UAE higher education intake climbs 15 per cent

Student enrollments in higher education institutions across the UAE experienced a 15 per cent increase during the 2025–2026 academic year, surpassing the 218,000 mark for total enrolment. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research reported that over 64,000 students were admitted and enrolled, including approximately 32,000 Emiratis. Overall, about 124,000 of the enrolled students were Emirati citizens.

Dr Ahmad Sultan Al Shoaibi, an Undersecretary at the Ministry, explained that these figures reflected policies aimed at expanding access while preserving academic standards and ensuring graduates acquire skills that align with labor market demands. The expansion of higher education access has been observed not only in traditional degree programs but also in diploma and higher diploma courses, which saw a remarkable 173 per cent increase from 3,995 students in the 2021–2022 academic year to 10,926 students in 2025–2026.

This growth in educational pathways was designed to provide qualifications better suited to employment needs. The ministry emphasized that admission reforms have shifted more responsibility to universities to set criteria based on the specific requirements, levels, and demands of individual programs. This flexibility allows universities to establish entry criteria that better reflect the preparation needed for specific courses, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all minimum standard across all institutions and specializations.

Under the new governance model, universities retain responsibility for ensuring their admission rules align with their programs while being monitored through an outcomes-based assessment framework. The ministry clarified that increased discretion in admissions does not equate to lowering quality standards. Institutions are still subject to governance, oversight, and evaluation, with authorities maintaining the ability to intervene if admission practices compromise educational standards or graduate quality.

Ministerial Resolution No. 19 of 2024 mandates higher education institutions to establish clear admission criteria for their programs and permits conditional admission for students who complete preparatory or remedial courses to address academic skill gaps. This approach aims to provide applicants with more entry options without undermining academic controls.

Although institutions do not require prior approval for every individual change to admission criteria, adherence to regulations is ensured through academic accreditation renewals, periodic monitoring, and inspections, as well as ongoing assessments of admission practices and educational outcomes.

The shift towards continuous accountability for admission decisions marks a departure from the previous reliance on procedural approvals. Authorities now evaluate broader indicators beyond just entry requirements, such as student retention and completion rates, employment outcomes, and the alignment of graduate skills with economic needs.

This comprehensive assessment framework builds upon the growth observed in the preceding academic year, with the ministry reporting 66 institutions admitted 57,035 new students in 2024–2025, a 13 per cent increase from the previous year.

Female students constituted 54 per cent of the 2024–2025 intake, with 30,756 new enrolments, while 26,281 male students enrolled. The streamlined registration procedures, digital services, and the National Unified Registration System played a significant role in this increase, alongside updated admission criteria introduced in 2024. The unified system now covers more institutions, enhancing registration processes and improving coordination between universities and the ministry.

The UAE’s higher education system comprises 103 institutions offering approximately 2,500 academic programs and supported by 10,633 faculty members, as announced at the beginning of the 2026–2027 academic year. During the 2024–2025 academic year, the system graduated 31,061 students.