Excellence Scholarship Program
About the Program
The Excellence Scholarship Program attracts a diverse and talented pool of top students based on merit and need.
The American University in Cairo (AUC) is looking for outstanding students from diverse backgrounds who embody excellence and have the potential and passion for advancing themselves, their communities and the world. Through the Excellence Scholarship Program, the University offers a variety of highly competitive scholarships that, when combined, may provide tuition coverage from 20% to 100% in total, for the very best students eligible in the various categories. Because excellence is multidimensional, AUC’s scholarships are based on a number of criteria. Excellence is the common thread that combines all categories of scholarship.
These highly competitive scholarships are based on excellence and financial need. This ensures that AUC is accessible to the most outstanding students, regardless of their financial ability.
This scholarship is renewed annually for the four- or five-year program of study at AUC, provided the student maintains the required GPA and other applicable criteria.
If you are an outstanding student, focus on admission, not tuition!
By the Numbers (2024 - 2025)
* 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 average tuition coverage may vary between cohorts.
Excellence Scholarship Categories
Academic Achievement
AUC is looking for students who are top academic performers — the best of the best — in their degree certificate. Awardees are top achieving students from all high schools’ certificates, including national, international, private and public schools. Students will compete against peers of the same or similar certificate. Coverage ranges from 20% to 60%.
*All eligible scholarship applicants will automatically be considered for this scholarship based on certificate scores.
International Diversity
As the gateway between Egypt, the Arab region and the rest of the world, AUC is home to a diverse student population that hails from more than 60 countries. Students who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and come from across the globe to study in the heart of the Arab world are an important part of the AUC experience. Coverage ranges from 20% to 30%.
*All eligible scholarship applicants will automatically be considered for this scholarship based on certificate scores.
Egyptian National Certificates
Students who earn top marks in Egypt’s national degree programs (Thanawiya Amma/STEM/Nile), regardless of the school they attend (private, public), will be considered for this scholarship. Coverage ranges from 20% to 40%.
*All eligible scholarship applicants will automatically be considered for this scholarship based on certificate scores.
Talents
AUC recognizes students who have distinguished themselves in the areas of sports, art, music, or any other field. Coverage ranges from 20% to 30%.
Leadership and Community Service
At the core of AUC’s liberal arts education are the critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary for the next generation to tackle the most pressing issues facing their community and the world. To that end, we are looking for applicants who have shown impactful leadership and are actively engaged in community service. Coverage ranges from 20% to 30%.
Liberal Arts Majors
Top students interested and committed to specializing in one of the selected liberal arts majors are eligible for this scholarship. The selected set of liberal arts majors include Anthropology, Arabic Studies, Egyptology, English and Comparative Literature, Film, History, Middle East Studies, Music Technology, Musical Arts in Performance, Philosophy, Sociology, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Coverage ranges from 20% to 30%.
How to Apply?
Applicants interested in the AUC Excellence Scholarship should check the box in the online admission application under the scholarship section. After submission of the admissions application, applicants will receive an email with a link to the scholarship application. Applicants who would like to be considered for any of the AUC scholarships, must check the box on the scholarship application. If the box is not checked, you will not be considered for AUC scholarships and there will not be another opportunity later on to apply for scholarships for fall 2025.
Based on the scholarship category, students are ranked on a number of criteria that may include:
- Certificate score (depending on cutoff scores for each cohort).
- Submission of supportive documents.
- Applicants to the International Diversity category must apply to AUC as an international student.
- Transfer applicants who completed less than 60 credit hours (less than two years) in an accredited university are eligible to apply for the AUC Excellence Scholarship.
Deadline for Application for Fall 2025
- Early Admission: March 1, 2025
- Regular Admission: June 1, 2025
Priority for scholarship slots with higher percentages is given to students who submit admission and scholarship applications by the March 1, 2025 early admissions deadline.
Financial support is highly competitive. Eligibility and percentage of financial support may differ for applicants who are provisionally accepted and complete their files after March 1, 2025, and before June 1, 2025. Any application submitted after June 1, 2025, will be put on a waiting list pending the availability of vacant slots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check our Fall 2025 frequently asked questions, to learn more about the scholarship program and the different awards.