Khalifa University of Science and Technology is Abu Dhabi's flagship research university and the highest-ranked university in the UAE. Established in 2007 and formed in its current shape in 2017 through the merger of Khalifa University, the Petroleum Institute and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, it is a government, English-medium, research-intensive institution built around three colleges — Engineering and Physical Sciences, Computing and Mathematical Sciences, and Medicine and Health Sciences — and three research institutes. It educates around 4,000 students from more than 50 countries across bachelor's, master's and PhD programmes, plus a graduate-entry Doctor of Medicine. Ranked #147 in the QS World University Rankings 2027 — the first UAE university ever to enter the global top 150 — Khalifa University is #1 in the country for the eighth consecutive year and 6th in the world for Petroleum Engineering. Its programmes are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education's Commission for Academic Accreditation, with nine engineering programmes accredited by ABET. As a government-funded university it offers exceptionally generous support: UAE nationals admitted directly study on full tuition scholarships with accommodation, transport and textbooks; international undergraduates compete for merit tiers of up to 100%; and PhD researchers receive full funding with substantial monthly stipends.
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
Khalifa University is a government-funded research university, and its scholarship model is the headline rather than the sticker tuition (UG AED 2,500/credit; Master's AED 5,000/credit; PhD AED 6,666/credit). UAE nationals admitted directly study on a 100% tuition scholarship with accommodation, transport and textbooks; international undergraduates compete for five merit tiers up to 100%; master's students access tiered tuition scholarships; and PhD researchers are fully funded with tuition waivers and substantial monthly stipends (up to about AED 60,000/month for nationals, AED 40,000/month for international students), plus pension for UAE nationals. Scholarships are assessed automatically at admission — there is no separate application.
UAE nationals admitted via direct admission receive a full tuition scholarship plus free university accommodation, free weekly transport and textbooks. Assessed automatically at admission (no monthly stipend at undergraduate level).
International undergraduates are placed on a five-tier merit scale — 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% or 0% of tuition — all tiers including textbooks. Assessed automatically at admission.
UAE-national PhD researchers receive full tuition plus a basic stipend and additional allowance (up to about AED 60,000/month at the top tier) and Abu Dhabi pension enrolment.
International PhD researchers receive full tuition plus a stipend (up to about AED 40,000/month at the top tier), with accommodation at some tiers.
Tiered master's scholarships covering up to 100% of tuition plus textbooks and accommodation; students may earn compensation for teaching duties (no fixed monthly stipend).
For Chinese nationals via the China Scholarship Council: KU provides full tuition, a monthly stipend and free accommodation, with an additional CSC stipend.
For partner-university exchange students: fully paid tuition, a one-time stipend, round-trip economy airfare, health insurance and on-campus housing.
Khalifa University is highly selective, admitting undergraduates for a single Fall intake each year. Admission is based on secondary-school subject grades, English proficiency, the Khalifa University Admission Test (KUAT) and a recorded video interview. Scholarship eligibility is assessed automatically within the admission decision — there is no separate scholarship application — and the awarded tier is stated in the offer letter.
Choose your undergraduate BSc programme and review its subject and English requirements.
Submit the application at ugapply.ku.ac.ae with your documents and pay the application fee. Scholarships are assessed automatically.
Shortlisted applicants take the computer-based Khalifa University Admission Test (Mathematics, plus Physics/Chemistry as the programme requires); an exemption is possible for outstanding academic records.
Submit a recorded video interview as part of the assessment.
The admission decision states your scholarship tier. Accept the offer to proceed.
Submit your final Grade 12 transcript by the stated date, complete the visa process (international students) and attend orientation.
Khalifa University sponsors the Abu Dhabi residence visa for admitted international students and states that all processing fees — including the visa, health insurance and Emirates ID — are covered by the university. After accepting the offer, students complete the entry-permit/visa, medical and Emirates ID steps with the KU Government Relations team. A refundable AED 2,000 accommodation security deposit applies for on-campus housing.
Khalifa University is a residential research university spread across three Abu Dhabi campuses. Students join more than 15 clubs and organisations coordinated with a Student Council, train at the UAE's largest academic sports centre, and are supported by a Career Services team whose graduates reach a 94% employment rate — many joining ADNOC and the emirate's strategic energy and technology employers.
On-campus student residences at the Sas Al Nakhl campus provide separate male and female accommodation — including six hostel buildings for male students plus female residences — with dining and medical clinics on site.
KU Career Services provides career counselling, industrial visits and national and international internship placements, with strong graduate outcomes — a 94% graduate employment rate (QS 2026 cycle) and graduates feeding Abu Dhabi's strategic employers such as ADNOC and the energy and technology sector.
Khalifa University's main campus sits on Abu Dhabi Island — a 135,000-square-metre research hub with more than 100 laboratories, 72 classrooms and the UAE's largest academic sports centre. Two further campuses extend its reach: the Sas Al Nakhl campus, home to petroleum and reservoir research and the ADNOC Research and Innovation Center, and the Masdar City campus, a global centre for clean-energy and sustainability science. Together they make KU the UAE's top-ranked university and a magnet for students and faculty from more than 50 countries.
Three research institutes — the Masdar Institute (sustainable energy, water and environment), the Petroleum Institute (upstream and downstream hydrocarbons) and the Robotics and Intelligent Systems Institute.
More than 100 teaching and research laboratories across the campuses, including aerospace, robotics and underwater-robotics labs.
A major petroleum research centre at the Sas Al Nakhl campus, with 39 reservoir-characterisation laboratories.
University libraries (including two at Sas Al Nakhl) and an Independent Learning Center.
Central high-performance computing (HPC) clusters and a private research cloud supporting data-intensive research.
A clean-energy research facility at the Masdar City campus, including a 100 kW beam-down solar concentrator.
The UAE's largest academic sports centre, on the Main Campus.
Exercise rooms and outdoor sports courts, including facilities at the Sas Al Nakhl campus.
On-campus male and female residences at the Sas Al Nakhl campus, with dining and study spaces.
On-campus medical clinics for students.
Dining and retail outlets across the campuses.
Career counselling, internships and alumni support driving a 94% graduate employment rate.
President
Appointed President of Khalifa University in 2024 by Abu Dhabi Executive Council resolution, Prof. Al Hajri (PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland) leads the university's academic, research and strategic mission.
Provost
Senior Vice President, Support Services
Senior Vice President, Finance and Investment
Dean, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Dean, College of Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Dean, College of Medicine and Health Sciences
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Khalifa University, Main Campus, Abu Dhabi Island, P.O. Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE
