Financial, Medical, Airline Ticket, Passport & Other FAQs

I tried to register for the next semester’s classes and discovered my account has a “HOLD” on it. What should I do?

The first thing to do when your account has been placed on hold is to find out why. Students can usually find out by checking their online school portal or by asking via phone or in-person at the Bursar’s Office or Cashier’s Office at their universities. Holds may be placed for numerous reasons such as library fines, unpaid parking tickets, or unpaid tuition.

If the reason you have a hold is because your tuition has not been paid, you must ask the following: Does the university have a valid Financial Guarantee Letter (FGL) for the current billing semester? Has a tuition bill already been mailed to the UAE Cultural Division?

It is your responsibility to remember to check and see when the university needs a new FGL. Often, they will not bill the UAE Cultural Division without it. If you need a new FGL, please email your academic advisor at the UAE Cultural Division. Be prepared to provide the mailing address and/or fax number of the office where the letter should be sent.

Do I need to waive the health insurance available through my university?

It is necessary to fill out any documents required to exempt you from carrying the health insurance of the university. This is typically called the Insurance Waiver.

In the event that the university does not allow a waiver, the student must take responsibility for ensuring providing the Cultural Division proper documentation that it cannot be waived. If a student is billed for health insurance, and it could have been waived, the student is responsible for paying for the charges.

Many schools require a waiver at the beginning of each term or each school year, so be sure to check periodically to make sure your waiver is still valid. is still valid.

Who is entitled for the monthly allowance and when do I start receiving it?

Any scholarship student whose decree states that he gets a salary is entitled to salary.

Monthly allowances/salaries are paid from the first month the student arrives in the United States or Canada until the time the student graduates. Upon graduation, the student will receive a 3-month salary allowance as a bonus to help the student return to the UAE. Students will not be paid an allowance for any month prior to the starting date of his/her scholarship.

In order to get the salary, a student must be enrolled for the fall, spring and winter terms. The Cultural Division does not consider being enrolled in the summer as an excuse for not being enrolled in the other terms. The only time a student is not required to be enrolled is over the summer. Without being properly enrolled, the student is not entitled to salary. Please note that if a student is not fully enrolled for the entire spring term, s/he is also not entitled to salary in the summer, unless s/he is enrolled during the summer.

When is the monthly allowance wired to my bank account?

The Cultural Division tries to ensure that monthly salaries are paid prior to the 26th of each month, if not sooner. However, regulations require only that students are paid no later than the first day of the month. Therefore, it is recommended that students budget as if their salaries are not arriving until the first day of the month. Please note that the monthly allowances/salary will be paid to the student via Electronic Funds Transfer.

What do I need to do to get my salary wired to my bank account?

You will need to open a bank account with a local or convenient bank and provide your academic advisor with the appropriate bank information to allow for the Electronic Transfer of funds directly in the student’s bank account. This bank information varies depending on whether the bank is a United States or Canadian bank. Please check with your appropriate bank for the required information. You will need to provide your academic advisor with a voided check or the direct deposit paperwork from the bank. Please note that the possibility of typographical errors is too great, which will delay your salary.

What should I do if I change my contact information?

Notify your academic advisor upon any change in address or telephone number. If any correspondence or checks need to be mailed, they will be sent to the last address that was provided to your academic advisor.

How can I receive an airline ticket?
  • One economy round-trip ticket issue from your sponsor in the UAE, such as the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR), Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Abu Dhabi Police (ADP), etc. Any questions about this ticket should be submitted directly to your sponsor in the UAE, as the Cultural Division has no part in issuing or making reservations for that ticket.
  • An additional ticket shall be disbursed for scientific and research purposes. It is paid once to a student engaged in higher studies during the period of study only after receiving a confirmation from the university where the student is enrolled and requires pre-approval from student’s sponsor in the UAE and approval of the Cultural Counselor in Washington, DC.
  • In case of a scholar’s disease that requires his/her return to the UAE, the scholar may be granted an extra ticket upon a recommendation of an official medical authority and the Cultural Counselor in Washington, DC, and student’s sponsor in the UAE approval.
  • The NEW student who arrives to Washington DC, the Cultural Division issues a connecting ticket to the city of study and also when he/she returns to the UAE in the summer vacation once during the scholarship.
What should I do if my passport expired? Lost or Stolen?

Inform your Scholarship Academic Advisor at the Cultural Division. Then contact the main Embassy at (202) 966-0702 for instructions on renewing your passport or visit the below link.

http://www.uae-embassy.org/uae-nationals/services-for-uae-nationals

All UAE passports are renewed in the UAE; however, students can request a travel document to the UAE. In this case you need to provide your Scholarship Academic Advisor of the following:

  • A copy of your passport.
  • Two (2) original passport-sized photos.
  • Fee: A money order of $30.00 made payable to: The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates.
  • Your permanent address and phones numbers in the UAE.
  • Provide the Cultural Division of the date you are traveling to the UAE.
  • If you your passport was lost or stolen, you need to provide us of a copy of the police report.

Please note that the travel document is only valid for one month, so make your travel arrangements accordingly. Please allow two weeks for processing.

What should I do if I need a travel document for my child who just born?

Inform your Scholarship Academic Advisor at the Cultural Division. Then contact the main Embassy at (202) 966-0702 for instructions on renewing your passport or visit the below link.

http://www.uae-embassy.org/uae-nationals/services-for-uae-nationals

All UAE passports are issued in the UAE; however, students can request a travel document to the UAE for newborn children. In this case you need to provide your Scholarship Academic Advisor of the following:

  • Copies of the father and mother’s passports.
  • Two (2) original passport-sized photos of the child.
  • Fee: A money order of $30.00 made payable to: The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates.
  • A birth certificate legalized by the appropriate US authorities and the Embassy.
  • Student’s permanent address and phones numbers in the UAE.
  • Provide the Cultural Division of the date of traveling to the UAE.

Please note that the travel document is only valid for one month, so make your travel arrangements accordingly. Please allow two weeks for processing.

FAQs for New Sponsored StudentsAcademic FAQs