RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture has announced the results of the initial acceptance of applicants for its cultural scholarship program. A total of 1,157 young Saudi men and women will join the program in its three tracks out of the total applications submitted after the ministry opened registration for cultural scholarship applicants via its special electronic platform in January this year. The three tracks include those who want to apply to join the cultural scholarship program for the first time; those who are currently pursuing studies abroad at their own expense; and those who have previously obtained acceptance for admission from accredited universities to study various courses in culture and arts. There was an overwhelming response from Saudi students to join the cultural scholarship program to pursue studies in technical and cultural specializations in world-class universities and institutes. The number of students who have won acceptance for the courses in the first track of those joining the program for the first time reached 1,040 young men and women. Their specializations are diverse such as design, filmmaking, music, culinary arts, theater, libraries, museums, architecture, visual arts, literature, languages, linguistics and archeology. The selected candidates will undergo a preparatory basic program that will be held in the Kingdom for a maximum period of one year before being sent abroad for pursuing higher studies. The internal program will be held through virtual sessions in the Kingdom due to the coronavirus pandemic situation. A total of 26 male and female candidates were chosen under the second track of those who are currently pursuing studies in cultural and artistic specializations and wish to complete their studies under the cultural program. The universities and institutes in which they are studying include the London University of Art, and the College of Applied Arts in Milan, the Royal College of Art, and the universities of New York, Colombia and Virginia. Their specializations range between filmmaking, music, libraries, museums, culinary arts, visual arts, literature, languages and linguistics, theater, and design. The selected candidates also include 91 young Saudi men and women who have previously obtained acceptance for admission from accredited universities to study culture and arts, and wish to join the program. The educational institutions that have received admission included elite universities and international institutes such as the Pratt Institute for Visual Arts and Design, the University College London, the New Parsons School of Design, the University of Sheffield, the University of London for the Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Queensland, the University of Central Florida, and Pennsylvania State University. Their specializations include architecture, visual arts, libraries and museums, literature, languages and linguistics, culinary arts, design, and archeology. The numbers of applicants for the cultural scholarship program revealed a growing awareness among the younger generation of both sexes about pursuing studies in cultural specializations for both sexes. It is also noteworthy that the number of women surpasses men among those who have won preliminary acceptance for all the three tracks. In the first track of newcomers, there are 626 female students against 414 male students while in the second and third tracks there are 65 female students against 52 male students. The scholarship will cover tuition fees, financial guarantee, living expenses of the students and their companion, as well as health care, and travel expenses especially offered for those studying at their own expenses and who have previously obtained acceptance for admission. It will also provide advisory programs that focus on monitoring the scholarship and assessing the students' academic development, in addition to training programs outside the Kingdom after graduation up to a maximum of two years, with a paid monthly allowance and other benefits. This program was initiated within the framework of the comprehensive development of the cultural sector in the Kingdom, which is being launched by the ministry of culture.
