Masters in Dubai for Indian Students
Masters in Dubai for Indian Students (2026): Degrees and Fees in Rupees A masters in Dubai for Indian students means studying at
Cost of Studying in Dubai for Indian Students (2026/27 Fees)
- Last Updated on: September 3, 2026 by
- Nagesh Danagalla
A year in Dubai costs an Indian student between about AED 115,000 and AED 259,000 all in, once tuition, housing, the student visa and insurance are added up. That is a realistic estimate of studying in Dubai for Indian students in 2026. Tuition drives most of the gap. Almost every campus here is a branch of a foreign university and sets its own Dubai fee schedule, so the spread reflects the parent university’s standing rather than its fee at home. The lower end is an Indian-run campus, the top end is an engineering year at University of Birmingham Dubai.
Written by
Senior Counsellor for the Middle East and Asian countries
Nagesh Danagalla helps Indian students with university selection, admissions, and student visas for Middle East and Asian destinations at AOEC India. A B.Tech and M.Tech graduate of JNTU Hyderabad, he brings destination-specific expertise in admissions and visa documentation.
5 Years, 320 students counselled 
Reviewed by
Managing Director
Mr. Kongara Sridhar, Director of AOEC India, has over 12 years of experience in overseas education consulting, admissions, and student visa guidance.
Over 12 years Experience Key Takeaways
- Year one, all in, costs roughly INR 30 lakh to INR 67 lakh, with the typical case near INR 40 lakh (about AED 115,000 to AED 259,000).
- Published bachelor tuition runs from AED 42,466 (about INR 10.93 lakh) to AED 156,718 (about INR 40.32 lakh) a year.
- Sharing a room, living costs run AED 5,510 to AED 7,560 a month (about INR 1.42 lakh to INR 1.95 lakh), rent included.
- An MBA is priced per degree, not per year: AED 84,872 at Middlesex, AED 173,880 at the American University in Dubai (INR 21.84 and 44.74 lakh).
- The visa is AED 2,800 at Murdoch and AED 8,237 at Wollongong, which bundles insurance and the Emirates ID.
Table of Contents
Tuition fees at Dubai universities
Bachelor tuition for school leavers starts at AED 44,100 a year (about INR 11.35 lakh) at Manipal Academy of Higher Education Dubai. It reaches AED 156,718 (about INR 40.32 lakh) for engineering at Birmingham Dubai. Master's and MBA programmes are priced per degree, from AED 84,872. Everything in between depends on the university, not the city.
| University | Programme | Annual (AED) | Billing basis | Full degree (AED) | INR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor programmes | |||||
| University of Wollongong in Dubai | Bachelor of Nursing (Conversion), 2 yrs | 42,466 | Annual, VAT incl. | Not published | 10.93 lakh |
| Manipal Academy of Higher Education Dubai | BA English, Psychology, Sociology, 3 yrs | 44,100 | Annual, VAT incl. | Not published | 11.35 lakh |
| BITS Pilani Dubai Campus | B.E., 4 yrs | 55,500 a year (2 x 27,750) | Per semester at AED 27,750, plus one summer term; VAT not stated | 228,000 | 14.28 lakh |
| Murdoch University Dubai | Bachelor’s, 8 units a year | 59,960 | Annual (24 units total); VAT not stated | 179,880 | 15.43 lakh |
| University of Wollongong in Dubai | BBA, advanced entry, 3 yrs | 63,449 | Annual, VAT incl. | Not published | 16.32 lakh |
| Middlesex University Dubai | All undergraduate programmes | 64,557 | Annual, 120 credits a year; VAT not stated | 193,671 | 16.61 lakh |
| RIT Dubai | BSc Cybersecurity, BFA New Media | 68,000 | Annual, flat rate; VAT not stated | Not published | 17.50 lakh |
| University of Wollongong in Dubai | BEng (Hons) Civil, 4 yrs | 68,909 | Annual, VAT incl. | Not published | 17.73 lakh |
| Canadian University Dubai | BSc Computer Science | 74,702 | Per credit x30 plus fees, VAT incl. | Not published | 19.22 lakh |
| Heriot-Watt University Dubai | BSc Computer Science | 82,264 | Annual, VAT incl. | Not published | 21.17 lakh |
