Al Ain, UAE
The UAE's oldest and largest federal university, based in the traditional academic city of Al Ain.
Admission to the College of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Veterinary Medicine programme is limited to UAE national students — international applicants are not eligible for these two programmes specifically. UAEU's other colleges (Engineering, Business, Law, Natural Sciences, etc.) are open to international students.
UAEU, founded in 1976, is the UAE's oldest university and its main comprehensive federal institution, based in Al Ain — historically considered the UAE's cultural and educational heartland, away from the more commercial hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi city. It offers the widest range of disciplines of any UAE federal university.
Submit a free enquiry and Tutopiya's admissions team will guide you through your application to UAEU — personal statement, interview prep and deadlines — at no cost, no obligation. Application fees are typically waived through our university partnerships.
ABB (A Level) · IB 30
Solid tier · indicative for the flagship courses below — always verify per-course requirements directly with the university.
AED 40,000–AED 60,000/yr
mid tier for UAE — figures are typical ranges, not this specific university's published fee.
English
campus campus, Al Ain
Informational only — scholarship amounts, deadlines and even which schemes are running change often (sometimes per intake), so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current details directly with the scholarship provider or UAEU's financial aid office.
UAE scholarship access varies sharply by institution type: some private universities have genuinely need-blind, full-need-met admission for all students regardless of nationality, while federal universities' funding is largely reserved for Emirati citizens (see the citizenship/PR fee note above).
Want help figuring out which of these you'd actually qualify for? Talk to a free Tutopiya counsellor.
Civil Engineering
⏱️ Typical duration: Often 4 years rather than the country's standard Bachelor's length, especially where the programme includes an integrated Master's (e.g. UK MEng) or an industry placement year
Typical entry: Requires Mathematics + Physics
Medicine
⏱️ Typical duration: 5–6 years where entered straight from school (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong); typically a 4-year postgraduate MD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)
Typical entry: Requires Chemistry + Biology
Business
⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years
Typical entry: Mathematics helps but usually isn't required recommended
Natural Sciences
⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years
Typical entry: Requires two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths
Law
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years for an undergraduate LLB (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia); typically a 3-year postgraduate JD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)
Durations are typical for UAE — always confirm the exact length (including any placement or integrated Master's year) on the course's own page before applying.
Not sure which course fits your grades and interests? Run the full shortlist builder →
IELTS: 6.0–6.5 overall
Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.
Enter your grades and budget in the free UAE University Shortlist Builder to see whether UAEU is a reach, target or safety for you — alongside every other UAE university that matches.
Build my UAE shortlist →Quick answers about grades, tuition, deadlines and applying to UAEU as an international IGCSE / A Level / IB student.
As a typical benchmark for international entry, UAEU expects around ABB at A Level or 30 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for UAEU's flagship courses — competitive subjects like Medicine and Law usually sit above this baseline, and the exact requirement varies by course, so always confirm the specific figure on UAEU's own admissions page before applying.
International tuition at UAEU typically falls in the AED 40,000–AED 60,000/yr range (mid tier for UAE). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not UAEU's specific published fee for every course — confirm the exact figure for your intended programme directly with the university.
UAEU follows UAE's typical intake calendar: September, January, with applications generally due rolling — apply at least 2–3 months before your intended intake. Always verify the exact date on UAEU's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.
UAE universities, including UAEU, typically ask international applicants for 6.0–6.5 overall. Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.
The UAE's oldest and largest federal university, based in the traditional academic city of Al Ain. UAEU, founded in 1976, is the UAE's oldest university and its main comprehensive federal institution, based in Al Ain — historically considered the UAE's cultural and educational heartland, away from the more commercial hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi city. It offers the widest range of disciplines of any UAE federal university.
Yes — UAEU accepts applicants from IGCSE-to-A-Level, IGCSE-to-IB-Diploma, and directly from the IB Diploma. Tutopiya's free UAE University Shortlist Builder matches your predicted or actual grades against UAEU and every other UAE university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.
Need help applying to UAEU? Get free application support.