Zayed University International Student Scholarship
Zayed University — a federal UAE university with campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai — offers International Student Scholarships ranging from 25% to 50% tuition reduction for eligible non-UAE undergraduates. The full international tuition is around AED 80,000/year, so the 25% tier delivers AED 20,000/year savings and the 50% tier AED 40,000/year. Sri Lankan A/L applicants with strong English-medium results are competitive — Zayed offers fully English-taught Bachelor's programmes in Business, Humanities, Sciences, and Communication & Media Sciences. The federal-university status means strong career-services placement within UAE government and industry.
Zayed University
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Tier
25% or 50% tuition reduction
Level
Undergraduate (Bachelor's)
Duration
Renewable on academic progression
Selection
Automatic on admission
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
International Undergraduate
Open to international students paying overseas tuition fees. Sri Lankan citizens are eligible. UAE nationals study free under federal subsidies and don't compete for these scholarships.
Tier by Academic Profile
Sri Lankan A/L 2 As + 1 B targets the 25% tier; 3 As (or A/L + SAT 1300+) targets the 50% tier. IB 32+ → 25%; IB 38+ → 50%. Zayed's admissions sets the tier from the admission file.
English-Taught Bachelor's
Zayed offers fully English-taught Bachelor's programmes — Business, Communication & Media Sciences, Education, Humanities, Sciences, and Technological Innovation. IELTS 6.0 or equivalent is required.
Maintain CGPA
Renew each semester by maintaining a Zayed CGPA of 3.0/4.0 (25% tier) or 3.5/4.0 (50% tier). Drop below and the scholarship steps down to the lower tier or lapses.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to a Zayed Bachelor's
Submit your application via the Zayed online portal by 31 March 2026 for Fall 2026 intake. Include A/L transcripts, English-test results, references, and a short personal statement.
Admissions assessment + scholarship tier
Zayed admissions reviews your academic profile. The offer letter explicitly states the International Student Scholarship tier (25% or 50%) attached to the admission.
Accept the offer + pay deposit
Confirm your place by accepting the offer and paying the AED 5,000 confirmation fee. The scholarship credit is applied to every semester's tuition invoice.
UAE visa + arrival
Zayed's international office handles UAE student visa coordination once the deposit is paid. Fall intake starts late August in Dubai or Abu Dhabi (you select campus on the application).
Why Zayed?
Zayed University is one of three federal universities in the UAE, founded in 1998 and named after the country's founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Strong industry partnerships and an explicit mission to develop tech-skilled, bilingual graduates for the UAE workforce.
Top 600
QS World Ranking 2026
Since 1998
Federally Founded
2
Campuses (Abu Dhabi + Dubai)
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