Dubai has grown to become one of the most powerful regions in the world with its outstanding global wealth. Aside from its amazing economic prowess, the nation has several more influential features that are on offer.
It has recently become a popular student destination for those who wish to pursue their higher education in the UAE, thanks to the wide range of developed cities, highly ranked universities, and world-class facilities.
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In this post, I will about some of the least expensive universities in the United Arab Emirates. This influential kingdom has become very popular among international students because of the massive upgrade in the quality of their tertiary institutions. With their oil money, the UAE has invested billions of dollars, which has allowed them to build fantastic and modern infrastructure that attracts world-class professors and students across the globe.
Here are some of the best and least expensive universities in Dubai
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1. United Arab Emirates University
The United Arab Emirates University or UAEU is one of the best universities in the country. It is also one of the finest in Asia and the world.
These are not the UAEU’s only accolades though, as it is also one of the oldest government-sponsored schools. It was founded by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the year 1976 after the British occupation. This also makes UAEU one of the best ‘young’ universities by THE World Rankings.
Additionally, foreign students make up a fifth of the student body. The university’s academic constitution consists of 9 major colleges that offer courses covering a wide range of fields.
There are also find services that further provide students with the requisite grounds for learning, where necessary, English, Arabic, and Mathematics.
Besides, the university is one of the few institutions with a high degree of research commitment.
Based in Al-Ain, this affordable university in UAE offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Business & Economics, Education, Food & Agriculture, Humanities & Social Science, Law, Information Technology, Medicine & Health, and Science.
Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: from AED 57,000 ($15,518) per year
Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: from AED 57,000 ($15,518) per year
2. Modul University Dubai
Modul University Dubai, also known as MU Dubai, is an international campus of Modul University Vienna. Founded in 2016, the new institution is currently housed in the beautiful Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
Since the campus is in a newly-developed building, MU Dubai offers the finest features, including high-speed lifts, 24-security access, and even common prayer rooms.
As a relatively small university, presently MU Dubai only offers bachelor’s degrees in Tourism & Hospitality Management and International Management. At the graduate level, it offers an MSc in Sustainable Development as well as 4 innovative MBA tracks (General, Tourism & Hotel Development, Media & Information Management, and Entrepreneurship).
Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: from AED 53,948 ($14,687) per year
Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: from AED 43,350 ($11,800) per year
3. Abu Dhabi University
Abu Dhabi University, one of the cheapest universities in UAE, is the largest private educational institution in the country. It was founded in 2003 following the efforts of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Presently, it has campuses in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Al Ain.
The university’s 55 programs are under the Colleges of Arts & Science, Business, Engineering, Health Science, and Law. These degrees – among many other factors – have helped the university rank sixth in the country according to the QS survey.
Abu Dhabi University, which is home to 8,000 students, has foreign learners coming from over 70 countries. These students may apply for any of the scholarships in the school, which include Merit-based, Athletic, Academic, and Family-related bursaries.
Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: from AED 43,200 ($11,671) per year
Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: from AED 42,600 ($11,598) per year
4. Ajman University
Ajman University, an affordable university in the United Arab Emirates, is one of the top 750 institutions in the QS World University Rankings. It is also the 35th-best university in the Arab region.
Founded in June 1988, Ajman University holds the distinction of being the first private institution in the Gulf Cooperation Council. It was also the first university to admit foreigners, a tradition that continues up until now.
Based in the Al-Jurf area, the university is nestled in a 215,000-square-meter campus complete with mosques, restaurants, and sports facilities. Here, students can take undergraduate and graduate programs in the fields of Architecture & Design, Business, Dentistry, Engineering & Information Technology, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Mass Communication, and Pharmacy & Health Sciences. The number of programs increases by the year, with the university recently introducing degrees in Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence.
Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: from AED 38,766 ($10,555) per year
Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: from AED 37,500 ($10,210) per year
5. American University in the Emirates
The American University of Emirates or AUE was founded in the year 2006. This private institution, which is located in Dubai International City, offers a variety of programs through its 7 colleges. These specializations include Business Administration, Law, Education, Design, Computer Information Technology, Security & Global Studies, and Media & Mass Communications.
AUE also provides unique Master’s degrees, such as Sports Management (Equine Track), Knowledge Management, and Sports Law. It also offers postgraduate courses in Business Administration, Security & Strategic Studies, Diplomacy, and Arbitration.
