Your ultimate guide to the top colleges and universities in Dubai

• Best Universities
• Private Universities
• Business Schools for MBA
• Engineering Universities
• Other Universities

The UAE has developed an inclusive and internationally recognised educational system which has gone from strength-to-strength over the last decade. If you are looking for higher education institutions in Dubai, you will find a vast range of options, from internationally renowned business schools to niche fine arts institutes. Read on for everything you need to know about the top colleges and universities in Dubai.

BEST UNIVERSITIES IN DUBAI

There are numerous universities offering a variety of courses in Dubai. The two major academic districts with top universities in Dubai are Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). But there are various other universities spread throughout the city. College admissions in Dubai usually open before September of the year, so if you’re planning to apply, now is the time to do it. Here is a list of 10 top universities in Dubai:

UNIVERSITY OF DUBAI

Offering a wide variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, the University of Dubai has become immensely popular in the city. Students can enrol in business, law, engineering and IT programs in this accredited university.

This government-run university consists of three colleges: Dubai Business School, College of Engineering & IT and College of Law that caters to both local and international students. The university offers merit-based scholarships as well as special discounts.

More info

• Location: Academic City Emirates Road, Exit 49
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 2,300 – AED 330,000
• Contact: +971-4-556-6800

MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY DUBAI

Established in 2005, Middlesex University Dubai is the first overseas branch of the internationally acclaimed Middlesex University in London. The university caters to more than 3000 students belonging to more than 100 nationalities. It offers business, law, media, science and technology, art and design, health and education programmes.

More info

• Location: Block 16, Knowledge Village
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 43,400 – AED 55,700
• Contact: +971-4-367-8100

CANADIAN UNIVERSITY OF DUBAI (CUD)

Established in 2006, CUD offers a gateway for students looking to pursue higher studies in Canada. This college offers undergraduate and postgraduate academic programs that are based on the Canadian curriculum.

Their courses range from business development and sales to marketing and operations. They also offer architecture, interior design, finance and psychology courses in Dubai. With over 100 nationalities this is the perfect university in Dubai for anyone looking to study in a diverse environment.

More info

• Location: 1st Interchange, Sheikh Zayed Road
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 61,000 – AED 66,150
• Contact: + 971-4-321-9090

HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY DUBAI

This college is one of the most successful foreign universities in Dubai that offers high-quality British degrees. This university offers over 50 accredited courses. You can consider it for business, media, engineering, psychology and fashion designing courses in Dubai. With a state of the art facilities and purpose-built labs, this university in Dubai is a good option for students looking for the best colleges in the city.

More info

• Location: Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 44,000 – AED 136,500
• Contact: +971-4-277-4500

CURTIN UNIVERSITY DUBAI

Offering quality education and well-maintained research facilities, Curtin University is one of the top Australian universities in Dubai that has a global presence. It offers foundation programs, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. You can enrol in various courses including business and management, IT, engineering and humanities.

More info

• Location: 4th floor, Block 11, Dubai International Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 27,945 – AED 48,300
• Contact: +971-4-245-2500

ZAYED UNIVERSITY DUBAI

Established in 1998, Zayed University Dubai is one of the three branches of the renowned government college in the UAE. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in arts, business, media, technology, humanities and health sciences. Accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), it is one of the top public universities in Dubai that also offers financial aid and merit-based scholarships.

More info

• Location: Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 84,000 – AED 128,000
• Contact: +971-4-402-1111

MODUL UNIVERSITY DUBAI

MODUL University Dubai is the first Austrian university in the Middle East which offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business studies and hospitality management. Operated by Dubai Investments, the courses in MODUL University Dubai cover topics of tourism, hospitality, sustainability, public governance, new media technologies, and entrepreneurship. 

The academic programmes at this university allow intakes for the Fall (September) and Spring (February) terms. MODUL University Dubai is located in the high-rise residential area of JLT. 

More info

• Location: Jumeirah Lake Towers
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 40,370 – AED 161,480
• Contact: +971-4-510-1400 or +971-52-646-1870

AMITY UNIVERSITY

With campuses across New York, London, China, Singapore and Dubai, Amity University prepares students to pursue a career in the fields of science and technology. Carrying forward the legacy of the university, the campus of Amity University in Dubai also has state-of-the-art facilities ensuring quality education. The university offers management, engineering and technology, science, law, humanities, hospitality and tourism courses. It is often featured in the list of best universities in Dubai Academic City.

