Top courses at 15 of the best UAE universities

Abu Dhabi University

Fields of specialisation: Engineering, business, health sciences, arts and sciences, and law (Arabic)

Popular courses: Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration in a portfolio of more than 50 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes

Key strengths: It is one of the region’s leading academic institutions delivering programmes and scientific research opportunities that foster innovative and creative thinking. Across its campuses in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Dubai, students have access to the necessary tools to achieve academic excellence in a dynamic social environment with state-of-the-art facilities and platforms that foster critical and analytical thinking.

Admission: Last date August 27

Tuition fees and discounts: Undergraduate programmes: Al Ain campus from Dh160,000-Dh200,000; Abu Dhabi campus from Dh190,000-Dh250,000; Postgraduate programmes: Ranging from Dh90,000-Dh100,000

Scholarships: Visit the website for details

Website and contact details: www.adu.ac.ae; E-mail: admissions@adu.ac.ae; Call 600 550003

Ajman University

Fields of specialisation: The university offers 22 undergraduate and 14 graduate programmes across nine colleges for architecture, art and design, business administration, dentistry, engineering and IT, law, humanities and science, mass communication, medicine, pharmacy and health sciences.

Popular courses: Bachelor of Science in Data Analytics, Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, and Master of Public Relations and Corporate Communication

Key strengths: Hands-on coursework is its hallmark. Classes feature a robust combination of pedagogy and technology. In addition to conferring degrees that lead to meaningful careers, AU’s main role is to foster every student’s innate sense of curiosity and inspire lifelong learning. Its state-of-the-art facilities earned Five QS Stars in 2019.

Admission: Last date August 27

Virtutal campus tour: Click here

Tuition fees: Visit the website

Scholarships and discounts: Check it out

Website and contact details:www.ajman.ac.ae/en// Call 800 2878 or 06 748 2222 or email inquiry@ajman.ac.ae

American University in Dubai

Fields of specialisation: School of business administration, engineering, architecture, art and design, visual communication, journalism, school of arts and science, and psychology

Popular courses: Undergraduate: Bachelor of Business Administration; Master’s: General MBA and Leadership and Innovation in Contemporary Media

Key strengths: Beyond the internationally and locally accredited programmes, the university aims to develop students’ real-world skills and nurture an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset. AUD was ranked for two consecutive years as the #1 university in the region to deliver work-ready graduates and its faculty body is ranked #2 worldwide for its diversity. The university promotes research through its centres of excellence, including the Centre for Research, Innovation, and Design (CRID), the Infrastructure Sustainability and Assessment Centre, and the Centre of Research on FinTech, Blockchain and Smart Logistics.

Admission: Submission of late applications through July/August

Tuition fees and discounts: About Dh93,000 a year; Dh12,600 per course for master’s; excluding waivers

Scholarships: Visit the website for details

Website and contact details: www.aud.edu; call 04 318 3266; email admissions@aud.edu

American University of Sharjah

Fields of specialisation: AUS offers undergraduate and graduate programmes at the College of Architecture, College of Art and Design, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and School of Business Administration.

Popular courses: Majors such as psychology, physics, international studies, finance and computer science and engineering, with the College of Engineering having the largest number of enrolled students.

Key strengths: According to the QS subject rankings, AUS is the leader in the region in areas such as business, architecture and the built environment, and civil engineering. Its graduates are well regarded, and they occupy positions in leading regional and global organisations and are pursuing graduate study at some of the world’s most respected institutions.

Admission: Last date for undergraduate programmes is July 16 and graduate programmes for fall 2020 is July 30

Virtual campus tour: Check it out

Tuition fees: Undergraduate: Click here Master’s: Click here; and PhD: Click here

Scholarships: Visit the website

Website and contact details: www.aus.edu; infodesk@aus.edu; Call 06 515 5555

Amity University Dubai

Fields of specialisation: From innovative programmes such as nanotechnology, aerospace engineering and forensic science to traditional courses such as law, fashion design, mass communication, mechanical engineering and applied psychology, Amity University Dubai offers a range of degrees in different disciplines.

Popular courses: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation and Bachelor of Technology in Mechatronics.

Key strengths: Spread across 700,000 square feet, the campus houses university buildings, residences, a fruit and vegetable farm and indoor and outdoor sports facilities. Its engineering, science, media, hospitality and design labs are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.

Admission: Open until the end of August

Virtual campus tour: Check it out

Tuition fees and discounts: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation: Dh40,000 a year; Bachelor of Technology in Mechatronics: Dh48,000 a year. Early-bird discounts on all programmes until the end of July. Email admissions@amityuniversity.ae for details.

Scholarships: Merit scholarships for students achieving 80% or more. Means scholarships for students requiring financial assistance.