AACSB International accredits AUE (for its Business programs) and the Computing Accreditation Commission (for its IT courses).
Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: from AED 36,750 ($10,005) per year
Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: from AED 36,750 ($10,005) per year
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6. Aldar University College
The Aldar University College opened in 1994 to provide students with practical aptitude and industry-essential skills. Apart from offering bachelor’s degrees, this cheap university in UAE also offers associate programs and English language courses. They offer these classes during the weekdays (mornings and evenings) as well as weekends to meet the students’ varying schedules.
At Aldar University College, learners can major in Engineering (Communications, Computer, or Electrical), Automatic Control Systems, or Information Technology. Degrees in Business Administration, Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Industrial Management, Hospitality, and Public Relations are available as well.
Aldar University College offers scholarships even to international students. Presently, deserving applicants get a 10% discount every semester. In case this is not enough, foreigners may also work 6 hours a day to finance their studies at Aldar.
Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: from AED 36,000 ($9,800) per year
7. University of Sharjah
The University of Sharjah or UOS is a private educational institution located in University City, UAE. Founded in 1997 by Sheikh. Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi was established to meet the academic needs of the region. With the undergraduate tuition fee starting from $8,453 per year, the University of Sharjah is the cheapest in UAE for international students.
To date, it is one of the best universities in UAE and Asia – apart from being one of the best ‘young’ schools in the world. UOS, which has branches in Kalba, Dhaid, and Khor Fakkan, boasts the highest number of accredited programs in the country. To date, it offers 54 bachelor’s, 23 master’s, and 11 doctorate degrees.
These include programs in Sharia & Islamic Studies, Arts & Humanities, Business, Engineering, Health, Law, Fine Arts & Design, Communications, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Science, and Informatics. UOS is one of the more internationalized schools in UAE, with 58% of its 12,688 students coming from various parts of the globe.
Tuition Fee For Undergraduate Programs: from AED 31,049 ($8,453) per year
Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: from AED 45,675 ($12,435) per year
8. British University in Dubai
Dubai’s British University is a private research university located in the UAE’s international academic city of Dubai. Founded in 2004, it was formed in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, and the University of Manchester. Since its establishment, this affordable university in the United Arab Emirates has become one of the country’s fastest-growing higher education institutions.
The bulk of the university’s courses focuses on offering postgraduate education. Approximately, it offers 8 undergraduate degrees focusing on the fields of finance, accounting, and engineering. Also, it offers some additional MSc programs both in the same fields and in information technology.
Tuition fees: From AED 50,000
9. Khalifa University
Established in 2007, Khalifa University is situated in the city of Abu Dhabi. It is a private science-focused higher education institution and was originally established to contribute to the post-oil future of the country. Today, the university has over 3500 students taking its courses.
It operates academically through an engineering college that offers approximately 12 bachelor’s degree programs and approximately 15 postgraduate programs, all of which focus on various engineering fields. They maintain mergers with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology as well as the Petroleum Institute.
Tuition fees: From AED 3000/credit hour
10. Al Ghurair University
Established in 1999, Al Ghurair University is a private higher education institution situated in Dubai’s International Academic Area. The university has grown since its establishment into a leading community-related institution that provides education to more than 3,000 students.
The campus is undergoing rapid growth and provides its students with state-of-the-art facilities.
The university offers courses like Information technology, applied sciences, computer sciences, and business administration.
Tuition fees: From AED 35,000
11. American University in Sharjah
The American University of Sharjah, based in Sharjah, the third-largest city in the UAE, is another private higher education institution that was established in 1997. It is located in Sharjah University City and is about 25km outside of Dubai. There is a student population of over 5500 at the university, of which foreign students come from more than 90 countries. Students have access to several cutting-edge facilities that are relatively new, as well as the recent inception of the university. Thus, the university was one of the region’s most multicultural and diverse universities. Programs are provided by four key arts/architecture, science, engineering, and business administration colleges.
This inexpensive university in the UAE has about 70 key courses at the undergraduate level, 16 master’s degrees, and many Ph.D. opportunities across these faculties. It will also be important to bear in mind the cost variation as institutions have the right to make changes.
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Conclusively, the majority of the universities that were established recently mostly provide education in English which is a huge advantage for international students.
I hope this article on the least expensive universities in Dubai was help. Here are is a guide for a Study and Work in Dubai – All You Need to Know
