Khalifa University
Khalifa University
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, together with three research institutes, 18 research centres and 17 departments. It teaches 61 degree programmes across bachelor's, master's and PhD level, plus a graduate-entry Doctor of Medicine. Ranked #147 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, a rise of 30 places, Khalifa University has been the top-ranked university in the UAE for the ninth consecutive year in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, and is 6th in the world for Petroleum Engineering in that edition, having stayed in the global top ten for four consecutive years. It placed 4th in the Arab region in the QS Arab Region University Rankings 2025. Its programmes are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education's Commission for Academic Accreditation, with nine engineering degrees accredited by ABET's Engineering Accreditation Commission and the BSc in Petroleum Geosciences by its Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission. As a government-funded university it offers generous support: UAE nationals admitted directly study on a full tuition scholarship with accommodation, weekly transport and textbooks; international undergraduates are mapped to one of five merit tiers, from full tuition down to a textbooks-only tier; and PhD scholarships are competitive and merit-based, carrying a full or partial tuition waiver and a monthly stipend, with an Abu Dhabi pension for UAE nationals.
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
3 years · Postgraduate
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; estimated per year AED 81,250 for a BSc over 4 years, AED 150,000 for a master's over 1 year, and AED 95,000 to 100,000 for a PhD over 4 to 5 years). UAE nationals admitted directly study on a full tuition scholarship with University accommodation, weekly transport and textbooks; international undergraduates are mapped to one of five merit tiers, from full tuition down to a textbooks-only tier that carries no fee reduction; master's students may receive full or partial tuition with textbooks, accommodation and insurance, but no stipend. PhD scholarships carry a full or partial tuition waiver and a monthly stipend whose amount Khalifa University does not publish, plus pension for UAE nationals; the only stipend figure it prints anywhere is the AED 9,200 per month of the CSC-KU joint award. Scholarships are assessed automatically at admission, with no separate application.
Full coverage of tuition fees, plus free University accommodation and free weekly transportation for eligible students, and textbooks provided by the University. Eligibility is assessed as part of the admission process; no separate scholarship application is required. Slots are limited.
Five published tiers. Every tier includes textbooks; Tier V provides textbooks and no tuition waiver. International applicants are mapped to a tier on academic merit and Khalifa University strategic priorities. Assessed during admission with no separate application; meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee an award, and slots are limited.
Benefits may include full or partial tuition coverage, textbooks, accommodation, medical insurance, and visa processing and travel assistance to and from the UAE for students residing abroad. Applicants indicate interest when submitting the admission application. Khalifa University publishes no stipend at master's level.
Merit-based. Benefits may include full or partial tuition coverage, a monthly stipend, enrolment in pension for UAE nationals, textbooks, accommodation, medical insurance, visa and travel assistance, support to attend conferences, an international research internship and teaching experience, all subject to funding. Khalifa University does not publish the stipend amount.
For UAE nationals with a bachelor's CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0. The master's stage, typically one year, carries a full tuition fee waiver ONLY and no stipend. A master's CGPA of at least 3.25/4.0 is required to be considered for the PhD, where students are considered for a standard PhD scholarship with a full tuition waiver and a stipend. Full-time; students must start the PhD immediately after the master's.
For Chinese nationals admitted full-time to a PhD in Engineering or Science. Monthly stipend of AED 9,200 from Khalifa University plus an additional stipend from CSC, mobilisation and demobilisation flights from CSC, full tuition, free University accommodation or up to AED 2,000 per month towards it, textbooks, UAE visa fees and medical insurance, and conference support. Up to four academic years, Fall entry only, application deadline 10 February; a CGPA of 3.5/4 must be maintained.
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.
UAE Nationals, Applications Open: Applications for UAE nationals and children of Emirati mothers open (via NAPO).
Expats & International, Applications Open: Applications open for expatriate, international and previous-year applicants.
Application Deadline (all categories): Deadline to apply for Fall 2026; admission tests (KUAT) run January to April 2026 and the final high-school transcript is due 1 July 2026.
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 47 clubs and professional student chapters coordinated with a Student Council, train at the UAE's largest academic sports centre, and are supported by a Career Services team, 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 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.
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.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Chairs Khalifa University's Board of Trustees, the university's governing body.
Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees
President
Provost
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Khalifa University, Main Campus, Abu Dhabi Island, P.O. Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE
