Universities & Courses in United Arab Emirates

Your guide to finding the best universities and courses in United Arab Emirates tailored to your academic and career goals.

Kinds of Universities

The UAE has public universities, private universities and branch campuses.

Branch campuses

Campuses of universities based in other countries.

Key Characteristics:

Many are in Dubai free zones (special business areas with their own rules), such as Dubai International Academic City (DIAC).

Best For:

Students who want a degree from a known Indian, UK or other university, studied in Dubai.

Examples:

BITS Pilani Dubai CampusHeriot-Watt University DubaiUniversity of Birmingham Dubai

Research universities

Universities with a strong research focus.

Key Characteristics:

Offer master's and PhD degrees.

Best For:

Strong students in science and engineering.

Examples:

Khalifa University (Abu Dhabi)

Public universities

Key Points:

United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Zayed University and the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).
Other students: check each university's rules.

Note for International Students:Public universities are mainly for students who are UAE citizens.

Courses Students Often Choose

Some examples.

Engineering

B.E. Computer Science, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical (BITS Pilani Dubai)

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Petroleum or Biomedical Engineering (Khalifa University)

Robotics and Artificial Intelligence BEng with foundation year (University of Birmingham Dubai)

Many engineering choices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Computing

BSc Computer Science (Heriot-Watt University Dubai)

BSc Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence (Amity University Dubai)

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Khalifa University)

Computer science is offered at many universities.

Business and Finance

Accounting and Finance with foundation year (University of Birmingham Dubai)

Bachelor of Business Administration (Amity University Dubai)

Business degrees in Dubai.

How Degrees Are Built

Most UAE bachelor's degrees count study in credit hours (one unit of a course). Course lengths differ by university.

Bachelor's Degree

4 years (BITS Pilani Dubai Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.), Amity University Dubai Bachelor of Science (BSc))

Common Examples

B.E. Computer Science (BITS Pilani Dubai)
Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering (Khalifa University)
BSc Computer Science (Heriot-Watt University Dubai)

Program Structure

thesis

credits

Amity University Dubai's BSc Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) is 125 credit hours.

defense

research

coursework

internships

At American University of Sharjah (AUS), internships linked to your course are allowed with AUS approval.

supervision

specialization

The first university degree.

Master's Degree

About 2 years (BITS Pilani Dubai Master of Engineering (M.E.))

Common Examples

M.E. (BITS Pilani Dubai)
Master's programmes at Khalifa University

Program Structure

thesis

credits

Khalifa University charges master's tuition per credit hour.

defense

research

coursework

internships

supervision

specialization

Needs a bachelor's degree.

The Year

Two semesters (autumn and spring, half a study year each), with a summer term at AUS

Autumn semester

AUS calls its August start 'Fall'. Fall 2027 classes start on 23 August 2027.

Spring semester

AUS calls its January start 'Spring'. Spring 2027 classes start on 11 January 2027.

Universities to Know

Universities students from India and Pakistan often look at, with key facts.

Khalifa University (KU)

Abu Dhabi | Research university

Specializations

Science
Engineering
Medicine

Highlights

The Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), the UAE body that approves universities and courses, has approved all programmes.
The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), a group that checks engineering courses, has approved its engineering programmes.
Scholarships for international undergraduates: full, 75%, 50% or 25% of tuition.

BITS Pilani Dubai Campus (BPDC)

Dubai International Academic City | Dubai campus of an Indian university