UAE CollegeUAE University Rankings 2027
Twelve universities in the UAE are ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2027, and nine in the THE World University Rankings 2027. The table lists every one of them in order of QS position, with the THE band where it is published, so you can see at a glance how the universities you are considering compare.
By the UAE College editorial team · Updated · Sources: QS World University Rankings 2027 (18 June 2026), THE World University Rankings 2027 (30 September 2026)
Every ranked UAE university, by QS 2027 position
“=” marks a tied position; THE prints bands below 200th. Tuition is the indicative annual undergraduate figure on the university’s profile.
| # | University | Emirate | QS 2027 | THE 2027 | Tuition / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khalifa University of Science and Technology Research-intensive; engineering, computing, petroleum and nuclear engineering. First UAE university in the QS top 150. | Abu Dhabi | 147 | =235 | AED 100,000 ₹ 24.6 lakh |
| 2 | United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) The federal national university, founded 1976; medicine, engineering, science, law and education. | Al Ain, Abu Dhabi | 217 | =235 | AED 114,000 ₹ 28.1 lakh |
| 3 | American University of Sharjah (AUS) US-model liberal-arts and engineering university; ABET-accredited engineering, strong architecture and business. | Sharjah | =258 | — | By programme |
| 4 | University of Sharjah Large comprehensive university with medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering and the arts. | Sharjah | =283 | 301–325 | By programme |
| 5 | Abu Dhabi University (ADU) Private university with Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Dubai campuses; business, engineering and health sciences. | Abu Dhabi | 348 | 301–325 | By programme |
| 6 | Ajman University (AU) The UAE’s first private university (1988); dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, architecture and business. | Ajman | 397 | 376–400 | AED 75,000 ₹ 18.5 lakh |
| 7 | Al Ain University (AAU) Private university with Al Ain and Abu Dhabi campuses; pharmacy, engineering, law, business and education. | Al Ain and Abu Dhabi | 559 | 401–450 | AED 30,000 ₹ 7.4 lakh |
| 8 | Zayed University Federal university with Abu Dhabi and Dubai campuses; business, communication, technology and humanities. | Abu Dhabi and Dubai | =588 | — | AED 75,000 ₹ 18.5 lakh |
| 9 | American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) Government-owned, US-curriculum university; engineering, business, biotechnology and architecture. | Ras Al Khaimah | =608 | — | AED 55,000 ₹ 13.5 lakh |
| 10 | Canadian University Dubai Private university with Canadian-curriculum degrees and transfer pathways to Canadian universities. | Dubai | =616 | — | AED 66,000 ₹ 16.3 lakh |
| 11 | American University in Dubai (AUD) US-accredited (SACSCOC) private university; business, engineering, architecture, communication and design. | Dubai | =620 | — | By programme |
| 12 | University of Dubai Owned by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce; AACSB-accredited business school, IT, law and engineering. | Dubai | 781-790 | — | By programme |
Sources: QS World University Rankings 2027, published 18 June 2026; THE World University Rankings 2027, published 30 September 2026. THE bands shown only where confirmed from the ranking table or the university’s own announcement; the remaining ranked UAE institutions are shown with a dash. Positions are reproduced as printed and are not UAE College’s own assessment.
What moved in 2027
Khalifa University rose 30 places in QS to 147th, the first UAE university inside the top 150, and placed 87th worldwide for citations per faculty. In THE, Khalifa University and UAEU share 235th, with Abu Dhabi University and University of Sharjah both in the 301–325 band. Eight UAE universities improved their QS position this year.
Not on the list? It may still be a strong choice
Dubai’s international branch campuses (Heriot-Watt, Middlesex, Birmingham, Manipal, Amity, BITS Pilani, Murdoch, Curtin, Wollongong) are ranked under their home universities, not separately. Specialist institutions such as MBZUAI, Gulf Medical University and the police and military colleges do not enter general rankings. Check CAA accreditation first, then compare fees and programmes.
Best universities by subject
Engineering
Khalifa University, AUS and UAEU lead; ABET-accredited programmes across the UAE.
Business & MBA
AACSB and EQUIS-accredited business schools, including branch campuses.
Medicine & Health
MBBS, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing at UAEU, University of Sharjah, GMU and more.
For Indian students
Fees in rupees, CBSE and ICSE acceptance, and the universities most popular with Indian applicants.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the top-ranked university in the UAE?
Khalifa University of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi. It is 147th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (the first UAE university inside the QS top 150) and joint 235th with United Arab Emirates University in the THE World University Rankings 2027.
How many UAE universities are ranked by QS and THE?
Twelve UAE universities appear in the QS World University Rankings 2027, led by Khalifa University (147), UAEU (217), American University of Sharjah (=258) and University of Sharjah (=283). Nine appear in the THE World University Rankings 2027, with Khalifa University and UAEU joint 235th.
Which UAE university is best for engineering?
Khalifa University is the UAE’s highest-ranked institution overall and in THE’s engineering subject table (126–150th for 2026). American University of Sharjah and UAEU also run ABET-accredited engineering programmes.
Which UAE university is best for an MBA?
For ranked institutions, the business schools at American University of Sharjah, University of Dubai (AACSB) and Abu Dhabi University are the strongest. Branch campuses such as Hult, SP Jain and Heriot-Watt Dubai are ranked under their home institutions, not as UAE universities.
Why do many well-known Dubai universities not appear in the list?
International branch campuses (Heriot-Watt, Middlesex, Birmingham, Manipal, Amity, BITS Pilani and others) are ranked as part of their home university, so QS and THE do not list the Dubai campus separately. Their profiles on UAE College show fees and programmes for the Dubai campus.
Are UAE degrees recognised internationally?
Degrees from universities licensed by the UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) are recognised by employers and universities worldwide, and by the Association of Indian Universities for Indian students.