As the academic year is coming to an end in most of the MENA countries, we are still working with schools and ministries locally to ensure that you are kept updated with what’s happening across the region and the impact of these changes on your students.

There is big news in the region this week as UKVI & VFS resume services in UAE, KSA, Bahrain and Kuwait as of 28 June 2020.

Kindly see below the latest edition of country updates across the MENA region. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.

Bahrain: Ministry of Education has confirmed they plan to start the next academic year as planned on 16 September 2020.

Egypt: Final year students (thanawaya Amma – equivalent to grade 12) started their final paper exams on 21 June.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: The Kingdom lifted the Covid-19 curfew on 21 June across the country, including in the cities of Makkah and Jeddah. Commercial activities have resumed. International flights to and from the country remain suspended until further notice.

Kuwait: National Bureau for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance (NBAQ) has published an updated list of approved UK universities for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Morocco: Students of the national and regional baccalaureate exams will sit exams 3-8 July and 4-5 September 2020 respectively.

Qatar: The Ministry of Education announced that schools will reopen after the summer as per the original academic calendar.

UAE: The UAE academic year is scheduled to start on 30 August. Additionally, Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) announced that four new schools are set to open in Dubai in the 2020-21 academic year providing parents with more education choices. Creating over 4,100 new seats, the schools will open in different areas of Dubai.

Home Office

The Home Office has published a new version of the Covid-19 study concession guidance. There are two main updates to the guidance:

1. Confirmation that distance/blended learning will be permitted for the 2020-21 academic year provided students intend to transition to face-to-face learning as soon as circumstances allow. Essentially meaning scholars can enrol on a UK HEI course in September from their home country and travel to the UK at a later point.
2. Confirmation that those studying by distance/blended learning will be eligible to apply for the Graduate route provided they are in the UK by 6 April 2021.

The complete guidance can be found here.

Visas and Immigration

UKVI & VFS services resumed in UAE, KSA, Bahrain and Kuwait as of 28 June 2020. Appointments are currently limited and demand will be monitored. Priority and Super Priority Services are not available. UKVI is now (temporarily) issuing T4 students with a 90 day vignette to travel and collect their BRP in the UK, instead of the usual 30 day vignette. More information can be found here.

Travel advice

For travel advice, please visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. We encourage institutions who are considering travelling to sign up for alerts. We are also keeping up to date with local government websites for any updates and restrictions, so kindly feel free to contact us if you need any information and we will refer you to the relevant websites.

IELTS

IELTS tests have gradually started resuming with health and safety precautions.

For latest updates on test availability, please visit: https://www.ielts.org/news/2020/covid19-information-for-our-global-test-taker-community.

An IELTS Counselling service has been launched to help students achieve the result they require. IELTS counselling is a free service from British Council, aiming to help test-takers achieve the scores they need through one-to-one, on-going virtual sessions. The IELTS Counselling services is currently available in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

What to expect from the British Council IELTS Counselling service? 

• An English level check for all four skills, including an online English reading and listening diagnostic test, and a writing and speaking diagnostic test 
• Detailed feedback on your writing and speaking test performance from a British Council teacher
• A personalised tailor-made Learning Plan from your IELTS counsellor
• 30-minute regular check-in calls with your personal counsellor to follow up on progress and provide additional information
• Further assistance and guidance with your IELTS Exam booking and results collection.

For more information visit https://www.britishcouncil.ae/en/exam/ielts/prepare/counselling-service 

IELTS Indicator, on the other hand, is an online test that can be taken from home. The test assesses four skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking. Performance will be marked by examiners and results will be ready within seven days. The test is available for a limited time while IELTS testing is currently suspended due to Covid-19. Education providers can use the IELTS Indicator to help them measure the English language ability of future students. The IELTS Indicator Academic test occurs once a week.

For information on test availability please visit www.ieltsindicator.com

ATAS

In line with UKVI’s decision to reopen some Visa Application Centres, the ATAS scheme began to accept new applications on the online portal from 1 June 2020. They will be working to normal processing time and are hoping to provide a decision to the student within 30 working days from receipt of application.

We ask that HEIs and students consider the following before making an application:  

• Will the student be physically entering the UK to begin their course?
• Is the course start date confirmed?

If the course will initially begin through remote learning and the student will not be entering the UK, please do not submit an ATAS application until it is required.

Please also continue to consider Export Control legislation when providing remote learning.  

For more MENA updates, webinars, market insights and other International Education Services, please go to your alerts settings and select updates from MENA. If you have any feedback or require any additional information, please contact me at dina.kanan@ae.britishcouncil.org

Thank you and stay safe,

Dina Kanan UAE Manager, International Education Services

BAHRAIN:

The Ministry of Education has confirmed they plan to start the next academic year as planned (administration and academic staff return 6 September and students 16 September). They maintain that they will review this decision periodically and will also take all precautionary measures as needed in response to Covid-19. Distance learning will continue as required, per the situation update then.