More info

• Location: Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 35,000 – AED 58,000
• Contact: +971-4-445-4900

SYNERGY UNIVERSITY DUBAI

Located in Jumeirah Lake Towers, Synergy University Dubai is a branch of the highly reputed university for industry and finance established in 1995 in Moscow. Accredited by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the university offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as well as language courses. Their programmes range from entrepreneurship to hotel management.

More info

• Location: Cluster I, Platinum Tower, 32 floor
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 16,515 – AED 29,360
• Contact: +971-55-896-8205

MANIPAL ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION (MAHE DUBAI)

MAHE Dubai, or more popularly known as Manipal University Dubai is a leading Indian university in Dubai. It offers foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses that range from engineering to media and communications. 

The Manipal University Dubai campus features state of the art laboratories such as a fully equipped post-production TV lab and programming laboratories. The campus also has a hostel for both girls and boys and the best sports and recreational facilities.

More info

• Location: Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: Varies depending upon the programme
• Contact: +971-4-4290-777 | admissions@manipaldubai.com

DUBAI PHARMACY COLLEGE FOR GIRLS

Established in 1992 by philanthropist Haji Saeed Bin Ahmed Al Lootah, Dubai Pharmacy College is one of the top universities in Dubai. The college offers undergraduate, postgraduate programmes as well as certificate courses.

Along with education, Dubai Pharmacy College takes care of transportation and accommodation to ensure a hassle-free learning experience for students.

More Info

• Location: Muhaisnah 1
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 40,000 – AED 50,000
• Contact: +971-4-212-0333

LIST OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN DUBAI

AL GHURAIR UNIVERSITY

Located in Academic City, Al Ghurair University is a globally recognised, private institution in Dubai. It offers higher education programmes in various streams such as architecture, business, education, law, social sciences and engineering. In addition to offering academic excellence, the university also oversees career counselling and internship opportunities.

More info

• Location: Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 35,000 – AED 50,000
• Contact: +971-4-420-0223

UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG

Located in Dubai Knowledge Park, University of Wollongong is one of the top Australian universities in Dubai. It offers finance, management, engineering and humanities programmes for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

You can also enrol in various certification programmes at the university such as the Internet of Things (IOT) and Search Advertising.

More info

• Location: Blocks 5, 14 & 15, Dubai Knowledge Park
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 68,250 – AED 275,310
• Contact: +971-4-278-1800

MURDOCH UNIVERSITY DUBAI

Established in 2018, this Australian university in Dubai offers degrees in Commerce, Information Technology, Media and postgraduate programs for Business and Human Resource (HR) Management. This is one of the international universities in Dubai that provides its students with the opportunity to combine on-campus learning with real-world industry experience.

Featuring some of the most qualified professors, Murdoch also has an Australian Accredited undergraduate, double majors one-year MBA designed for executives. The new term begins in September.

More info

• Location: Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 44,100 – AED 172,200
• Contact: + 971-4-435-5700 | email admissions@murdochdubai.ac.ae

LIST OF MBA UNIVERSITIES IN DUBAI

HULT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL

Hult is a business school in Dubai that offers comprehensive courses and electives that are focused on business management and marketing. This university in Dubai offers highly ranked and internationally accredited MBA, masters, executive MBA and undergraduate programs.

Hult is one of the top universities for MBA in Dubai that prepares students for some of the world’s most influential markets. The programs available at HULT Dubai include Global One-Year MBA and other masters programs, with the term beginning in September every year.

More info

• Location: Dubai Internet City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 143,000 – 265,000
• Contact: +971-4-427-5800

LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL DUBAI

Located in DIFC, London Business School Dubai is one of the best business universities in Dubai. It is a branch of the world-renowned business school based in the UK and offers specialisation programmes in finance, marketing, management and business.

You can consider it for an Executive MBA programme in Dubai. It is accredited by Association of MBAs, Global European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

More info

• Location: Gate Village 02, Sheikh Zayed Road
• Average Tuition Fees: Varies depending upon the programme
• Contact: +971-4-401-9301

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI (AUD)

Founded in 1995, American University of Dubai is a private, non-sectarian institution of higher learning in Dubai Internet City. It is one of the top international universities in Dubai.

