The Middle East – the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to be specific – is a lot more than a hub of Arab trade and culture. The country offers a range of universities to choose from and is slowly gaining popularity for its student intake and educational foothold. Take a look at what you should consider when heading here
A beautiful country, comprised of a federation of the seven emirates, the United Arab Emirates with its sun, sand and sea, and an impressive infrastructure, offers quality education too. The largest higher education institution in the UAE is the Higher Colleges of Technology, which has some 17 campuses across the country. In addition, a number of highly ranked universities based in other countries have branch campuses in the UAE.
United Arab Emirates University
Placing in the 421-430 bands of the global rankings, United Arab Emirates University ranks 6th in the Arab region ranking. It’s based in the city of Al Ain in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and is the oldest university in the country – though still relatively young – having been established in 1976. Its alumni community includes many powerful leaders in the fields of government and business. Students come from all across the seven Emirates plus more than 59 countries. 6,696 students live on campus. 2014, enrolled international students constituted 25% of the total enrolled students. The university is located in the city of Al Ain, an oasis city in the Abu Dhabi emirate 140 km east of the capital city of Abu Dhabi and a similar distance from the city of Dubai.
American University of Sharjah
The American University of Sharjah (AUS) is ranked seventh in the Arab region rankings and 431-440 in the global rankings this year. Licensed both in the UAE and in the US, AUS offers courses based on the US model of higher education, and is a popular choice among international students, resulting in a very diverse student body. It’s located in Sharjah, which is a new entry in the QS Best Student Cities 2016. American University of Sharjah is a not-for-profit, independent, institution of higher education formed on the American higher education model. It is a very diverse university that brings together more than 6,000 students from more than 99 countries and a full-time faculty of more than 370. AUS offers 26 majors and 46 minors at undergraduate level and 14 master’s degrees through the College of Architecture, Art and Design, the College of
Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the School of Business Administration. American University of Sharjah is situated in University City, which is located 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the center of Sharjah and about 25 km from the neighbouring emirate – Dubai.
Khalifa University
Ranked 441-450 in the world, Khalifa University is a nonprofit science-focused university which was founded in 2007 in Abu Dhabi as part of a government initiative. The university is modelled around the American structure of higher education and is developing a worldwide network of partners, faculty members, and research programs to advance research and innovation in the UAE and surrounding region. The University has plans to build a new campus near the current campus of Abu Dhabi. The new campus would be 80 hectares (198 acres) in size and allow enrolment to increase up to 6,000 students. The new campus will house a medical school, state of the art labs, a student hub and sporting facilities
VISA
Full-time students can be sponsored by their respective educational institutions if the institution is eligible. This allows them to obtain a UAE study visa for the duration of their course.
Full-time students can be sponsored by the university, college or institute. However, it is essential to confirm with the university, college or institute because not all educational institutions offer this service. Student’s residence visas are normally only valid for at least one year at a time, being renewed each year during the study program.
GENERAL EXPENSES
While Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah are great places to study, living there and finding accommodation can cost you a couple of thousands of dollars a month.
Language and Communication
Most of the citizens of UAE speak in Arabic, but prefer English in the higher education sectors. Urdu, Hindi and Farsi are some other commonly spoken languages, alongside Malayalam and Pashto. It is not necessary for one to know Arabic to survive in the UAE.
