Indians lead with 42% share in foreign student intake in Dubai

Seems like Dubai is giving tough competition to traditional study destinations like the USA, UK and Australia. Well, the latest survey by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) actually hints at this. Nearly 42% of the international students in Dubai come from India and are enrolled in private higher education institutions in the country for the 2024–25 academic year.

At present, 42,026 students are enrolled across 41 private universities in Dubai. Student enrolment has surged by 20.4% this year, a sharp rise compared to the 12.3% growth recorded in the previous academic year.

In fact, Dubai is witnessing a surge in international students with their overall share rising from 25.3% to 29.4% in just one year. At the heart of this trend are Indian students, playing a major role in Dubai’s evolution into a global higher education hub. For 54% of the international students, business-related courses are the most-sought after programmes. It is followed by IT and engineering, which is 11%.

While Dubai doesn’t provide conventional post-study work visas, the UAE government has introduced a new nomination-based Golden Visa scheme. This allows Indian and Bangladeshi nationals to secure long-term residency without the usual requirements of property investment or a trade license, making it significantly more accessible to young professionals and graduates.