High-achieving students in Abu Dhabi are being rewarded for their academic success with a benefit they can use well beyond the classroom: a year of free public transport.
Abu Dhabi Mobility has announced that high school graduates from government schools who achieved an average of 95 per cent or above in the 2025–2026 academic year will be eligible for a free Hafilat card for one year.
Eligible graduates will also have access to a dedicated counter, making it quicker and easier for them to receive the service.
The initiative comes as thousands of students across Abu Dhabi prepare for a new chapter, with many school graduates heading to universities, colleges, training programmes or their first jobs.
Who is eligible?
The offer is open to high school graduates from government schools in Abu Dhabi who scored an average of at least 95 per cent during the 2025–2026 academic year.
For those who qualify, the reward is straightforward: free access to the Hafilat benefit for a full year.
It is a useful perk at a time when many young people are beginning to travel more independently. Whether commuting to university, attending training or travelling to work, regular transport can quickly become part of a graduate’s monthly expenses.
Rather than simply recognising strong results with a certificate or ceremony, the initiative gives students something they can use in their everyday lives.
What is the Hafilat card?
Hafilat is Abu Dhabi’s smart payment system for public buses. Passengers use the card to pay for journeys across the emirate’s bus network.
Several types of Hafilat cards and passes are available, depending on the passenger and how frequently they travel. There are options for residents and visitors, as well as services designed for specific eligible groups.
For students, buses can provide an affordable way to travel between home, university and other destinations without having to depend entirely on private transport.
High-achieving graduates who qualify for the latest initiative will now have that option available to them for a year under the new benefit.
Students should check Abu Dhabi Mobility’s official channels for the latest information on how to apply, what documents may be required and where the card can be collected.
A reward that goes beyond school
Achieving an average of 95 per cent or higher in the final year of school takes consistent effort, and the initiative offers graduates a reward that remains useful after their school days are over.
For students moving into higher education, the timing is particularly relevant. University life can mean travelling more often, sometimes between different parts of Abu Dhabi for classes, internships, events and other commitments.
A year of public transport support could make some of those journeys easier while giving graduates more freedom to get around independently.
The dedicated service counter should also help keep the process simple for those who qualify.
Abu Dhabi gets ready for the new school year
The announcement comes as Abu Dhabi prepares for the 2026–2027 academic year, with authorities stepping up preparations across the emirate’s student transport network.
More than 10,000 licensed school buses are expected to serve over 279,000 students, highlighting the scale of daily school transport operations in Abu Dhabi.
Authorities have also been carrying out inspections and readiness checks ahead of the new term, with a focus on ensuring buses meet required safety and operating standards.
With hundreds of thousands of pupils relying on school transport, preparations begin well before students return to their classrooms.
Helping young people move around Abu Dhabi
The free Hafilat initiative may also encourage more young people to become comfortable using Abu Dhabi’s public transport network.
For graduates entering university or beginning their careers, having another way to travel can make day-to-day life easier. Trips to lectures, internships, job interviews or training sessions can all become part of a much busier routine after school.
There is also a wider benefit. Encouraging younger residents to use buses can help make public transport a more familiar part of everyday life across the emirate.
For the students being recognised, though, the message is much simpler.
Those long hours of studying have earned them more than strong grades. Government school graduates who achieved 95 per cent or above during the 2025–2026 academic year now have a reward that can travel with them into whatever comes next.