Website and contact details: Visit Amityuniversity.ae; Call 04 4554 900 or admissions mobile helpline 055 2305 731

British University in Dubai

Field of specialisation: Engineering

Popular course: BSc in Electro-mechanical Engineering

Key strengths: BUiD is known as a research-based university that offers programmes in different disciplines and was the first university in the UAE to offer BSc In Artificial Intelligence. Students in the Electro-mechanical programme get the knowledge and skills needed to enable them to work across a wide range of roles from design to consulting to contracting and management in industries such as construction, manufacturing, energy services, renewable energy, transportation, and aviation. Students in the programme can study two years at BUiD and finish in University of Edinburgh or University of Glasgow in the UK.

Admission: Last day of application is September 15

Tuition fees: Dh250,000 for the 4 years

Scholarship: 40% for high school grades equal to 90% or above; 35% for high school grades equal to 80% or above; Esaad, Fazaa and Homat Al Watan 40%

Website and contact details: www.buid.ac.ae; Call 04 279 1400; WhatsApp: 050 701 2843

Canadian University Dubai

Fields of specialisation: Undergraduate courses - architecture, business, communication, computer engineering and computational sciences, environmental health sciences, interior design, and social sciences; Graduate courses - business administration and IT management and governance

Popular courses: Architecture, business, communication, computer engineering and computational sciences.

Key strengths: It is the first licensed Canadian university outside of Canada with 50 plus international academic partners, 30 plus degree programmes, and a diverse student population. It is expanding its campus to City Walk Dubai in September. Career advice is available to assist students in developing their professional goals and objectives

Admission: Open; Classes start in September.

Tuition fees: As part of the university’s Covid-19 financial relief package, receive a 30 per cent fee reduction across all undergraduate and graduate programmes when you pay 25 per cent of your tuition by June 30 (terms and conditions apply). Combine this offer with applicable scholarships and receive up to a 60 per cent fee reduction.

Scholarships: Academic excellence, sports, financial hardship, special needs, and special talent scholarships available

Website and contact details: www.cud.ac.ae; Call 04 321 9090

Gulf Medical University 

Fields of specialisation: Gulf Medical University offers 26 accredited programmes run by 6 constituent colleges in the field of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, nursing, biomedical sciences, medical laboratory sciences, medical imaging sciences, anesthesia technology, healthcare management and economics.

Popular courses: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, and PharmD Programme

Key strengths: The establishment of Thumbay Medicity and a chain of ambulatory healthcare facilities —Thumbay Clinics in the community, day-care centres, pharmacies, laboratories are all value-additions to further strengthen the experiential components of its programmes and provide early and ample clinical opportunities for its students across programmes. It also offers another level of employment opportunity for its own graduates.

Admission: Open until mid-August

Virtual campus tour:Check it out

Tuition fees, discounts and scholarships: Merit-based discounts with flexible payment options for healthcare programmes

Website and contact details: https://gmu.ac.ae/

Email admissions@gmu.ac.ae; Call 06 743 1333

Manipal Academy of Higher Education - Dubai

Fields of specialisation: Arts and Humanities, Business, Design and Architecture, Engineering, Media and Communication, and Life Sciences

Popular courses: UG programmes such as B Tech and BCom Professional (with ACCA) and PG programmes such as MBA and PG Diploma in Data Science

Key strengths: Rated 5-star by KHDA in the KHDA Higher Education Classification 2020; achieved the Highest Overall Score of 836; rated 5-star in seven out of eight categories – employability, internationalisation, teaching, research, facilities, arts and culture, happiness and well-being and programme strength; and MAHE Dubai Career Services offering internships and placement opportunities through MAHE Dubai Career Fairs as well as personalised career counselling, resume building trainings and personality development.

Admission: Last date September 13

Virtual tour: Check it out

Tuition fees and discounts: Undergraduate courses start at Dh34,000 and postgraduate courses at Dh30,000

Scholarships: Multiple scholarships to support meritorious students; up to 50 per cent waiver in tuition fee, categorised under merit-based scholarship, sports scholarship, extended scholarship, Al Daem Scholarship, Girl Child Scholarship and Alumni Scholarship

Website and contact details: www.manipaldubai.com; admissions@manipaldubai.com; Call 44 290 888

Middlesex University Dubai

Field of specialisation: Accounting, business, computer engineering, IT, robotics, data science, psychology, education, law, media, film, graphic design and fashion design

Popular course: LLB Honours Law

Key strengths: All LLB degrees offered at Middlesex University Dubai are taught by academics who hold qualifications from top universities in the UK, Europe and North America and distinguished legal practitioners who have qualified in the UK and the US and have extensive experience in their respective fields. All LLB degrees are accredited by the two professional bodies regulating the legal profession in England and Wales; the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board. Law students have access to a wide range of co-curricular activities to further enhance their learning and employability, such as participation in international, regional and local moot competitions (simulated legal proceedings) and MUNs, career clinics run by legal recruiters, the Future Lawyers Network, mentoring schemes, field trips, etc.

