Enrolment is rising in the UAE, while visa applications to the UK keep dropping.
More UAE students are choosing to study near home. The numbers confirm this trend. A report in The National says UAE university enrollment has climbed to 218,000 in 2025/26, a 15% increase from the year. Meanwhile, fewer UAE students are applying for UK student visas.
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The Numbers
The headline figure is 218,000 students enrolled in UAE universities, up 15% compared to the year. This figure is the heart of the UAE university enrollment boost. Campuses are feeling the impact. The University of Sharjah welcomed over 5,000 students this academic year, and Liwa University reported that its Abu Dhabi and Al Ain campuses are full.
The UK Slowdown
On the other hand, UAE student visa applications to the UK fell from 638 in 2022 to 257 in 2025, a 59% decline according to Home Office data cited by The National. The decline in 2025 was 36%. Experts point to a UK migration clampdown, higher visa costs, and concerns about safety and education quality. These views are opinions. The data does not prove the cause. The UK numbers are also small compared to 218,000 UAE students studying at home. The drop explains only part of the UAE university enrollment boost.
Rankings Help
Khalifa University climbed 30 places to 147th in the QS World University Rankings, becoming the UAE institution in the top 150. Abu Dhabi University landed 81st in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, and the University of Sharjah is the UAE university for medicine in the US News Best Global Universities Rankings. These results help explain the UAE university enrollment boost.
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What Students Want to Study
UAE students are also chasing future‑oriented subjects. Abu Dhabi University will launch eight undergraduate programs at its Dubai campus next year, including AI, engineering, international relations, law, and psychology. Liwa University reports demand for AI and health programs. Interest in these courses feeds the UAE university enrolment boost.
Universities Are Looking Beyond Locals
These campuses are not serving local students. Emirates Aviation University reports an intake, especially from abroad, helped by Dubai’s status as a global aviation hub. Bassam Murra of Abu Dhabi University said, “Dubai has become a hub for education, and we would like to be part of that market.” This ambition is shaping the stage of the UAE university enrollment boost.
A Note of Caution
Most of the enrollment claims come from admissions and marketing staff at the universities themselves. The report does not break the 15% rise by institution. By local and international students. The link between the UK decline and the UAE growth is also the reporter’s interpretation, not a finding.
The Bottom Line
Studying in the UAE is no longer a plan for many UAE students. With rising rankings, new programs, and fast‑growing campuses, the UAE university enrollment boost looks set to continue.
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