AUC Awards 290 Excellence Scholarships To Top Achievers

Reaffirming its dedication to academic excellence and diversity, the American University in Cairo (AUC) welcomed 290 students of the second cohort of the AUC Excellence Scholarship for Fall 2024. The Excellence Scholarship Program, launched last year, allows talented and high-achieving students who demonstrated excellence in academic and non-academic endeavors to pursue an AUC education regardless of their financial means.  The program provides financial support that covers between 20% to 100% of tuition. The program's largest cohort since its inception included students from Egypt, Bahrain, Germany, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Palestine, Syria and Sudan. 

“The Excellence Scholarship Program is vital to our mission to provide world-class education to students, who demonstrate both exceptional academic potential and need. We are also seeking out students with strong leadership skills and a diverse range of non-academic talents,” said AUC President Ahmad Dallal. “This program reflects AUC’s commitment to fostering excellence in higher education on a global level and preparing students to meaningfully contribute to their communities.”

The AUC Excellence Scholarship program is highly competitive and is based on merit and financial need. The number of available slots, number of recipients, distributions, cutoff scores and tuition coverage varies between cohorts. The scholarship recipients were selected based on their excellence in one or more of the following six categories: academic achievement, international diversity, Egyptian national certificates, talents (art, music and athletics), leadership and community service, commitment to liberal arts majors, and other attributes that demonstrate their potential for success at AUC. 

“We are focused on making sure AUC is attractive and accessible to outstanding students from all areas of Egypt and from around the world. The Excellence Scholarship program, now in its second year, has allowed us to recruit top students from various secondary certificates,” said Associate Provost for Enrollment Management Ahmed Abdel- Meguid. 

This year’s Excellence cohort includes four of Egypt’s Thanawiya Amma top achievers, ranking in the top 10 nationally, in addition to a multitude of top achievers from international degrees, including the American Diploma, IGCSE, French Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate, Canadian Diplomas and Abitur. 

“The Merit Scholarship is a cornerstone of AUC’s commitment to advancing higher education in Egypt,” said AUC Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman. “By attracting and nurturing the brightest talents, we are not only opening doors to world-class education but also empowering students to succeed in life. This scholarship helps shape future leaders who will drive innovation, contribute to their communities, and enhance Egypt’s development and global competitiveness.”

The Excellence Scholarship Program is one of many scholarship programs at AUC, including the many AUC-funded and donor-funded scholarships. 

Last year, AUC provided about $45.5 million in scholarships and financial support. More than 60% of AUC students receive scholarships or financial support, including 1,500 who receive full tuition coverage.