Abu Dhabi University
Abu Dhabi University
Abu Dhabi University describes itself as the largest private university in the UAE. It was founded in 2003 and teaches across five colleges: Arts, Education and Social Sciences; Business; Engineering; Health Sciences; and Law. It runs three campuses, with the flagship in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, alongside campuses in Al Ain and Dubai. The university reports over 10,000 students from more than 100 nationalities; Times Higher Education's profile of ADU puts the figure at around 8,000. In the QS World University Rankings 2027 it places 348th globally, 43 places higher than the previous year and 5th in the UAE. Times Higher Education ranked it 201-250th worldwide for 2026, 91st in Asia and first in the UAE for the teaching pillar, and second in the UAE for research quality. Teaching follows an American credit-hour system, and tuition is charged per credit hour at a rate set by college, so the cost of a degree depends on its credit count and on which campus it is taken at. The Abu Dhabi campus is the most expensive of the three; Al Ain rates are materially lower for most undergraduate programmes.
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
5 years · Undergraduate
Undergraduate per-credit rates at the Abu Dhabi campus run from AED 1,620 (Law, and BA Digital Media and Strategic Communication) to AED 2,085 (Health Sciences). Postgraduate rates run from AED 1,050 for the Professional Diploma in Teaching to AED 4,620 for the doctorates. The university reserves the right to change tuition and fee rates during the year, and publishes a schedule before registration each semester.
Merit-based award for undergraduate students. The maximum coverage period of any ADU scholarship is four years, or until graduation, whichever comes sooner.
Available for undergraduate programmes.
Available for undergraduate programmes.
Available for undergraduate programmes.
Available for undergraduate programmes, for families with more than one student enrolled.
Available for postgraduate programmes.
Abu Dhabi University accepts applications on a rolling basis throughout the year, with four intakes: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. Applications should be submitted by the dates published in the university academic calendar. The university states that it admits qualified students regardless of race, sex, religion, country of origin or disability, and provides support to students with disabilities. EmSAT is required for some programmes, so the requirement should be checked against the specific programme.
Complete the online application form. A non-refundable application fee applies: AED 300 for undergraduate applicants and AED 400 for postgraduate applicants.
Provide a certified copy of the general secondary or high school certificate for undergraduate entry, or a certified bachelor's or master's degree certificate and transcript for postgraduate entry. Qualifications issued outside the UAE, and those from private schools in the UAE, require an original equivalency letter from the UAE Ministry of Education.
EmSAT is required for some programmes; check the requirement for the programme you intend to join. Applicants who do not meet the English requirement may be considered for conditional admission.
Applicants to the Doctorate of Business Administration complete a panel interview with the DBA admission selection committee and must evidence at least two years of full-time work experience at middle to upper management level.
A non-refundable registration fee of AED 2,850 is paid once on admission, for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The main annual intake, across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
A short winter term. Student services and healthcare fees are charged at half the Fall/Spring rate.
Second main intake, available across most programmes.
A short summer term, charged at the reduced Winter/Summer rate.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; the university publishes no single fixed deadline
Abu Dhabi University runs a dedicated international students admission route. Applicants who need a UAE residence visa should confirm the current process and costs with the university admissions office, as the fee schedule published for 2026-2027 does not itemise visa charges.
Abu Dhabi University reports more than 10,000 students from over 100 nationalities across its three campuses, and is ranked joint 5th globally as the most international university by Times Higher Education, first in the UAE, the GCC and the Arab region. The Khalifa City campus runs student clubs, a freshmen orientation programme and an events programme alongside its sporting facilities.
The Khalifa City campus has male and female dormitories on site, alongside staff housing. Accommodation is charged separately from tuition and is not subject to VAT: for Fall or Spring, AED 12,500 private, AED 9,200 semi-private, AED 6,700 double and AED 5,400 double with shared bathroom, with lower rates for the Winter and Summer terms.
Abu Dhabi University was ranked 3rd in the UAE, 6th in the GCC and 8th in the Arab region for graduate employability in the 2026 Times Higher Education Global Employability University Ranking, and 222nd globally. The university runs an internship programme and a student employment programme alongside its careers provision.
Abu Dhabi University runs three campuses: the flagship in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, opened in 2006 as a purpose-built 368,000 square metre facility, plus campuses in Al Ain and Dubai. The Khalifa City campus houses 61 laboratories, 75 classrooms, male and female dormitories, staff housing, food outlets and extensive sports facilities, and gained a dedicated College of Engineering building in 2017. Not every programme runs at every campus, and tuition rates differ by campus: Al Ain undergraduate rates are materially lower than Abu Dhabi for most colleges, while the Dubai campus teaches a postgraduate portfolio.
Abu Dhabi University's flagship campus in Khalifa City, a purpose-built 368,000 square metre facility opened in 2006. It houses 61 laboratories and 75 classrooms alongside food outlets and coffee shops, and is supported by state-of-the-art educational technology.
A purpose-built extension to the main building opened in 2017, home to the College of Engineering. Its engineering laboratory infrastructure, which the university describes as among the best in the UAE, spans more than an entire floor.
The university's campus in Al Ain, teaching undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Undergraduate tuition rates at Al Ain are materially lower than at Abu Dhabi for most colleges.
The university's Dubai campus, teaching a postgraduate portfolio including the MBA, the DBA, engineering and law master's degrees and PhD programmes.
Male and female dormitories on the Khalifa City campus, with staff housing alongside. Rooms are offered private, semi-private, double and double with shared bathroom, and are charged separately from tuition.
Extensive sporting facilities at the Khalifa City campus, including football pitches, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, and cricket fields.
An optional door-to-door and drop-off-point bus service, charged separately from tuition and exempt from VAT. At the Abu Dhabi campus the door-to-door service is AED 3,700 for Fall or Spring and the drop-off-point service AED 2,400.
Chairman
Chancellor
Vice Chancellor for AI and Operational Excellence
Provost
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Abu Dhabi University, Khalifa City, PO Box 59911, Abu Dhabi, UAE
