Study in the UAE — IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi, Branch Campuses & the Golden Visa
Close to home, with Indian and global universities, no personal income tax, and a Golden Visa for top students.
✓ Official links re-checked automatically every week, last on 25 Sept 2026; 3 of 3 key figures still match the official pages. Checked by hand on 25 Sept 2026.
Entrance paths that lead here
What it is
The UAE hosts many international branch campuses: Indian institutions (IIT Delhi–Abu Dhabi, BITS Pilani Dubai, Manipal Dubai, Amity) and UK and Australian universities. Students from India can enter IIT Delhi–Abu Dhabi's B.Tech programmes (Chemical, Computer Science, Electrical, Energy Engineering) only through JEE Advanced.
Why it matters
It is a short flight from India, with a large Indian community and strong jobs in business, tech, finance, healthcare and aviation. Top graduates can qualify for long-term Golden Visas.
Why choose it — the benefits
- ✓IIT Delhi–Abu Dhabi (JEE Advanced route): students pay IIT Delhi's Delhi-campus fee instead of the AED 77,500 standard tuition. They also get AED 750 a month, shared housing, two return tickets a year, insurance, and visa and Emirates ID fees.
- ✓No personal income tax in the UAE.
- ✓Golden Visa (5–10 years, depending on emirate and category) for outstanding students. Examples: top high-school achievers, and university graduates with a high GPA (Abu Dhabi: GPA ≥ 3.5 from a top-100 university, within 2 years of graduating).
- ✓A self-sponsored Green Visa exists for skilled employees and freelancers.
Who is eligible
- •IIT Delhi–Abu Dhabi: for India-based students, JEE Advanced is the only route. CAET is for UAE nationals, other foreign nationals, and Indians who have lived abroad for more than 5 years.
- •Other universities: Class 12 marks and English proficiency, as each university sets.
- •Student residence visa: sponsored by a UAE-resident parent or the accredited university.
What you study
- •Engineering, business, computing, medicine and more, depending on the campus.
How to apply — step by step
- 1For IIT Delhi–Abu Dhabi: take JEE Advanced and choose it in JoSAA counselling.
- 2For other campuses: apply directly on the university's site; check it is listed with the UAE regulator (KHDA in Dubai).
- 3Arrange the student residence visa through the university or a parent in the UAE.
Official links
Always confirm dates, eligibility and fees on the official site — rules change each year.
How to prepare
- →JEE aspirants: add IIT Delhi–Abu Dhabi to your JoSAA choices.
- →Keep a high GPA in college if you want to qualify for a graduate Golden Visa.
- →Check that a branch campus degree is the same as the home-university degree.
Honest challenges to weigh
- !Living costs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are high.
- !There is no application route to UAE citizenship, and most work visas depend on your employer.
- !Summer heat, and a job market that favours experience.
Where it leads — jobs in India
- •Degrees from Indian institutions' UAE campuses (IIT Delhi, BITS) are well recognised in India.
Opportunities abroad
- •Gulf-wide careers in tech, finance, engineering, healthcare, aviation and hospitality.
Related careers
The four-year degree behind software, hardware, industry and startups.
Plan an undergraduate degree in the US, UK, Canada, Australia or Europe.
The official licensing routes for Indian healthcare and engineering graduates in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and the Gulf.
Ready to start the journey?
Take a free diagnostic to see exactly where you stand, then let AimMent build your plan.