AUD offers two-year MBA and executive MBA programmes in Dubai with different credit hours.

More info

• Location: Near Dubai Internet City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 43,601 – AED 82,500
• Contact: + 971-4-399-9000

SP JAIN SCHOOL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT

S P Jain School of Global Management is an Australian global business school in Dubai that offers the best one year international MBAs, undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The S P Jain campus in Dubai has hi-tech training rooms, a library, video conferencing facility as well as an on-campus cafeteria.

S P Jain also offers student accommodation which is located in Dubai International City. This business school in Dubai is perfect for young professionals looking to build a career as a business owner and allows an opportunity to connect with people from diverse backgrounds.

More info

• Location: Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: Varies depending upon the programme
• Contact: +971-4-561-6700 |admissions.dxb@spjain.org 

ENGINEERING UNIVERSITIES IN DUBAI

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DUBAI (RIT)

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a leading US-based university in the suburban area of Dubai Silicon Oasis. RIT offers engineering programs that are accredited and licensed by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and KHDA respectively. From Mechanical to Micro-electronics, you can enrol in any engineering programme here.

Although the university is easily accessible from all areas in Dubai but if you are living in apartments in Dubai Silicon Oasis, it will take you around eight minutes to get there.

More info

• Location: Dubai Silicon Oasis
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 30,000 – AED 61,950
• Contact: +971-4-371-2000|email dubai@rit.edu

THE BRITISH UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI

The British University in Dubai (BUiD) is a research-based educational facility. It is one of the top UK universities in Dubai that offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate programmes.

Apart from highly acclaimed in accounting, business management and architecture, BUiD offers engineering programmes in Dubai. This top engineering college in Dubai offers software engineering and Electro-Mechanical Engineering.

More info

• Location: Block 11, 1st and 2nd Floor, Dubai International Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 55,000 – AED 75,000
• Contact: +971-4-279-1400

BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI (BITS)

Located in Academic City, BTS Pilani is one of the best engineering universities in Dubai. It features dedicated undergraduate, graduate and research courses in engineering sciences.

BITS Pilani Dubai also offers campus placement for its students and has some of the best laboratories and facilities for students looking to join the engineering field. This university also has dedicated hostels for students and top-notch sports and recreation facilities within its Dubai campus.

More info

• Location: Academic City
• Average Tuition Fees: AED 31,000 – AED 50,500
• Contact: + 971-4-275-3700 |webmaster@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in

LIST OF OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN DUBAI

In addition to the aforementioned universities, there are also the following notable educational institutions:

• Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU)
• Manchester Business School
• London Business School Dubai
• Emirates Aviation University
• Islamic Azad University
• Al Falah University
• College of Islamic and Arabic Studies
• Michigan State University (aka, Michigan University in Dubai)
• Al Dar University College
• Dubai College of Tourism
• Emirates Aviation University
• University of Birmingham Dubai

FAQs

What are the best medical universities in Dubai?

Dubai Medical University Hospital, Fakeeh University Hospital Dubai and Dubai University Hospital are some of the most well-regarded universities at which to study medicine in the city.

What are the best law universities in Dubai?

Middlesex University or University of Birmingham Dubai are amongst the best universities in which to enrol in law programmes in Dubai.

Are there any cheap universities in Dubai?

Al Dar University College, Al Ghurair University, Amity University and Canadian University Dubai are some of the cheapest universities in Dubai.

Are there any interior design universities in Dubai?

Heriot-Watt University and Canadian University of Dubai offer interior designing programmes in Dubai.

That concludes our guide to the universities and colleges in Dubai. We hope this article helps your research and informs your decision-making process with regard to higher eduction institutes. If you have picked a university in Academy City, living in DSO is an option worth considering as it is close to Academic City and offers some of the best affordable studios in Dubai. You can also check out all these other popular areas in Dubai for students. 

Similar to Dubai, you’ll find some excellent universities in other emirates. For instance, the University of Sharjah is considered one of the best universities in the UAE. There are also a number of other respected universities in University City Sharjah.

Which one of these top universities or colleges in Dubai do you study at? Have we missed any? Let us know in the comments section below.

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