10 Best Master's Universities in the United Arab Emirates

Of the 10 Master's universities in the United Arab Emirates, American University of Sharjah ranks highest at #272 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. University of Sharjah (QS World #328) and Ajman University (QS World #440) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 120 courses to choose from.

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10 universities · ranked best first

how we rank

1Best overall

QS World #272 #4 in United Arab Emirates Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

American University of Sharjah

Private University · 24 courses in Master's

All 24 courses →

AED 68,500 – AED 93,000/yrTuition (indicative)

1997Founded

6,000Students

4,000International

Admissions open

#272 QS World University Rankings 2026

#4 in United Arab Emirates

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2Top pick

QS World #328 #5 in United Arab Emirates Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

University of Sharjah

Public University · 30 courses in Master's

All 30 courses →

AED 43,500 – AED 59,000/yrTuition (indicative)

1997Founded

17,000Students

4,000International

Admissions open

#328 QS World University Rankings 2026

#5 in United Arab Emirates

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3Top pick

QS World #440 #6 in United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

Ajman University

Public University · 3 courses in Master's

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#440 QS World University Rankings 2026

#6 in United Arab Emirates

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4Ranked

QS World #754 #8 in United Arab Emirates Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Zayed University

Public University · 8 courses in Master's

All 8 courses →

AED 40,500 – AED 55,000/yrTuition (indicative)

1998Founded

10,000Students

1,500International

Admissions open

#754 QS World University Rankings

#8 in United Arab Emirates

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5Ranked

#11 in United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)

Public University · 8 courses in Master's

All 8 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#11 in United Arab Emirates · by research impact

130,125 citations · h-index 155

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6Ranked

#14 in United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

British University in Dubai

Public University · 10 courses in Master's

All 10 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#14 in United Arab Emirates · by research impact

65,569 citations · h-index 110

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7Ranked

#17 in United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

Rak Medical & Health Sciences University

Public University · 9 courses in Master's

All 9 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#17 in United Arab Emirates · by research impact

48,653 citations · h-index 82

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8Ranked

#18 in United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

University of Wollongong - Dubai Campus

Public University · 18 courses in Master's

All 18 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#18 in United Arab Emirates · by research impact

37,321 citations · h-index 85

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9Ranked

#21 in United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

American University in the Emirates

Public University · 3 courses in Master's

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#21 in United Arab Emirates · by research impact

29,135 citations · h-index 73

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10Ranked

#23 in United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

American University in Dubai

Public University · 7 courses in Master's

All 7 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#23 in United Arab Emirates · by research impact

20,133 citations · h-index 69

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Universities at other levels

Bachelor's Universities

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Business & Management Computer Science & IT

How these universities are ranked

4 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #272 (American University of Sharjah) to #754 (Zayed University); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of Sharjah has the largest research record in this group, with 1,078,210 citations and an h-index of 319.

Public, private and where they are

The split is 9 public to 1 private institutions. By location, Sharjah (2) and Dubai (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is American University of Sharjah, founded in 1997. University of Sharjah is the largest, with 17,000 students.

What the courses look like

The most common subjects are Business & Management (22), Medicine & Health Sciences (18), Computer Science & IT (16) and Engineering (16). The usual length is 1–2 years and 3 years. 100% are full-time. Start dates lean to Fall (97% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (81% of courses with a stated intake). University of Sharjah offers the widest choice, with 30 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 3 of these universities. Zayed University is the least expensive at USD 13,000 a year and American University of Sharjah the most at USD 22,000; the middle of the range is about USD 14,000. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in the United Arab Emirates for Master's?

American University of Sharjah (QS World #272), University of Sharjah (QS World #328) and Ajman University (QS World #440) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Master's in the United Arab Emirates?

Of those with published fees, Zayed University is the least expensive at about USD 13,000 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Master's in the United Arab Emirates?

9 public and 1 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Master's course take in the United Arab Emirates?

Most listed courses run 1–2 years, with 3 years the next most common.

When do Master's courses start in the United Arab Emirates?

Fall is the main intake — 97% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Which university has the most Master's courses in the United Arab Emirates?

University of Sharjah, with 30, ahead of American University of Sharjah (24).

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