Public higher institutes
Public institutes are primarily for UAE nationals and children of women who are UAE nationals. For admission of students who are not UAE nationals, you can check with each university's terms and conditions.
UAE University
UAE University- UAEU was founded in 1976. It awards a full range of undergraduate degrees in addition to graduate degrees, with many programmes that are internationally accredited. The university established research centres of strategic importance to the country and the region which are advancing knowledge in critical areas ranging from water resources to cancer treatments. UAEU was ranked amongst the best research universities in the Gulf region and Arab world, and within the top 5% of the universities worldwide. Read about the history and key achievements of UAEU.
Zayed University (ZU)
Zayed University (ZU) was established in 1998 as a women's institute. It recently opened a men's campus. ZU has US accreditation attesting its high standards.
Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)
Founded in 1988, the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) is the UAE’s largest applied, higher educational institution. Approximately 23,000 students attend 16 men’s and women’s campuses across the UAE. HCT offers Applied Bachelor and Vocational Diploma study tracks in:
Updated on:
13 Feb 2026
