TOP 10 Cheap Universities In Dubai

In Dubai, cost should not be a barrier to attending one of the finest universities in the country. We have reviewed some of the most affordable universities in Dubai that admit students from all socio-economic levels.

From enjoying the glitz socio-economic environment to tax-free earnings after graduating, students from universities in the United Arab Emirates stand to gain many benefits.

If you have written down the UAE on your list of places you want to study but are on a tight budget, then the best thing to do is focus on low-tuition universities.

The institutions we have reviewed in this article are among the most inexpensive universities in Dubai that would allow you to start and finish a world-class degree without financial worry.

List of 10 Most Inexpensive Universities in Dubai

One does not need to talk with tongue in the cheeks when saying that Dubai is one of the most reckoned destinations in the world.

By extension, international students consider Dubai an excellent opportunity to further their higher education, given its massive upgrade in the quality of their tertiary institutions in recent years.

UAE has used money from its oil wealth to invest billions of dollars into building excellent and modern infrastructure. Despite this, there are still affordable universities in the kingdom, such as:

1. Ajman University
2. American University in the Emirates
3. Aldar University College
4. University of Sharjah
5. American University in Dubai
6. United Arab Emirates University
7. Khalifa University
8. Modul University Dubai
9. British University in Dubai
10. Abu Dhabi University

Ajman University

• Tuition fees: Start from AED 38,766 and AED 37,500 per year for undergraduate and graduate programs, respectively.
• Ajman University Admission Requirement Page 
• Ajman University Tuition Details Page

Among the top 75- institutions in QS World University Ranking, Ajman university remains one of the most inexpensive higher education options in Dubai, both for undergraduate and graduate programs. 

The university began operation in 1988 and is highly esteemed for being a private institution in the Gulf Cooperation Council to admit foreigners to this day at an affordable tuition cost.

This institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs such as Law, Medicine, Mass Communication, Architecture & Design, Business, Humanities, Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Dentistry, Engineering, and Information Technology, among many others.

The university is among the leading educational outfits in Dubai as it plans to introduce top-end programs like Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence into its curriculum.

Students who choose to study at Ajman university should prepare an average tuition Fee of $10,555 per year for Undergraduate Programs and about ($10,210 per year for graduate programs.

American University in the Emirates

• Tuition fees: All majors are AED 100,940 per academic year
• American University in the Emirates Admission Requirement Page 
• American University in the Emirates Tuition Details Page

The American University of Emirates, known as AUE, is another inexpensive university worth attending in Dubai.

Located in Dubai International City, students are offered many academic programs through its seven solid colleges.

The popular specialization at American University in the Emirates, especially among international students, is Business Administration, Security & Global Studies, Law, Education, Design, Computer Information Technology, and Media & Mass Communications.

 AUE was founded in 2006 and offered Master’s degrees in Sports Management (Equine Track), Knowledge Management, and Sports Law.

For a private institution costing an average of $12,500 per academic year, this is a cheap option for value in Dubai.

Aldar University College

• Tuition fees: Starts from AED 36,000 per academic year for undergraduate programs
• Aldar University College Admission Requirement Page 
• Aldar University College Tuition Details Page

One of the cheapest universities ones can attend in Dubai is Aldar University College. Students who participated in this college for undergraduate programs are expected to pay as low as $9,800 per year in exchange for practical aptitude and industry-essential skills.

The Aldar University College stands out from the crowd of cheap universities in Dubai, particularly for its associate programs and English language courses offered to students.

There are majors in Engineering (Communications, Computer, or Electrical), Accounting, Marketing, Public Relations, Industrial Management, Automatic Control Systems, or Information Technology. Degrees in Business Administration, Hospitality, and Finance.

Another reason this institution is among the most affordable in Dubai is its scholarships, even to international students. At Aldar University College, deserving applicants stand a chance to obtain a 10 percent discount every semester.

International students are also allowed to work 6 hours a day to finance their studies so that the financial pressure of studying in Dubai is reduced.

University of Sharjah

• Tuition fees: Start from AED 31,049 and AED 45,675 per year for undergraduate and graduate tuition, respectively.
• University of Sharjah Admission Requirement Page 
• University of Sharjah Tuition Details Page 

This is another cheap private educational institution located in University City, UAE. The tuition fee dances around $8,453 to$12,435 per year for both domestic and international students, which is reasonable to a great extent when compared with the tuition fees of most other institutions in Dubai.

At the University of Sharjah, there are 54 bachelor’s, 23 master’s, and 11 doctorate degrees offered to students encompassing programs in Sharia & Islamic Studies, Dentistry, Informatics, Pharmacy, Science, Arts & Humanities, Business, Engineering, Health, Law, Fine Arts & Design, Communications, and Medicine.

About 60 percent of the 12,000 students in UOS are from other countries, making the university one of the most internationalized schools in Dubai despite being extremely affordable.

The university was founded in 1997 by Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi and is now listed as one of the best universities in UAE and Asia.

