Heriot-Watt University Dubai: Fees, Entry Requirements and Visa

Tuition fees at Heriot-Watt University Dubai

Fees for the January and September intakes are published on each program page. International and UAE students pay the same rate.

Program pages state these fees include VAT, while the general fees page says they exclude it, so we check the exact figure for your program. MBA fees we confirm for your case.

Your first-year fee stays the same every year until you graduate, if your fee status does not change. Payment:

• 300 AED non-refundable application fee.
• On accepting the offer: 10% of the first-year fee plus a refundable 1,000 AED security deposit.
• The rest: in full or in 4 equal installments per year; 25% of the annual fee is due before the visa application.

Scholarships. The Undergraduate Merit Scholarship gives 30%, 40% or 50% off the net first-year fee, spread equally across all years of study. Thresholds: CBSE or Pakistan FBISE HSSC 80%, 85% or 90%+; A-levels BBB, ABB or AAB; IB 28, 33 or 37+; American curriculum 85%, 90% or 95%. You keep it by scoring at least a C each year. WAEC and CIS certificates are not listed, so we ask the university about your case.

A 3% discount applies if you pay the full year upfront: by 1 September for the September intake, or by 1 January for January. The GCC and UAE Regional Student Grant (5,000 AED) is only for students from UAE and GCC schools. Its last round closed on 12 September.

Programs and the degree you receive

Subjects: business, finance, engineering, computing and AI, data science, psychology, architecture and design, and construction.

• Foundation (Degree Entry Programme) — 1 year, if your grades do not meet Year 1 entry.
• Bachelor's — 3–4 years, awarded as MA, BSc or BEng (Hons).
• Master's and MBA — the MBA is delivered by Edinburgh Business School.
• PhD.

You receive the same Heriot-Watt University degree as graduates in Scotland, accredited and approved by Royal Charter in the UK.

Through Go Global, bachelor's students can move to the UK or Malaysia campus for a semester, a year or longer, if their program runs there. You must complete Year 1 and pass all exams, usually without resits.

Admission requirements for international students

Year 1 entry depends on your school curriculum and program. The course director makes the final decision.

Indian students with strong results can join Year 2 directly: 75% for management, 85% (with 80% in math) for engineering and computer science. There is no Year 2 route for WAEC or the CIS Attestat. The university does not publish separate rules for Egypt or Saudi Arabia, so we check them before you apply.

For the January intake, Welcome Week runs 11–15 January and classes start on 18 January. Deadlines are not published, and some programs, such as Electrical & Electronic Engineering and Data Sciences, start only in September.

What to know before you apply

• CIS certificates need top grades. A Russian or Kazakh Attestat needs a 5 in every subject plus IELTS 6.0 for Year 1. Otherwise Foundation adds a year and 56,280 AED.
• WAEC closes direct entry to engineering and computing. Nigerian applicants go through Foundation for these subjects. Management, psychology and design accept WAEC for Year 1.
• Equivalency is a real deadline. Without it within one semester, the university may withdraw you. Start legalization at home before you fly; we prepare the document chain with you.
• There is no campus housing. Rooms are rented from private providers, with a contract signed directly with them.
• Fees are not the lowest in Dubai. Middlesex University Dubai lists 64,557 AED per year for bachelor's.
• Recognition at home is decided at home. The degree is issued by Heriot-Watt University in the UK; check recognition with the relevant authority in your country.
• Regional situation. UK FCDO does not advise against travel to the UAE but warns of regional risks and flight disruption. Check your government's advice before travel.

Rankings and accreditation

Heriot-Watt University is ranked 401–500 in the THE World University Rankings. The Dubai campus received MoHESR institutional licensure in 2023, and on 6 February 2025 all 71 bachelor's and master's programs received initial CAA accreditation. It holds KHDA five-star ratings, starting with the first KHDA rating in 2019. According to the university, it has over 5,000 students.

Housing and student life

There are no university dorms. Partner residences give Heriot-Watt students a discount, and a shuttle runs to campus:

Outside tuition, plan on roughly 5,500–9,000 AED per month in total. Students aged 23 or under get 50% off public transport with a student Nol card. See our cost of studying in Dubai guide.

Student visa

The university sponsors your visa after a signed unconditional offer and payment of 25% of the annual fee. Your passport must be valid for 6+ months. Current charges, which may change:

• New visa from abroad: 3,315 AED (express 4,828 AED).
• Change of status inside the UAE: 5,200 AED.
• Refundable deposit: 3,000 AED.
• University medical insurance, if you have none: 1,469 AED.

The entry permit is valid for 60 days; the visa lasts 12 months and is renewed yearly. GCC nationals need no student visa, and expat parents in the UAE can sponsor sons up to 25 and unmarried daughters. Full steps: UAE student visa.

Other options

If the budget or grades don't fit, compare Middlesex University Dubai (lower bachelor's fees), University of Wollongong in Dubai and Curtin University Dubai (Australian degrees), or University of Birmingham Dubai, a higher-cost UK option. See all universities in Dubai on our study in the UAE hub, and master's and MBA in Dubai.

Send us your transcript and English score. We will check them against Heriot-Watt University Dubai's requirements for your program, tell you whether you qualify for Year 1, Year 2 or Foundation, and compare 2–3 alternatives in Dubai. The first consultation is free. Reach us via the form, WhatsApp or Telegram.