Education in Dubai

Studying in Dubai can certainly have its benefits: sun, sea, sand, potential tax-free earnings after graduation, and, according to the QS World University Rankings, some of the best universities in the Gulf region. The number of colleges and universities in Dubai has grown significantly in last 20 years and every year the number of their staff and students increases by about 30%. Most of the colleges and universities are affiliating themselves to prestigious institutions abroad, and many of them use English as tuition language.

Structure of Higher Education in Dubai:

Grading System in Dubai:

Types of Higher Education Institutions:

Public Institutions:

The public institutions are funded by the government. Most of their citizens preferred to go for public institutions because they are free of cost for them. Some of the public institutions are UAE University, Zayed University and Higher Colleges of Technology.

Private Institutions:

There are a wide range of private institutions, many with international accreditation, supplement the public sector. The Ministry of Education through its Commission for Academic Accreditation (CCA) is responsible for the accreditation of private institutions.

Global Institutions:

A number of international universities have their campuses or programs in Dubai. These are multi-university complexes that attract students. Some of the international universities are Johns Hopkins’, New York University, The Massachusetts Institutes of Technology and The Rochester Institute of Technology.

Types of Degrees:

Bachelor’s Degree:

This degree programme lasts for 4 years and require between 132 and 136 credit hours. The Bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery take 6 years. The main language of instruction is English. Also, certain studies are taught in Arabic. 

Master’s Degree: 

A Master’s Degree is awarded after 1 year of further study beyond the Bachelor’s degree in engineering, environmental sciences, and business administration. 

Doctorate Degree: 

This degree is offered by some of the universities and lasts for 3 years after the Master’s studies. Doctor of business administration and doctor of pharmacy are offered by the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU).