Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In the United Arab Emirates, between 2018 and 2024, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education rose steadily from 53.21% to 63.74%. From 2019 to 2021, the initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita ranged from 23.84% to 18.24%, while the initial household funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita amounted to 2.72% in 2021.
Tuition-free status
UAE citizens can attend federal public higher education institutions free of charge. Federal public universities include United Arab Emirates University, Zayed University, and the Higher Colleges of Technology, all of which are directly financed by the federal government.
Governance
In the UAE, the federal government, through the Ministry of Finance, is responsible for financing and overseeing federal public higher education institutions, including the allocation of operating budgets and supervision of expenditure for federal institutions. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) is responsible for developing legislative and institutional frameworks that govern the higher education sector, including licensing public and private higher education institutions, accrediting academic programmes through national quality assurance mechanisms, and promoting alignment with labour market and national development priorities. The ministry also oversees national scholarship programmes, and plays a central role in promoting scientific research and innovation through coordination across academia, industry and research centres.
In parallel, emirate-level governments finance and manage public higher education institutions established under their own authority, through entities such as Abu Dhabi’s Department of Education and Knowledge(ADEK), support and regulate higher education within their jurisdictions, including running emirate‑funded scholarship programmes.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
No evidence of subnational funding mechanisms was found for federal public universities in the UAE. Budgetary analyses indicate that operating funds are allocated by the UAE Ministry of Finance to the country’s three federal institutions of higher education.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
No evidence was found of a mechanism where the government provides regular operating funding to private universities as a substitute when no public university is available. However, the UAE government focuses on regulation and market facilitation, including institutional licensing and quality assurance, permission for 100% foreign ownership, the establishment of universities in education free zones, and selected investment and collaboration incentives. These measures are designed primarily to attract foreign investment, enhance research collaboration, and position the UAE as a regional education and innovation hub, rather than to replace public provision by subsidising private universities’ core operating costs.
Allocation and equity
No publicly available evidence was found of equity-weighted parameters within the funding formula. However, available evidence indicates that federal public universities in the UAE are financed through a per-student funding formula, under which budget requirements are calculated based on enrolled student numbers. Under this arrangement, estimated funding needs for each federal institution are prepared according to the approved formula and subsequently reviewed, adjusted, and formally approved by the UAE Ministry of Finance and the federal Cabinet. Instead, equity objectives in higher education financing appear to be pursued primarily through scholarship policies and targeted student support schemes, rather than through differentiated institutional funding allocations.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
No evidence was found of admission standards that explicitly prioritise vulnerable socio-economic groups in higher education. According to Ministerial Resolution No. (19) of 2024 issued by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, admission to higher education programmes is governed by standardised academic criteria, including secondary school completion, subject-specific prerequisites, and minimum achievement thresholds, which apply uniformly across applicants.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
Financial Allocations for Disabled Fellowship Students
Direct financial support for students with disabilities (People of Determination) is provided through targeted federal scholarship and support mechanisms. Under Article (4) on Financial Allocations for Disabled Fellowship Students, the competent minister may grant a scholarship to any Emirati student with disabilities to pursue studies abroad, with the scholarship value set equivalent to the standard financial allocations and allowances granted to fellowship students. In addition, the ministry fully bears the costs of necessary assistive means, tools, devices, and equipment required by the student, subject to the submission of certified medical documentation approved by the relevant health authorities. The Cabinet Resolution No. (43) of 2018 on Supporting the Work of Persons with Disabilities (People of Determination) also affirms the obligation of relevant authorities to provide the physical, educational, and learning conditions necessary to ensure access to appropriate education and training, including academic and professional learning opportunities aligned with the nature of the individual’s disability.
Academic Excellence Allowance for Higher Education
The Academic Excellence Allowance for Higher Education is a targeted support measure for students who reside in the UAE and belong to families benefiting from the Social Welfare Program, which is a federal, means-tested social assistance scheme providing income support to low-income Emirati households. To be eligible, students must be officially enrolled in a recognised public or private higher education institution accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, be full-time undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree, and demonstrate strong academic performance. Eligibility criteria include maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.3 (or equivalent) and having completed at least 12 credit hours in the previous academic term.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation, Accommodation & Textbooks
No evidence was found of national policies providing transportation, accommodation allowances, or textbook subsidies.
