Study in Dubai from Pakistan, a world degree, three hours from home
British, Australian and French degrees taught on campuses in Dubai, a student visa your university arranges, and family a short flight away. For many Pakistani students it is the smartest first step abroad.
Westside Visa Consultants is an independent private advisory. We are not affiliated with any government, embassy or visa application centre and cannot influence a visa decision. Figures are typical ranges at the time of writing; we confirm current fees for your university at your assessment.
Is Dubai the right choice for you?
Dubai is not a cheaper UK. It is a different trade off: a recognised foreign degree, close to home, with a simpler visa, but fewer rights to stay and work afterwards than Canada or Australia.
A foreign degree without going far
- Students whose parents want them close
- UK, Australian or French degrees at their Dubai campuses
- A clear path into Gulf business, finance and tech jobs
A first step before the UK or Europe
- Start at a Dubai campus, then transfer to the home campus
- Some programmes let you spend a term or year abroad
- Ask us which universities allow it
If you want to settle abroad long term
- Residence depends on a job after you graduate
- The golden visa is only for the strongest graduates
- Canada, Australia or Europe offer longer work routes
A global city, a safe campus, and weekends in the desert
Dubai’s academic free zones host branch campuses of well known British, Australian, French and American universities, with students from over a hundred countries and a job market right outside the classroom.
Study in a city that builds the future
Internships with global companies, and a network across the whole Gulf before you even graduate.
Dune drives and desert nights
An abra across the creek for one dirham
Six routes into a degree in the UAE
Tell us the degree you want on your wall and your budget, and we will show you which Dubai campus awards it and what it really costs.
Foundation year
For FSc, Matric plus Intermediate or A Level students before a bachelor’s at the same campus.
Bachelor’s degree
British degrees in three years, American style degrees in four. Business, computing and engineering lead.
Master’s degree
One year British master’s and two year American style master’s, many with evening options for working students.
MBA
Executive and full time MBAs from well known schools, popular with professionals already in the Gulf.
Transfer programmes
Start in Dubai, then finish on the home campus in the UK, Australia or France at some universities.
PhD
Fewer options than the UK or Australia, but growing at the larger UAE universities.
Staying on in the UAE after your degree
Residence in the UAE follows a job, so the plan matters from your first semester. These are the main routes graduates use.
From offer letter to campus in six steps
In the UAE your university sponsors your student residence visa. We handle the admission file with you and make sure every document is attested correctly.
Offer
An offer from a licensed UAE university or branch campus.
Attestation
Transcripts and degree attested in Pakistan and by the UAE embassy, as your university requires.
Fees
Pay the deposit or first semester fees and the visa charge set by your university.
Entry permit
The university applies for your entry permit, usually within a few weeks.
Arrival checks
A medical test and Emirates ID biometrics once you land in the UAE.
Residence visa
Your student residence visa, renewed each year while you study.
The budget, line by line
Branch campus fees are often well below the home campus for the same degree. Many universities offer merit scholarships of 10 to 50 percent for strong FSc or A Level results.
What universities ask for
Where you would study, live and spend your weekends
We place students with universities and branch campuses across the UAE, directly and through our partnership platforms. Tap a place to ask what fits your grades and budget.
Compare, and plan your family visits
The same British degree on the home campus: costs, the Student visa and the Graduate visa.
France and Germany, where public fees are a fraction of Dubai’s private campuses.
How your parents can visit you in Dubai, and how we prepare their visit visa file.
Dubai study questions we hear every week
Anything else, ask on WhatsApp. A real adviser replies, not a bot.
Ask your questionIs a degree from a Dubai campus the same as the home campus degree?
At a genuine branch campus, the degree is awarded by the home university, for example Heriot Watt or Middlesex in the UK, or Wollongong in Australia. Check that your campus and programme are licensed and accredited; we verify this for you.
Who arranges the student visa?
Your university sponsors your student residence visa after you accept the offer and pay the required fees. You complete a medical test and Emirates ID biometrics after arriving.
How much does it cost to study in Dubai?
Typical tuition is AED 45,000 to 90,000 a year for a bachelor’s and AED 60,000 to 120,000 for a whole master’s, plus living costs of roughly AED 3,500 to 7,000 a month depending on how you live.
Are scholarships available?
Yes. Most private universities offer merit scholarships of 10 to 50 percent for strong school results, and some offer sibling or early payment discounts.
Can I work while studying?
Students can take part time work with a work permit and their university’s approval, and many universities offer on campus jobs and internships.
What can I do after graduating?
Look for work on a job seeker visa of 60 to 120 days if you graduated from a top 500 university, take a job with an employer who sponsors your residence, or, as an outstanding graduate, apply for a 10 year golden visa.
Do my documents need attestation?
Usually yes. Transcripts and degrees are attested in Pakistan and by the UAE embassy, and school certificates may need an equivalency from the UAE education ministry.
Can my parents visit me?
Yes. Parents can visit on a UAE visit visa, and flights from Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi take about three hours. We help with visit visas too.
Can I transfer to the UK or Australia later?
Some universities let you spend a term or finish your degree at the home campus. The rules differ by university and programme, so plan it before you enrol.
Which universities do you work with?
Branch campuses and UAE universities including EM Normandie Dubai, directly and through our partnership platforms. Ask us about any campus.
Is Dubai safe for students?
The UAE is consistently ranked among the safest countries in the world, with a large Pakistani community and halal food everywhere.
Do you apply for me?
We prepare and submit your university applications with you and guide the attestation. Your university then sponsors your student visa.