| American University in Dubai | Bachelor’s, 12-16 credits a semester | 108,050 | Annual plus AED 2,000 services fee; VAT not stated | Not published | 27.80 lakh |
| University of Birmingham Dubai | CS and Software Engineering MEng, post-foundation | 156,718 | Annual; VAT not stated | Not published | 40.32 lakh |
| Amity University Dubai | BSc Computer Science, 125 credits | Not published | Per credit x125 at AED 2,200; VAT not stated | 275,000 | Degree: 70.75 lakh |
| SP Jain School of Global Management | BBA year one, Dubai | – | Priced in USD: USD 28,300 tuition, or USD 29,700 with visa and insurance; VAT not stated | Not published | 26.72 lakh |
| Master’s and MBA programmes, priced for the whole programme | |||||
| Middlesex University Dubai | MBA (General) | Not billed annually | Total programme fee; VAT not stated | 84,872 | Degree: 21.84 lakh |
| University of Wollongong in Dubai | MBA, 12 subjects over 24 months | Not billed annually | Per subject at AED 9,597.26, VAT incl. | 115,167 | Degree: 29.63 lakh |
| RIT Dubai | MS Electrical Engineering | Not billed annually | Total programme tuition; VAT not stated | 117,000 | Degree: 30.10 lakh |
| Middlesex University Dubai | Executive MBA (General) | Not billed annually | Total programme fee; VAT not stated | 117,548 | Degree: 30.24 lakh |
| RIT Dubai | MS Engineering Management | Not billed annually | Total programme tuition; VAT not stated | 129,000 | Degree: 33.19 lakh |
| American University in Dubai | MBA, 12 courses | Not billed annually | Per 3-credit course at AED 14,490; VAT not stated | 173,880 | Degree: 44.74 lakh |
Ten bachelor entries list no degree total, so multiply the annual fee by the years and treat that as the base cost. Thirteen entries do not state VAT. UAE VAT runs at 5 percent, so a BITS Pilani Dubai year quoted at AED 55,500 could be AED 58,275 once it is added. Postgraduate rows are degree totals, not annual bills; intakes are covered in our Dubai MBA guide. A master’s degree has no single price: Wollongong bills its MBA at AED 9,597 a subject, 12 subjects over 24 months, so your first-year bill depends on how many subjects you take. Our study in Dubai guide lists what each campus awards.
Cost of living in Dubai
Rent drives your monthly cost; other expenses are smaller.
| Line | Per month (AED) | Per month (INR) | Published by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room in a shared apartment | 3,500 – 5,000 | 90,050 – 1,28,643 | Middlesex |
| Groceries | 500 – 1,000 | 12,864 – 25,729 | Middlesex |
| Metro, bus and tram pass | 250 – 300 | 6,432 – 7,719 | Middlesex, Murdoch |
| Taxis | 500 | 12,864 | Birmingham Dubai |
| Mobile, 10 GB plus calls | 160 | 4,117 | Birmingham Dubai |
| Recreation and entertainment | 600 | 15,437 | Birmingham Dubai |
| Total, per month, sharing a room | 5,510 – 7,560 | 1,41,765 – 1,94,508 | Sum of the six rows above |
| Other published monthly figures, not counted in the total above | |||
| All-in monthly estimate for its own students | 6,860 | 1,76,498 | Birmingham Dubai |
| Single room, The Myriad student residence | 4,200 | 1,08,060 | Middlesex |
| Single room, full academic-year contract | 4,600 | 1,18,352 | Birmingham Dubai |
| One-bedroom flat of your own | 5,000 – 8,000 | 1,28,643 – 2,05,829 | Middlesex |
| Food and travel only, no rent (SP Jain budget) | 700 | 18,010 | SP Jain |
This is where costs add up. At AED 4,600 a month, a single room on a full-year contract costs more over twelve months than a whole year of tuition at Manipal Dubai. Most scholarships do not cover rent. Plan housing before choosing campus: a shared room can save more than many merit awards.
Visa, insurance and one-off charges at six campuses
A low visa fee usually excludes other charges. Wollongong charges more than three times what Murdoch does, then covers insurance, the medical exam and the Emirates ID (the UAE residence card every student holds) in that one figure. These are published schedules, not a universal price list.