American University in Dubai

• Tuition fees: Starts from AED 47,000 per semester
• American University in Dubai Admission Requirement Page 
• American University in Dubai Tuition Details Page

The American University in Dubai is also considered a very affordable option for students who want to further their education in Dubai. The university has a student enrolment of over 4000 students, including an international student body from more than 120 countries worldwide.

Here, students are offered courses in in-demand professions such as engineering, business, education, arts, architecture, administration, and science.

The private institution was founded in 1995 and provided education on par with the American system of education (which the name suggests)

Located in the heart of Dubai, American University has most of its core courses accredited by the United States and designed to expose students to the vibrant cosmopolitan experience of Dubai. It is currently considered of the world’s most diverse universities with such an affordable tuition rate.

United Arab Emirates University

• Tuition fees: Starts from AED 1000 Per Credit Hour
• United Arab Emirates University Admission Requirement Page 
• United Arab Emirates University Tuition Details Page 

Suppose you are looking for a university in Dubai that is not only affordable but has several foundation programs to help students with the necessary grounds for learning English, Arabic, and Mathematics. In that case, this is the best bet.

The United Arab Emirates may be the oldest institution of higher education in the country since it was established in 1976. Still, the tuition cost here has remained affordable for the average joe. The university is based in the city of Al Ain in the eastern region of the UAE.

It is a government-operated university in Dubai with nine significant colleges that provide courses spanning various fields with a particular focus on research.

The United Arab Emirate university has over 15,000 students, most of which are international students.

Khalifa University

• Tuition fees: Starts from AED 3000 Per Credit Hour
• Khalifa University Admission Requirement Page 
• Khalifa University Tuition Details Page 

Students who want to attend university in Dubai for a tuition cost that won’t cut their throat can consider Khalifa University. But, outside the affordable tuition at this institution, another bright side is that it is a science-focused private institution of higher education.

The university is located in Abu Dhabi and offers 12 undergraduate bachelor’s programs and around 15 postgraduate programs through its engineering college.

The novelty of the school may be an essential factor since it only began operation in 2007 compared to other monumental schools in Dubai. Still, Khalifa University currently has more than 3500 students studying its courses and has a liaison with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and the Petroleum Institute.

Modul University Dubai

• Tuition fees: start from AED 53,948 and AED 43,350 per year for undergraduate and graduate programs, respectively.
• Modul University Dubai Admission Requirement Page 
• Modul University Dubai Tuition Details Page

This is an affordable international campus of Modul University, Vienna. It is a relatively small university since it is an extension in Dubai which explains why it only offers bachelor’s degrees in Tourism & Hospitality Management and International Management.

Students who find interest in the courses offered at Modul University Dubai can rest assured to be relieved of financial worries because the tuition fee dances around as low as $14,687) per year for undergraduate programs.

Also known as MU Dubai, the institution was founded in 2016 and had the beautiful Jumeirah Lakes Towers in its surrounding. Aside from the affordable tuition, MU Dubai students enjoy the school’s most delicate features, including standard prayer rooms and high-speed lifts.

British University in Dubai

• Tuition fees: Starts from AED 50,000
• British University in Dubai Admission Requirement Page 
• British University in Dubai Tuition Details Page 

We also recommend the British University in Dubai for students who want to attend cheap universities in the UAE. The university began in 2004, with most of its courses providing postgraduate education. 

The university realization collaborates well with other institutions like the University of Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.

It is a private research-based university located in the Dubai international academic city of the UAE. It has quickly become one of Dubai’s most affordable higher education options for domestic and international students. The eight undergraduate degrees offered at the British University in Dubai consist of business, accounting, and engineering courses.

Abu Dhabi University

• Tuition fees: start from AED 43,200 and AED 42,600 for undergraduate and graduate programs, respectively.
• Abu Dhabi University Admission Requirement Page 
• Abu Dhabi University Tuition Details Page

Lastly on our list of inexpensive universities in Dubai is Abu Dhabi University, the largest private educational institution in the country.

The university has campuses in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Al Ain, offering 55 programs under the Colleges of Arts & Science, Business, Engineering, Health Science, and Law.

About 8,000 students are studying at Abu Dhabi University, with a decent percentage of international learners from more than 60 countries worldwide.

Another reason for its affordability is that international students are eligible for the different scholarships offered by the institution, which may be Merit-based, Academic, Athletic, or even through Family-related bursaries.

Students planning to study in Dubai at the Abu Dhabi university can expect to pay as low as $11,671 per year for undergraduate programs and around $11,598 for graduate programs as tuition costs.

Conclusion

UAE is a country that is experiencing rapid economic development. Students looking to further higher education in such an environment with the addition of sunny weather and sand can choose Dubai.

However, funds to sponsor the tuition cost could be challenging since it requires you to live in a cosmopolitan city. But the brighter side is that cheap universities in the UAE also offer excellent academic courses.

The good news about these cheap universities in Dubai is that most of them provide education in English, so international students are not left out of the tuition offerings. Attending and graduating from these institutions also offer an excellent platform to penetrate the job market in Dubai.