The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Arab Alumni Association (MIT AAA) has created a scholarship fund to support Arab students admitted into MIT.

The MIT AAA Fund will be used to provide undergraduate financial assistance to students from Arab descent, who qualify for needs-based financial aid. It is the first such fund at MIT that is targeted solely at Arab students.

“Admissions to MIT from the Arab world are low compared to other regions,” said MIT AAA president Talal Kheir. “We hope this fund can encourage more students to apply to the Institute, by bearing at least a part of the financial cost of their studies.”

"We are delighted to offer this scholarship, which is the first at MIT for students of Arab descent. The world is becoming a smaller place, and we welcome students from Arab countries to take part in the MIT experience," said Susan Wilson, MIT's associate director of student financial aid and resource development.

The fund was established with an initial gift from the MIT AAA and will rely on financial contributions by alumni and others to grow further. Contributions to the fund can be made online at the “Giving to MIT” website (https://giving.mit.edu). The MIT AAA hopes to raise at least $50,000 for the scholarship, at which point the fund can be invested with MIT's endowment and the income generated will provide scholarship support for many generations of MIT students.

Recipients of scholarships awarded through the fund are selected by the MITOffice of Student Financial Services. First preference will be given to students of Arab descent from Arab countries, and second preference to students of Arab descent from other countries.

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the US, MIT is regarded as one of the top higher education institutions in the world.  - TradeArabia News Service