Dubai

About

Dubai is located on the Eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, in the southwest corner of the Arabian Gulf. It is extremely well known for its warm hospitality and rich cultural heritage, and the Emirati people are welcoming and generous in their approach to visitors. With year-round sunshine, intriguing deserts, beautiful beaches, luxurious hotels and shopping malls, fascinating heritage attractions and a thriving business community, Dubai has become a very sought after destination for Indians. The biggest draw for Indians is the distance. This is one of the destinations with very less travel time compared to any other study abroad destinations. The UAE attaches great importance to education, which dates back to historical times. Education in the UAE has evolved from the simple traditional mode and is in line with international standards.
There has been a massive economic development in Dubai in the last few decades. Today, Dubai is one of the best places to plan one’s study and career due to its strong economy, high standard of living and excellent law and order. The evolution in education began in 1971 when the federation of the UAE was announced and federal ministries were set up including the Ministry of Education, which was entrusted with the task of supervising education at a national level. This led to the growth of public (government) schools, which became equipped with the latest educational techniques. Additionally, educational missions were brought from Arab countries to contribute to developing modern education, resulting in an educational boom that led to an increase in the number of educated citizens and to promote education to students from other countries. Higher and business education has seen greater collaboration between western and Dubai based entities.

Quality Education

Education in the UAE is generally based on an educational system that conforms to the world’s best educational standards. They have a transparent system where all the information regarding licensing procedures, accreditation, etc are all accessible to the public. In parallel, Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) is the world's only free zone dedicated to higher education. Their campus provides an environment of vitality and inspiration for students and faculty. There are currently international universities of higher learning in both Dubai Knowledge Village and DIAC from diverse regions including the USA, UK, Australia, India, Pakistan, Iran, France, Russia, Belgium, and Canada catering to over 12,000 students. These institutions offer programs that range in duration from one year to four years. Major academic programmes on offer include; engineering, computer science, finance, media, education, fashion and design, biotechnology, environmental studies, quality management, and business management programs.

Cost of Living

Studying in Dubai is less expensive when compared to the US and the UK. The cost of living is relatively high but students can plan and work to save costs. Most universities have on-campus accommodation, which is limited. Students can plan and rent apartments jointly to save costs. Students can also apply for scholarships if they qualify for the same. Indian students have an added advantage of distance. Dubai is closer home compared to other destinations which make traveling home cost-effective.

Consistent Weather

The weather of Dubai is another advantage to the students here. There are two distinct seasons, summers and winters. The summers begin from the last week of April and last till the first week of October. Dubai is generally humid due to its proximity to the sea. But all the places are air-conditioned. Hence, it does not make much difference to the public. The winters are pleasant making it ideal for outdoor activities.

Diversity & Variety

Dubai is a blend of East and West. Students get to mix with other students from all over the world. This helps students broaden their horizons and also helps in global networking opportunities. There is a wide variety of courses and degrees offered by universities as per the students’ interest. Students also have the option of choosing between universities and vocational courses.

Safety

Dubai is known for its law and order. It is one of the safest cities in the world. The crime rate is low. There is a lot of convenience in public transportations and these are very safe. The universities and colleges are very stringent in their rules and regulations.

Part-time work

As per the labor laws in the UAE, students studying for a four-year bachelor degree can work up to 6 hours a day in a part-time job. This requires a work permit but part-time work is allowed in Dubai, which helps in students covering their costs.

The education system in Dubai consists of primary, secondary and university education. There are many Indian schools that are affiliated to the CBSE board. There are many public and private schools catering to Emiratis and expatriates. The Ministry of Education of the United Arab Emirates is responsible for the accreditation of schools. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) supervises all schools, institutes, vocational institutions, adult and special needs centers, daycare centers and government and private universities in Dubai.
Some of the top universities in Dubai offering degrees and courses include Harvard Medical School Dubai Center, London Business School, University of Strathclyde, Manchester Business School, Duke's Fuqua School of Business and Cass Business School, among others.

The qualifying exams vary between study programs and levels. For each course, international students will need to meet a minimum English language requirement. Besides, there will be a minimum academic performance record as stipulated by the universities to qualify for admission.

General Exams

GMAT - The Graduate Management Admission Test is given by those who want to pursue an MBA or business or management-related courses. The aspirants are measured on English, mathematical and reasoning skills.

GRE - The Graduate Record Examination is taken by students applying to graduate schools to pursue an MA or MS. Also, many business schools accept GRE scores for granting admission for pursuing MBA or business or management courses.

Students need to check on the qualifying exams as stipulated by the universities and accordingly apply for the same.

Language Exam

TOEFL – It is the most popular English proficiency exam accepted by a majority of the universities. The TOEFL tests the students’ usage and understanding of the English language as it is used in communicating in college and university settings. Students can appear for this exam any number of times. This test is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), which conducts the test and set the test paper.

IELTS – International English Language Testing System is a standardized language test that needs to be cleared for admission in different universities.

Students are advised to thoroughly check the entry requirements of the university/college they are applying to and then take up the exams accordingly. Many educational institutes accept some specific exams whereas some institutes allow students to give the exams of their choice. Therefore, before preparing for the exams, students should check the university requirements.

Application Requirements

Apart from the above-mentioned tests, there are other requirements for applying to educational institutes in Dubai. These are university-specific and students need to check the requirements accordingly.

Cut-off for Exams

All the major universities and colleges also set cut-off for various exams which students need to obtain to get an admission. Before applying to their preferred universities, aspirants should check the cut-off marks for GMAT, GRE, TOEFL and then start preparing for the exams accordingly.

International students in Dubai have varied tuition fee according to the university, courses and the city they have chosen. Postgraduate courses cost more than the undergraduate courses. Living expenses like accommodation, food, travel etc are as per the choice of the student. Costs will vary depending on the lifestyle, place of residence and socializing of the students. The standard of living is high in Dubai. Hence, the students need to plan their expenses accordingly.
Business Management, Computer Science, Medicine, Finance and Accounting, Economics, Communications/Media are popular courses that Indian students pursue in Dubai.
Student visas are issued to applicants whose primary purpose of visit to a country is to pursue education. Although getting admission in the university is extremely important, these legal documents for obtaining visas are of utmost importance. Every country has its own immigration rules. The documents can range from education-related ones to different proof of funds acceptable and so on to enable the students to study in that country. These are specified on the official website. Students can check on the same and accordingly apply for their visa. There are some common factors in all student visa applications.

A student visa in Dubai requires a sponsor. If a student does not have any relatives or contacts, the university can sponsor him/her. A student residence visa is issued for one year at a time and has to be renewed every year. Apart from this, a student needs to submit the admission offer letter from the UAE University in which they have applied for. Bank statements showing evidence of funds in the UAE need to be shown. A tenancy agreement, if none, a letter from the university if the student would be staying in the university accommodation needs to be given. Copy of tuition fee receipts and visa fee receipts need to be given for the current year of study.

Apart from the above-mentioned requirements, students applying to undergraduate courses should have completed 10+2. Also, those who are applying to graduate courses must have completed 16 years of education and need to prove that they have a recognized graduate degree.

The students need to know the entire process of applying and obtaining the student visas to study abroad. Studying abroad requires meticulous planning. Students are advised to plan their admission/ application process as per the university deadlines and should accordingly work backward. Students are required to appear for English eligibility tests as per the university policies and also have required documents in place for the smooth processing of their application. Hence, students are always advised to apply 3-4 months in advance to avoid any last-minute delays. Candidates seeking financial aid, scholarships and education loans should start a couple of months earlier than the regular applicants for the process of application and approval of the same.