How to Apply to Study in UAE: Deadlines, Application Process, Timeline

For international students planning to study in the Arab Emirates, the first step is to apply to UAE universities for admissions. Before you begin your applications, research the course and specialization you're interested in. It is advisable that you check the specific requirements and start preparing for the standard exams like IELTS/GMAT/TOEFL well in advance. Since most of these test scores are valid for 2 years, try-scoring well on your first attempt.

Here are a few factors affecting the choice of university in UAE by students:

• Level of education
• High school performance
• Minimum eligibility scores
• Cost of education and location

Although a plethora of options are available, the most popular courses sought by international applicants include executive MBA, mechanical engineering, project management, risk management, and finance programs. For these courses, the American University of Sharjah, Zayed University, and Hult International Business School are the preferred institutes.

To apply to study in UAE, the general admission cycle for most of the universities ranges from March to October. However, individual institutes follow their own deadlines. Since there is no common application portal, students must keep a thorough check for various timelines.

How To Apply to Study in UAE

In recent years, UAE has acquired its place as a top study abroad destination apart from UK, USA, and other countries. As per UNESCO, the number of Indians enrolled in degree programs in the Emirates has increased by 50% since 2011. Currently,17% of the total 77,463 international students pursuing their academics in the UAE are Indian. The remaining percentage majorly comprises students from the Middle east like Oman, Syria, and Egypt.

Currently, UNESCO has further observed a spike of 62.04% in the number of international students studying in UAE. Illustrative of this development, the American University of Sharjah is now said to be the university with the largest share of foreign students in the entire world: 84% of its student body consists of international students.

General Timeline

Universities in the United Arab Emirates generally accept applications in two seasons, i.e Spring and Summer. While most of the foreign universities' deadlines range around spring, the national institutes’ timelines revolve around summer.

How to Apply to Study in UAE?

Below mentioned are the steps to apply to study in UAE universities for various programs:

• Select the university and program
• Find out the entry requirements
• Know about the fee structure
• Be ready with the documents
• Submit the online application form
• Pay the application fee

Some of the universities like Amity, Manipal, and BITS, have individual application portals. You need to register for an account, fill in personal details and complete the application in several steps. The account dashboard tracks your application status. Some examples are:

• Manipal University -apply here
• BITS Pilani, Dubai - apply here

Application Process to Study in UAE

The basic application process for international students who apply to study in UAE majorly consists of fulfilling the eligibility criteria and providing the necessary documents. With the completion of these two major components, you can submit your applications and wait for receiving an offer.

Admission Requirements to Study in UAE

International applicants need to fulfill certain additional requirements for their admission:

• English Language Proficiency
• Previous educational qualifications
• UAE student visa

All of these requirements need to be discussed in detail.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

All the international students who belong to a non-native English background have to demonstrate their English proficiency. For this purpose students often opt for standard exams like IELTS/TOEFL/PTE.

These are the threshold scores for the top institutes:

IELTS Score to Study in UAE

IELTS scores for several programs are as follows:

Study in UAE without IELTS

International applicants are exempted from IELTS and other standard ELP exams if they fulfill any of the following criteria:

• Candidates have secured more than 70% in English during schooling.
• Has studied in a school where English was the only medium of instruction.

Academic Admission Requirements

Based on the course and level of education you wish to pursue from UAE, you will be required to fulfill certain basic requirements with your scores and previous education qualifications. Below are some of the details:

Based on the level of education:

For Undergraduates

• Educational proof of 12 years of schooling
• Minimum 3 GPA, i.e (70-74%)
• English language proficiency

For Graduates

• Bachelor’s degree proof with an aggregate of 55% or more
• Relevant scores like GRE

Based on Degree

Common requirements for MBA:

• GMAT scores
• Work experience of 2-4 years

Top UAE universities usually ask for a minimum GMAT score of 560 for MBA applicants.

Documents Required to Study in UAE

To apply to study in any UAE university, candidates must be prepared with the following documents:

• Birth certificate
• Recent photos
• Passport or any national identity card
• One or more reference letters from past employers or teachers
• Copies of past diplomas or certificates, including your graduated Bachelor's degree
• Academic transcripts
• Letter of intent
• Scores of tests required to study in UAE- IELTS/TOEFL/GMAT
• Curriculum Vitae

Student Visa to study in UAE

Though you can obtain the visa once you receive an acceptance letter from any of the universities, here are some documents to be kept at hand:

•  Recent passport photograph
•  Acceptance letter from the degree offering university
•  English language proficiency test scores.
•  Scholarship proofs if any
• Passport
• Medical certificate
• Fee receipt

When to Apply to Study in UAE

Now that we have given you all the information of the documents needed to apply to study in UAE. Some of the deadlines you must abide by are discussed below:

The deadlines given above are for the national universities. Discussed below are the deadlines for foreign universities with campuses in UAE:

Reasons for Rejection of Admission Applications to UAE

Here are the few conditions under which applications could be rejected by UAE universities:

• Applications are not of the quality sought by university
• Criminal records or behavioral problems such as discipline issue or suspensions
• Erroneous or incomplete applications
• Lack of relevant work experience for some programs

The key to an enriching study abroad experience is proper planning and preparation for the standard exams. Prepare checklists at each stage and ensure that you fill in all the details correctly. This will not only make your application process easier and also hassle-free.