AJYAL: A Programme to Support Arts Education Academic Year |2026-2027

Ettijahat–Independent Culture is excited to announce the open call for its eighth edition of AJYAL: A Programme to Support Arts Education. The programme targets young Syrian and Palestinian-Syrian art students residing in Syria who wish to enrol in BA or MA (or alternate equivalent certification) applied arts programmes exclusively inside Syria.

Support is provided to students enrolled in undergraduate programmes at intermediate and higher-level institutions. AJYAL also provides support to students enrolled in bachelor degrees throughout the academic year through to graduation.

The primary aim of AJYAL is to provide educational access to various art disciplines for young Syrian students by covering either part or the entirety of the costs of their study programmes. In addition to covering costs, AJYAL is also carefully designed to develop and hone in on the skills of the burgeoning generation of artists and art students by making diverse forms of artistic expression more accessible and by facilitating channels of communication between the old and new generations of artists in Syria.

To access the digital application form and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), please click on the link.

This year's edition of AJYAL will be exclusively dedicated to supporting students residing in Syria. The joint scholarship programme with Saint Joseph University of Beirut, which has provided support to Master's students in Cinema and Performing Arts since 2021, is currently under evaluation.

Who can apply to AJYAL?

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Syrians and Palestinian-Syrians between the ages of 18–26 residing in Syria and wishing to pursue undergraduate studies (BA or equivalent) or enrol at intermediate or higher-level arts institutes in Syria.
Syrians and Palestinian-Syrians under the age of 35 residing in Syria and wishing to pursue post-graduate studies (MA or equivalent). Applicants must have already obtained an undergraduate degree from an internationally recognised university or an equivalent educational institution and have received a “good” or above in their final degree result.
Applicants who have interrupted their studies or returned to Syria may also apply, provided that enrolment is permitted under Syrian university and institute regulations.
AJYAL scholarships do not cover workshops and PhD or postdoctoral studies.

What costs and expenses are covered by the grant?

Tuition fees during the period of study for the academic year 2026-2027
Other forms of study-related expenditures, including:
- Educational resources such as books, stationery, equipment, etc.
- Transportation
- Accommodation

Criteria for applicant selection

The applicant must indicate the link between their academic background and their chosen field of specialisation.
The applicant must demonstrate a high level of academic and extra-curricular achievement.
The applicant must portray commitment and interest in pursuing work in their chosen field of artistic specialisation post-graduation.

Support mechanism

Applicants are expected to fill out the application form in full and provide all required supporting files and documents before the submission deadline on the 30th of June 2026 at 23:59 Damascus time.
Applications that are incomplete, missing documents, or do not meet the selection criteria will not be considered.
Eligible applications are assessed collectively by a Selection Committee made up of artists, academics, and trainers/teachers/pedagogists, all of whom are experienced in the field of arts education. The Selection Committee members represent a variety of artistic disciplines and backgrounds, guaranteeing an expert reading of the applications and a more in-depth level of deliberation during the selection process. The Selection Committee members will remain anonymous until after the announcement of results.
Depending on each application, the Selection Committee will make its final decision following online interviews with the shortlisted applicants.
Upon commencement of the study programme, Ettijahat will follow up with the grantees to ensure they are content, satisfied, and progressing well with their studies, and to address any potential concerns.
Applicants currently receiving support from other Ettijahat programmes are not eligible to apply. Applicants whose grants from other Ettijahat programmes were closed before the end of 2024 remain eligible.
Recipients of the seventh edition of AJYAL are not eligible to reapply. However, recipients of the exceptional support provided in 2025 are eligible to apply.
Ettijahat staff members, members of the General Assembly, and first-degree relatives of staff members are not eligible to apply. Former staff members may apply only after three years have passed since the end of their employment or collaboration.
All applications are subject to fair evaluation. Members of the Selection Committee will recuse themselves from reviewing any application where there is a first-degree familial relationship or an active artistic/professional collaboration.

How is the jury selected?

The members of the committee are primarily selected based on their artistic and academic expertise and background, their commitment to remaining objective and critical during both individual and collective assessments throughout the selection process, and their ability to anticipate the development of future projects once the candidates are selected.

The AJYAL Selection Committee will consist of five members hailing from various artistic backgrounds. They will each be tasked with evaluating the eligible applications received and assess them according to a list of selection criteria set by Ettijahat. They will ensure that a wide spectrum of artistic fields are represented amongst the selected applicants, and simultaneously that the assessments are made based on adequate artistic and academic merit.

Moreover, Ettijahat will ensure that identity factors such as gender, nationality, age, and background are also represented fairly amongst the Selection Committee members. This will help guarantee a diverse array of perspectives during the evaluation and deliberation process and allow for a broader discussion during the final decision-making phase.

Documents required for application

Documents required from applicants residing in Syria and applying to pursue their undergraduate (or equivalent) studies, including university BA programmes and applied programmes at intermediate and higher-level institutions:

A copy of the applicant’s passport or photo ID
A recommendation letter by one of the applicant’s former academic instructors, accompanied by their contact details (email address and/or telephone number)
An official or certified copy of the applicant’s latest academic certificate of achievement
An official transcript of grades from the applicant’s most recently completed degree or certification
Any additional document that the applicant would like to share with the Selection Committee

Documents required from students applying to pursue an MA programme:

A photocopy of the applicant’s passport or photo ID
An official or certified copy of the applicant’s latest academic certificate of achievement
An official transcript of grades from the applicant’s most recently completed degree or certification
A recommendation letter by any former professor
A copy of the applicant’s Master’s thesis proposal (only applicable for applicants following a programme which requires the student to prepare a Master's thesis) (Optional)

Key dates for the current edition

Q&A session over zoom:
Session One: 29 May 2026, 12 PM Damascus Time | Link to meeting.
Session Two: 18 June 2026, 12 PM Damascus Time | Link to meeting.
Deadline for application submissions: 30 June 2026 at midnight - Damascus time
Conducting one-on-one interviews: 2nd Half of July 2026
Announcing Results: 1st half of August 2026
Signing agreements: 1st half of September, 2026

Instructions for Filling Out and Submitting the Form

Please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) before filling out the form. Reading the file should take no more than ten minutes.
Make sure to attach all the required documents before submitting. Please note that missing documents will result in the form being disqualified.
Applications completed using artificial intelligence-generated text will be disqualified.
You will know that we have received your form once you receive an electronic confirmation notification. If you do not receive the notification, please resend the form.

If you have any questions or inquiries, please contact us at: ajyal@ettijahat.org

To access the digital form and FAQs, please click on the link.

Since its launch, AJYAL has supported a total of 67 students across Syria, the Arab region and European countries. The programme has primarily focused on supporting students based in Syria, alongside 10 students in Lebanon, including 7 in partnership with Université Saint-Joseph in Beirut, and 6 students across Europe and Turkey, including Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Turkey. To date, 30 students have successfully graduated, and 34 are currently continuing their studies. These figures reflect AJYAL’s sustained commitment to enabling access to arts education, supporting emerging Syrian and Palestinian-Syrian artists, and accompanying them throughout their academic journeys.

The eight edition of the Ajyal program is launched with the support of the Dutch National Lottery – DOEN Foundation and the RRLI Initiative.