| Campus | Charge | Amount (AED) | INR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wollongong in Dubai | One-year visa, applied from outside the UAE | 8,237 | 2,11,926 | Covers insurance (AED 2,000), medical exam, Emirates ID and an AED 2,500 maintenance charge |
| Murdoch University Dubai | One-year renewable visa, from outside the UAE | 2,800 | 72,040 | Schedule dated Jul 2023; visa only, refundable AED 7,000 deposit charged separately |
| Murdoch University Dubai | Group medical insurance | 1,350 | 34,734 | Twelve months, standard premium |
| BITS Pilani Dubai Campus | Fresh visa, year one | 2,900 | 74,613 | Visa only |
| BITS Pilani Dubai Campus | Visa renewal, each later year | 2,150 | 55,316 | Visa only |
| BITS Pilani Dubai Campus | Medical insurance | 3,250 | 83,618 | Twelve months |
| Heriot-Watt University Dubai | Application processing | 300 | 7,719 | One-off, not refundable |
| BITS Pilani Dubai Campus | Application, admission and activity fees | 3,420 | 87,992 | One-off, not refundable; AED 220 plus 2,000 plus 1,200 |
| BITS Pilani Dubai Campus | Summer semester after year two | 6,000 | 1,54,372 | Already inside the AED 228,000 full-degree figure in the fee table; do not add it twice |
| Manipal Academy of Higher Education Dubai | Campus transport, per semester | 2,125 – 2,850 | 54,673 – 73,327 | Varies by the area you live in |
| Paid early, returned or deducted later, so not an extra cost | ||||
| Heriot-Watt University Dubai | First instalment on offer acceptance | 8,226 | 2,11,643 | 10 percent of the first-year fee, brought forward; AED 8,226 at the AED 82,264 BSc rate. Tuition paid early, not an extra charge |
| Heriot-Watt University Dubai | Security deposit on offer acceptance | 1,000 | 25,729 | Refundable |
| BITS Pilani Dubai Campus | Caution deposit | 5,000 | 1,28,643 | Refundable |
| University of Birmingham Dubai | Tuition fee deposit on offer acceptance | 5,000 | 1,28,643 | Not returnable, but deducted from your tuition |
You accept a Heriot-Watt Dubai offer in March, and the first invoice arrives months before your visa does: AED 300 to process the application, 10 percent of the first-year fee, and a refundable AED 1,000 deposit. We see that sequence in most Dubai applications we handle. Ask for the one-off fee schedule in writing, alongside the conditions in our Dubai admission requirements guide.
Don’t expect Wollongong’s AED 2,500 back: the university may use it for visa costs during your course, and you get only the balance left when the visa is cancelled. Insurance does not cover all costs, since a check-up still costs about AED 100. The steps are in our Dubai student visa guide.
Total cost: year one and full degree
Year one in Dubai runs from about AED 115,000 to about AED 259,000, depending on campus and room. Every figure comes from a named campus, including the AED 6,860 a month University of Birmingham Dubai budgets for its own students. Tuition, more than housing, drives the total.
| Line | Cheapest published | Typical | Highest published | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one year | 44,100 Manipal BA | 64,557 Middlesex, all undergraduate | 156,718 Birmingham MEng, post-foundation | Fee table above |
| Housing and living, one year | 66,120 5,510 a month x 12 | 82,320 6,860 a month x 12 | 90,720 7,560 a month x 12 | Cost of living table |
| Visa and insurance, one year | 4,150 Murdoch 2,800 + 1,350 | 6,150 BITS 2,900 + 3,250 | 8,237 Wollongong, bundled | Visa and charges table |
| One-off charges, year one only | 300 Heriot-Watt application | 3,420 BITS application, admission, activity | 3,420 BITS again, the highest published | Visa and charges table; only two campuses publish one |
| Year one, AED | 114,670 | 156,447 | 259,095 | Sum of the column above |
| Year one, INR | about 29.5 lakh | about 40.2 lakh | about 66.7 lakh | At AED 1 = INR 25.73 |
Add your own four numbers: your quoted tuition, twelve months of housing, your campus’s visa and insurance line, and its one-off charges. That is your actual study cost in Dubai, not an average. Which campus fits your budget is covered in our Dubai universities guide.
Year two is not simply year one repeated. The one-off charges disappear and a fresh visa becomes a renewal: AED 2,900 down to AED 2,150 at BITS. Two costs can rise: a first-year-only award may end, and BITS adds a summer semester of AED 6,000 after year two.
From our counselling desk: the cost families often under-budget is not tuition. It is year two, when a first-year merit award ends, the visa is renewed and a summer term appears. Budget year two before accepting year one.
Scholarships and how to cut the bill
Heriot-Watt Dubai’s 100 percent award is narrower than it appears. The all-schools Undergraduate Merit Scholarship tops out at 50 percent, and the 100 percent rate is only available through the Undergraduate Engineering Merit Scholarship, with direct entry into year two. It is based on one year’s net tuition, spread across the degree. A 50 percent civil engineering award is AED 32,550 in total, or about AED 8,100 a year over four years. Prefer awards that continue, not the biggest percentage.
| Award | What it pays | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Heriot-Watt Dubai Undergraduate Merit Scholarship | 30, 40 or 50 percent of net tuition; CBSE Class 12 at 90 percent and above earns the 50 percent band | Calculated on net tuition, after any other discount |
| Heriot-Watt Dubai Undergraduate Engineering Merit Scholarship | 25 to 100 percent of net first-year tuition | Engineering only, and only with direct entry into year two |
| BITS Pilani Dubai merit scholarship | 75 percent of tuition for a BITSAT score above 260; 40 percent for Class 12 aggregate of 95 percent or more | First year only; a separate CGPA award takes over from year two and tops out at 25 percent |
The full award list by campus is in our Dubai scholarships guide.