Admission: Classes start on September 20

Virtual tour: Check it out

Tuition fees and discounts: Dh167,100 total

Scholarships: Up to Dh90,000 depending on eligibility

Website and contact details: www.mdx.ac.ae/september2020; admissions@mdx.ac.ae; call 04 367 8100

Murdoch University Dubai

Fields of specialisation: Foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses

Popular courses: Foundation Studies, Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Science with double major, and MBA

Key strengths: Brand-new, state-of-the-art 27,000-sq-ft campus in Dubai Knowledge Park; double majors available for all undergraduate courses, generally at no additional cost or time; O Levels and Year 11 results acceptable for entry into Foundation Studies; recognition of prior learning and work experience for postgraduate courses; new Master of Science in IT course; dedicated cybersecurity lab; option to transfer to campuses in Perth, Australia or Singapore; embedded and mandatory career learning spine units to prepare career-ready graduates

Admission: Classes start on August 30. Contact the Admissions Team for more details.

Virtual campus tour: Check it out

Tuition fees and discounts: Foundation starts at Dh44,100. Click here for more details

Scholarships: Academic merit scholarships ranging from 15%-40% of tuition fees. Click here for more details

Website and contact details: www.murdochuniversitydubai.com; info@murdochuniversitydubai.com; call 04 435 5700

University of Birmingham Dubai

Popular course: BSc Business Management

Key strengths: Birmingham Business School is one of a handful of business schools in the UK that holds the prestigious triple-crown accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business the Association of MBAs and the European Quality Improvement System. Strong links with industry mean that rigorous, Gold standard undergraduate academic study is combined with a real practical focus, leading to excellent job opportunities for students. This is evidenced by the fact it is amongst the top two universities in the UK for being most frequently targeted by the country’s top employers.

Admission: Early application to take advantage of the Advanced Award, which recognises applicants being well prepared in their university journey. This rewards you with a further 10% tuition fee discount for your first year of study, on top of your academic scholarship, if you pay your tuition fee deposit of Dh5,000 before July 31.

Tuition fees and discounts: Dh95,034 per year of study for 2020

Scholarships: Up to 30% available in reward of high academic achievement. Click here for more details

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/dubai/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships.aspx

Website and contact details: Click here; Email dubai@contacts.bham.ac.uk

University of Sharjah

Fields of specialisation: The University of Sharjah (UoS) offers more than 107 accredited academic programmes that cover Arts and Humanities, Sharia and Law, Basic Sciences and Engineering, Medical and Health Sciences, Computing and Informatics, Communications, Business Administration and Fine Arts. UoS also offers a wide range of MSc and PhD in over 50 programmes.

Popular courses: Medical, Engineering, Computer Science, Business administration, Law

Key strengths: The UoS has the necessary infrastructure in place, supporting technologies, and training on instructional delivery and assessment through Learning Management Systems (LMS). The main platform used to deliver virtual classes is Blackboard Collaborate.

Additionally, UoS provides faculty with other instructional solutions such as MS Teams, Zoom and lecture capture.

Admission: Open until August 13. Admission for the Colleges of Medicine and Dental Medicine will be closed on July 16. Click here for more information about admissions

Open until August 10 for graduate programmes. Click here for details

Tuition fees: Click here for details

For discounts regarding undergraduate programs, click here

Virtual campus tour:Check it out

Website and contact details: www.sharjah.ac.ae; Email info@sharjah.ac.ae Call 06 5585000

University of Wollongong in Dubai

Fields of specialisation: The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) offers 45 programmes including foundation courses and bachelor’s and master’s degrees spanning 10 industry sectors, such as engineering, business, computer science/information technology, communications and media, nursing, education and humanities.

Popular courses: Global Executive Master of Luxury Management, Weekend MBA, Bachelor of Media and Communication, and Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Nursing

Key strengths: Leveraging its robust IT infrastructure that supports online and blended learning, modern, innovative design as well as calling upon its highly qualified academic faculty, it is committed to providing you with a top quality education. All its programmes are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs and quality assured by TEQSA, which means you can opt for a UOW Dubai or UOW Australia degree upon graduation.

Admissions: Classes start on September 20 for undergraduate students and September 27 for postgraduate students.

Tuition fee and discounts: 25% reduction on full tuition fees if they apply and pay before June 30. Terms and conditions apply.

Scholarships: Academic Merit Scholarships ranging from 15-25%

Website and contact details: www.uowdubai.ac.ae; email info@uowdubai.ac.ae or call 04 278 1800 for more information

Westford University College

Fields of specialisation: Westford University College was awarded Asia’s Best Emerging Business School for offering most flexible learning and affordable programmes.

Popular courses: Executive MBA Programmes and Doctorate of Business Administration

Key strengths: It excels at imparting online education with a high-quality curriculum and cutting-edge technology-oriented infrastructure. It focuses on global best practices of pedagogy with contemporary training methods powered by contextualised and personalised e-learning experience through sophisticated technology and modern platforms.

Admissions: Rolling intake with admission open every month

Tuition fees: Starting at $500 (Dh1,836) a month for diverse, internationally accredited programmes

Virtual campus tour: Check it out

Website and contact details: www.mywestford.com; Email info@westford.org.uk; Call 055 227 2114