UAE ministry warns against fake overseas study exemption sites

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has issued a warning regarding the circulation of unauthorised and fraudulent online links and forms. These deceptive communications falsely claim to process exemption requests from the official standards governing overseas study. The Ministry affirmed that it has not issued or endorsed any such links or forms outside of its official communication channels.

The Ministry emphasised the importance of refraining from entering personal information or completing any form that has not been published through its official website or verified social media accounts.

Cabinet Resolution No. (5) of 2025, issued by the Council for Education, Human Development and Society, aims to regulate and ensure the quality of higher education pursued by Emirati students abroad. The resolution outlines mandatory standards and controls designed to guarantee the quality of education received by UAE students overseas and to ensure that their academic qualifications are officially recognised and valid for use within the country.

Under this resolution, sponsoring entities are permitted to submit exemption requests for specific universities or academic programs that do not meet the prescribed standards for Emirati students studying abroad.

The Ministry clarified that a single exemption request may be submitted to cover multiple fields of study or institutions, rather than requiring a separate request for each individual case. Students may also submit an "Exemption Request" via the official website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. These requests will be reviewed by a dedicated Exemptions Committee, which acknowledges that exceptional circumstances may warrant some degree of flexibility.

Accordingly, such cases will be considered carefully, taking into account factors related to the sponsoring authority, the host country, the nature of the academic specialisation, the student's personal circumstances, or other valid justifications.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has warned students wishing to pursue their studies outside the United Arab Emirates against dealing with any unauthorised entities or individuals who offer university admission services abroad through advertisements, links, or various social media pages.

The Ministry strongly urges students to only engage with university service offices that are officially approved and listed on the Ministry’s official website.

Furthermore, the Ministry advises all students planning to study abroad to ensure that the university they intend to enroll in is recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education. Students can review the list of accredited universities, categorised by country, through the Ministry’s official website.