UAE: Up to Dh400,000 in scholarships, 75% off on back-to-school shopping

Khaleej Times

a day ago

As the back-to-school season begins, retailers across the UAE are offering offering up to 75 per cent off on various products, scholarships worth up to Dh400,000, and even full-year school fee coverage for shoppers.
These initiatives aim to ease the financial burden on families, bringing relief to parents who typically spend thousands of on back-to-school essentials such as uniforms, bags, books, and accessories.
These initiatives are part of the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2025 campaign, which runs until August 31 and includes a wide array of back-to-school deals on everything from school supplies and clothing to tech gadgets and footwear.
Dh200,000 in scholarships
At the heart of the season is the Modesh Scholarship, giving families the chance to win Dh200,000 in scholarships by spending Dh200 or more at participating malls such as Dubai Festival Plaza, Al Ghurair Centre, Times Square Center, Sunset Mall, Century Mall, Al Quoz Mall and Silicon Central. Prize draws will take place on September 1, 2025.
Families can also take part in the back to school in spend and win Dh25,000 campaign, running at Dubai Festival City Mall until August 31. Those who spend Dh500 or more at participating stores stand the chance to win Dh25,000 towards their child's school fees. Over 35 brands are taking part, including Borders, Brands For Less, Carrefour, Clarks, Daiso, H&M, Jashanmal, Marks & Spencer, Zara and more. The winner will be announced on 3 September.
LuLu School Savers is also live across all LuLu Hypermarkets and Express stores in the UAE until September 7, 2025, giving customers the chance to win a scholarship worth Dh10,000 by spending Dh100 on school supplies, in addition to instant prizes.
Tech and electronics deal
Electronics retailers are equally engaged in the back-to-school season. E City stores across Dubai are offering a variety of tech deals, including free gifts with every purchase, buy-one-get-one-free offers on select items, premium gifts valued up to Dh500 with the latest laptops, and up to Dh1,000 in exchange value for old or broken laptops and tablets. Students and teachers can also benefit from a 15 per cent discount on selected electronics.
Meanwhile, Emax is offering up to 30 per cent off on a range of products including laptops, tablets, and monitors.
Jumbo's back-to-school 2025 campaign — which will run until September 14 — not only delivers big savings but also invests back into the community with a Dh25,000 scholarship pool and free educational sessions.
Customers spending Dh2,000 or more by August 31, in-store or online, will be entered into a raffle to win one of five Dh5,000 scholarships.
In addition, students and teachers with a valid ID can have up to Dh500 extra discount on certain products, while the Laptop Exchange Bonus gives up to Dh500 off when trading in a working or non-working device. It is also offering assured gifts worth up to Dh599 with select laptops and bundles, discounts of up to 50 per cent on IT accessories and monitors, and a similar discount on gadget personalisation for laptops and tablets at its Mall of the Emirates store.
Huge savings ahead
Shoppers can also save up to Dh1,500 through exclusive partner offers, including 10 per cent off (up to Dh300) for Emirates NBD credit cardholders spending Dh2,000 or more (excluding Apple, DJI, and PlayStation), along with zero interest and processing fee on easy payment plans for 18 and 24 months. However, the back-to-school relevant categories like Apple iPad and Apple MacBook are included for the bank discount.
Shoppers can also enjoy Dh600 off travel bookings with Musafir.com, Dh500 off on Tanishq jewellery purchases, and Dh100 off at Titan Store in Mall of the Emirates.
'Our back-to-school 2025 campaign is all about empowering students, teachers and families with easier access to the tech tools they need. It goes beyond discounts.
"This year, we're offering scholarships, educational experiences, gadget personalisation, and real upgrade value. Whether someone is trading in an old laptop, learning about AI, or shopping for school devices, our goal is to make tech accessible, exciting, and fundamentally useful for education,' said a Jumbo Electronics spokesperson.
Huge prizes await shoppers
Over century-old retailer Jashanmal Group offers grand prizes worth Dh150,000 by shopping at its stores or online. Customers who spend Dh1,000 or more will have the chance to win Dh75,000 as the first prize, Dh50,000 as second prize and Dh25,000 as third prize until September 14 across all of its stores.
As part of its back-to-school e-commerce giant Noon will run back-to-school sale from August 18 to 31, offering up to 70 per cent off stationery, up to 50 per cent off on fashion, up to 60 per cent off on grocery, up to 70 per cent off on beauty, baby essentials, books, and media, and up to 75 per cent off toys and sports.
Plus, a weekly raffle to win one year of school fees worth Dh30,000 (until August 26), as well as bank offers for ADCB and Emirates NBD customers.
'Back to school shouldn't drain your wallet or your sanity. We've loaded this season with massive deals, bank perks, daily flash sales, and even a chance at winning a year's school fees,' said a noon.com spokesperson.
UAE's major retail chain Al Maya Supermarket has also kicked off its back-to-school campaign, offering a wide range of school essentials, exclusive deals, and exciting promotions for families preparing for the new academic year.
From stationery and backpacks to healthy snacks and lunchbox favourites, customers can find everything they need at the retailer's outlets. The campaign aims to provide parents and students with an attractive value, convenience, and quality, making the back-to-school season stress-free and enjoyable.
The campaign is available across all Al Maya Supermarket branches in the UAE, with special discounts on popular brands, bundle offers, and exclusive in-store promotions.
'Back to school is an exciting time for students and families, and we are committed to making it even more special. Our stores are stocked with top-quality school supplies, nutritious food options, and amazing offers that meet the needs of every household. We look forward to welcoming our customers and helping them start the school year on a positive note,' said Kamal Vachani, deputy CEO, group director and partner at Al Maya Group.
Meanwhile, Union Coop's back-to-school campaign offers up to 50 per cent off across diverse school supplies that cater to the needs of students, parents and teachers.
'We have ensured the availability of school supplies that meet global standards and help prepare students effectively for the upcoming school year. The products are designed to suit different tastes and requirements, offered in a convenient shopping environment across our branches and digital channels,' said Mohamed Al Hashemi, CEO of Union Coop.
He emphasised that the retailer will support local products by allocating prominent space to domestic brands that have proven their quality and efficiency.