Contact Information

For more information about Bahrain, please contact Kawthar AlArab, Projects Manager, Bahrain Kawthar.AlArab@britishcouncil.org.bh

EGYPT:

Schools & Universities

Final year students (thanawaya Amma – equivalent to grade 12) started their final paper exams from 21 June. Safety measures have been arranged to protect students including social distancing, proper ventilation and temperature checks.  Assessments will cover curriculum up until 15 March which was the last day of face-to-face teaching. Final academic year exams for universities across Egypt is permitted to start from 1 July.

Contact Information

For more information about Egypt, please contact Sahar Khamis, Head of Education Programmes, Egypt Sahar.khamis@britishcouncil.org.eg

KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

 "10,000 Saudi students in British universities enhance the partnership between our two countries” British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Neil Crompton, stressed that admission and teaching processes in British universities may look a little different this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but they continue to register international students and are encouraging students to apply even if unable to travel to the UK to comply to the usual deadlines. He explained that some British universities set dates for starting at a later time, while others intend to start teaching online initially, and then resume teaching in person later. “Although visa application centres are currently closed, guidance is offered to prospective students to begin preparing for student visa application once centres are opened".

Universities in the UK have a high visa acceptance rate for international students, 99% of student applications were approved last year and a new graduate pathway is to be introduced in the summer of 2021, enabling international graduates to stay and work in the UK for two years. The British ambassador noted that recognizing the potential health concerns of the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK government has exceeded existing standards to ensure that physical and mental health are prioritized to international students, as well as individual college and university supplies, and will provide healthcare services to both local and international students. Complete article in Arabic can be found here: https://sabq.org/z6NM3Q

Scholarships The Minister of Education has issued a new decision to temporarily stop a scholarship program related to teacher development (Khebrat). It is understood that the program will be stopped until further notice due to budget reasons.

Contact Information

 For more information and insights about the situation in KSA, please contact Rizwan Safdar, Project Manager, KSA Rizwan.Safdar@sa.britishcouncil.org

KUWAIT:

Scholarships 2020 -2021

The Ministry of Higher Education will soon be announcing the scholarships’ scheme for the coming academic year. Scholarships could first be offered to graduates of foreign private schools in Kuwait, followed by students of government schools when they complete the academic year (around December 2020). Students can apply to university before graduating to secure their place, and later apply for scholarships when they have their school results. It is expected there will be 4,000 internal and 2,000 external scholarships. 

Contact Information

For more information and insights about the situation in Kuwait, please contact Rasha Osman, Project Manager, Higher Education Rasha.Osman@britishcouncil.org

MOROCCO

School/university closures and examinations

Schools and universities in Morocco are closed since 10 March and will remain closed for the remainder of this academic year. Morocco’s Minister of Education Saaid Amzazi has announced the official cancellation of all final exams during the 2019-2020 academic year, except for the first and second years of the baccalaureate levels. Students of the national and regional baccalaureate exams will sit for exams 3-8 July and 4-5 September 2020 respectively. Final regional and national baccalaureate exams will only take into account lessons that were completed by 14 March, before the national shift to remote education.

Contact Information

For more information, kindly contact Kenza ElMohajir, Project Manager, English and Education Kenza.ElMohajir@britishcouncil.org.ma

QATAR:

School/university closures and examinations

The start of classes for students for the academic year 2020-21 will be effective from 1 September 2020.

Contact Information

For more information, you may contact Paula Jensch, Project Coordinator Qatar, Paula.Jensch@qa.britishcouncil.org

UAE:

Schools and universities across Dubai will be allowed to operate from the start of the 2020-2021 academic year, provided that they comply with health and safety protocols, according to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). According to an update posted to the KHDA's website, the safety protocols include screening all students and staff for temperatures, reduced head-count in classrooms to ensure social distancing guidelines, limiting gatherings and suspending group activities and sports events. Complete article can be found here.

Scholarships:

Current scholarship students are studying online as long as needed. All scholarship providers in the UAE including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Police, Department of Education and Knowledge, Dubai Police, Ministry of Presidential Affairs, UAE G.H.Q Armed Forces to name a few, follow the ministry of education guidelines. There are currently no new scholarship students, this will be reassessed in July 2020.

Other insights (Media)

• 4 new schools set to open in Dubai in 2020-2021 academic year
• Will coronavirus delays affect UAE students applying to universities?
• Watch: A day in the life of Dubai pupils when schools reopen in September 

Contact Information

For more information, please contact Dina Kanan, UAE Manger, International Education Services dina.kanan@ae.britishcouncil.org