Get in Touch
Frequently Asked Questions
Can part-time work cover any of these costs?
Not reliably. UAE government guidance describes a part-time work permit and a separate student training and employment permit, each granted under set conditions, with no universal weekly hour limit. Treat anything you earn as a top-up, and budget year one as though you earn nothing.
Which Dubai university is cheapest for Indian students?
Manipal Academy of Higher Education Dubai, at AED 44,100 a year (about INR 11.35 lakh) for its three-year BA programmes, is the lowest published bachelor fee for school leavers. Wollongong lists AED 42,466, but that is a two-year nursing conversion degree. Lowest tuition does not mean the cheapest year; rent drives it.
How much is a foundation year before the degree starts?
It is priced separately, and it is not always the cheap year. Middlesex University Dubai charges AED 50,301 (about INR 12.94 lakh) for its whole International Foundation Programme. Birmingham Dubai charges AED 123,506 (about INR 31.78 lakh) for one year. Both routes are covered in our study in Dubai after 12th guide.
Can I get a 100 percent scholarship in Dubai?
Yes, in limited cases. Heriot-Watt Dubai’s Undergraduate Engineering Merit Scholarship reaches 100 percent of first-year net tuition, but only with direct entry into year two. Its all-schools award tops out at 50 percent. BITS Pilani Dubai pays 75 percent off first-year tuition for a BITSAT score above 260.
Is Dubai expensive for Indian students?
It depends almost entirely on where you live. Murdoch University Dubai estimates student rent at AED 2,000 to AED 10,000 a month (about INR 51,457 to INR 2,57,286), a five-fold difference in one cost. An Indian-run campus with a shared room keeps year one near the lower end above.
Sources
- The Official Portal of the UAE Government, Work permits, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, u.ae
- American University in Dubai, Tuition and Fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, aud.edu
- Amity University Dubai, Bachelors Degree Fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, amityuniversity.ae
- BITS Pilani Dubai Campus, First Degree (B.E.) Admissions, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, bits-dubai.ac.ae
- Canadian University Dubai, Fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, cud.ac.ae
- Heriot-Watt University Dubai, Computer Science BSc, Dubai, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, hw.ac.uk
- Heriot-Watt University Dubai, Tuition fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, hw.ac.uk
- Heriot-Watt University Dubai, Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, hw.ac.uk
- Heriot-Watt University Dubai, Undergraduate Engineering Merit Scholarship, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, hw.ac.uk
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education Dubai, Fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, manipaldubai.com
- Middlesex University Dubai, Tuition Fees – Student Finance (2026/2027), retrieved 02 Sep 2026, mdx.ac.ae
- Middlesex University Dubai, The Cost of Living in Dubai, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, mdx.ac.ae
- Murdoch University Dubai, Course Fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, murdochuniversitydubai.com
- Murdoch University Dubai, Visa Fees (Jul 2023), retrieved 02 Sep 2026, murdochuniversitydubai.com
- Murdoch University Dubai, Cost of Living, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, murdochuniversitydubai.com
- RIT Dubai, Tuition and Fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, rit.edu
- SP Jain School of Global Management, BBA Fees (2026-2027), retrieved 02 Sep 2026, spjain.org
- University of Birmingham Dubai, Cost of living for students in Dubai, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, birmingham.ac.uk
- University of Birmingham Dubai, Computer Science and Software Engineering with Integrated Foundation Year MEng (Dubai) (Sept 2026), retrieved 02 Sep 2026, birmingham.ac.uk
- University of Birmingham Dubai, Business Management with Integrated Foundation Year BSc (Dubai) (Sept 2026), retrieved 02 Sep 2026, birmingham.ac.uk
- University of Birmingham Dubai, Fees and scholarships, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, birmingham.ac.uk
- University of Wollongong in Dubai, Bachelors Degree Fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, uowdubai.ac.ae
- University of Wollongong in Dubai, Masters Degree Fees, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, uowdubai.ac.ae
- University of Wollongong in Dubai, Student Visas, retrieved 02 Sep 2026, uowdubai.ac.ae
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