Muscat – The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MoHERI) has announced a total of 32,625 study seats for the academic year 2024-25.

These seats include placements in government higher education institutions, internal scholarships, private sector grants, and external scholarships from partner countries.

Ahmed bin Mohammed al Azri, Director General of the Unified Admission Center at MoHERI, said that of the total available seats, the lion’s share has come from government institutions, opening 20,449 seats up for grab.

Another 11,573 seats would be filled through internal scholarships and grants in private institutions, and 603 through external missions and grants.

Azri highlighted the variety of programmes and specialisations including health sciences, natural and physical sciences, agriculture, engineering, IT, education, business, culture, arts, and philosophy, which come under the current allocation of seats.

New programmes introduced in private institutions this year cover fields such as artificial intelligence, sustainable systems engineering, cybersecurity, emergency medical services, visual communication design, port management, sustainable shipping, and business administration with focuses on international business and e-business.

The stage for modifying preferences will begin on Wednesday and end on August 4 (Sunday) at 2.30pm. This period allows General Education Diploma students to finalise their registration based on their academic results and the centre’s expected acceptance outcomes.

An appendix to the student guide for the academic year 2024-25 will be released soon, Azri said, confirming that the guide would detail new developments and important information.

“Students are advised to review this guide carefully and verify their basic data and grades upon entering the unified admission system,” he added.

The MoHERI admission centre will announce the names of candidates for admission tests, interviews, and medical examinations on August 8, with tests scheduled from August 11 to 15. The results of the first selection will be announced on August 20. Accepted students can complete their registration procedures between August 21 and 27, with the second selection phase announced on November 1.

Azri noted that 2,611 students did not receive a study offer due to limited programme choices. He encouraged these students to use the modifying preferences stage to increase their options and improve their chances of securing a study seat.

Additionally, 1,000 study seats have been allocated for flexible programmes within internal scholarships. Students can choose their preferred private higher education institution and specialisation directly through the unified admission system.

Special provisions have also been made for students with disabilities in institutions within Oman and abroad, he added.