif Abu Alrougha Alzaabi
- Aysha Ali Mohamed Omar Alblooshi
- Aysha Salem Ahmed Hassan Al Hosani
- Beshayer Khalil Othman Saqer Bin Gharib
- Dana Yousef Khaleel Ibraheem Alhammadi
- Deema Obaid Khalifa Bakheet Alkaabi
- Faisal Essa Sulaiman Mohammad Ahmad
- Fatima Abdulla Salem Saeed Al Rashedi
- Fatima Ghannam Butti Khalifa Almazrouei
- Fatima Hamad Ahmed Khalifa AlMazrouei
- Ghaya Saad Nassib Saad Al Ahbabi
- Ghayah Abdulla Mohamed Hasan Alameeri
- Hamdan Mohammed Saif Khamis Alkaabi
- Hamdan Saeed Salem Saeed Alhefeiti
- Hareb Hassan Ali Habib Jafar Ali
- Hazza Adel Qasem Mohammed Al Faqeeh
- Hessa Ahmed Saeed Alhouli Alsuwaidi
- Jassim Haytham Jassim Yousif Alzaabi
- Kaltham Mohammed Al Naheyan
- Khaled Ali Khamis Saeedi Alhammadi
- Khalifa Mohamed Ahmed Obaid AlJasmi
- Lara Rashed Obaid Ali Alsuwaidi
- Maha Salem Abdulla Ali Alkaabi
- Mahra Salem Amer Mohammed Alghaithi
- Mahra Yaser Ahmed Mohamed Budebes
- Mareefa Ahmed Mohammed Saeed Aljaberi
- Maria Rashid Hassan Mohamed Almaeeni
- Mariam Saeed Saif Matar AlMazrouei
- Marwa Shabib Abduljabbar Almajid Almheiri
- Marya Abdalla Hamdan Mohammed Al Naqbi
- Maryam Masoud Mohammed Rafia Almarzooqi
- Maryam Nafei Salem Saleh Alkaabi
- Maryam Naser Ali Naser Alhajri
- Meera Saggaf Abdillah Basri Assagaf
- Mohamad Tariq Tariq Bin Ghalaita
- Mohamed Abdulsalam Alhashmi
- Mohamed Alwaleed Ahmed Abdulla Almarzooqi
- Mohamed Khalaf Mohamed Hassan Alteneiji
- Mohamed Mansoor Ahmed Abdulla Almansoor
- Mohammed Abdulla Saleh Abdulla Al Tamimi
- Mohammed Ali Ahmed Alnawa Alshemeili
- Mouza Abdulla Nassib Hamad Alketbi
- Mzoun Salem Mubarak Awadh Almarri
- Naama Marwan Saad Ahmed Alshehhi
- Naser Bashar Abdulkareem Ismail Al Ramahi
- Noor Al Aidaroos
- Noor Hassan Moosa Mohammed
- Noura Sultan Ali Alhai Al Nuaimi
- Nourya Nayef Juma Mohamed Almansoori
- Obaid Ali Obaid Ali Aldhanhani
- Omar-Gabriel Schwebel Alali
- Rabei Walied Rabei Fairouz Almesmari
- Rashed Dhaen Ateeq Dhaen Almheiri
- Roda Yahya Rashed Ahmad Alfalasi
- Rodha Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed Almarzooqi
- Saif Abdulrahman Sulaiman Rashed Almarbooei
- Saif Faris Mohamed Ahmed Albakeri
- Saif Mohamed Ali Awadh Jaber
- Saif Mohammed Khamis Almarbahani Alkaabi
- Saoud Ali Abdulla Alaabed Alkaabi
- Shaikha Mohamed Rashed Bin Darwish Alshehhi
- Shaikha Obaid Khalfan Alghoul Alsalami
- Shamma Ahmed Abdulla Bughneim Alameri
- Shamma Butti Mohammed Salem Albishr
- Shamsa Eid Matar Hamad Alameemi
- Shujoon Aaref Mohammed Ahmed Aljasmi
- Sophia Khaled Saeed Salem None Al Qubaisi
- Wadima Jamal Salem Saif Alkhateri
- Yousif Mohamed Yousif Ahmed Alhammadi
- Yousuf Ahmad Mohammad Abdulrahman Boodi
- Zahra Mohamed Alansari
- Zainab Hussain Mohamed Sadiq Al Khoori
