University of Sharjah
جامعة الشارقة
A comprehensive university in Sharjah's University City, with 66 bachelor's programmes and Fall and Spring intakes.
- Tuition
- AED 47,300
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1997
- QS World Ranking
- #283
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Suburban
About UoS
The University of Sharjah (UoS) was founded in 1997 and sits in Sharjah's University City, a planned education district on the edge of the city. It is a large, comprehensive university, with 13 colleges ranging from Sharia and Islamic Studies, Law and Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to Engineering, Computing and Informatics, Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and 66 bachelor's programmes listed for Fall and Spring entry.
Teaching language depends on the programme. Business, Engineering, Computing, Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Health Sciences and Public Policy are taught entirely in English, while Sharia, Arabic, history and several communication programmes are taught in Arabic, and French Language and Literature in French. Law and communication offer both Arabic and English tracks. The university's medical and health sciences campus hosts its College of Medicine and the Sharjah Surgical Institute, and research is organised in three research institutes covering humanities and social sciences, medical and health sciences, and sciences and engineering.
Admission is competitive and based on high school averages, with minimums from 70% for most colleges to 95% for Medicine, and priority for UAE citizens and top-scoring students. UoS suits students who want an English- or Arabic-taught professional degree in the UAE, with on-campus housing and a wide choice of majors.
Why students choose UoS
66 bachelor's programmes across 13 colleges, most with both Fall and Spring intakes.
English-taught professional degrees in Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, Engineering and Computing, alongside Arabic-taught Sharia, Law and humanities.
Transparent minimums: 70% for most colleges, 75% for Engineering and Health Sciences, 85% for Pharmacy and Dentistry and 95% for Medicine (UAE Advanced track or equivalent).
Newer programmes such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity Engineering, Nuclear Engineering and Mechatronics and Robotic Engineering.
Admissions
Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 intakes
Selectivity
UoS does not publish an acceptance rate. Admission is competitive within each programme's seat capacity, based on preferences and grades, with priority given to UAE citizens and students with high secondary school grades; meeting the minimum average does not guarantee a place.
Typical entry requirements
| IB Diploma | Full diploma with at least 24 points and three HL subjects; 29 points for Pharmacy and Dental Medicine; 35 points (competitive) for Medicine, with Maths and two sciences at 5+ HL or 6+ SL |
|---|---|
| British curriculum (IGCSE / A-levels) | Average from seven best subjects (e.g. five O-levels at C+ and two AS at D+); Medicine needs 95% and Dental Medicine 85%, with Maths and two sciences at grade A and Chemistry or Biology at AS grade A or A-level grade B |
| American high school diploma | 12 years of schooling, six subjects across four domains, attested and equated by the UAE Ministry of Education; Medicine 95% with Maths and two sciences at 90% or A in Grade 12 |
| UAE and other national certificates | Minimum 70% to 95% final average depending on college, achieved no more than three years before entry (one year for Medicine and Dental Medicine) |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 Required levels vary by college. Students with IELTS 5.5 are exempt from remedial English skill courses; certificates older than two years are not accepted; students below the requirement join the Intensive English Program. |
Deadlines
- Spring 2027 intake Non-bindingApplications open; deadline not published
Most bachelor's programmes list Fall and Spring intakes and show 'Applications Open'.
- Fall 2027 intake (including Medicine and Dental Medicine) Non-bindingNot yet published
Admission for Fall 2026/2027 has closed. Medicine and Dental Medicine admit in Fall only.
UoS announces application windows on its admissions pages; admission for Fall 2026/2027 has closed, while most programmes show applications open for the Spring intake. Check the Important Dates section for Spring and Fall 2027 deadlines.
How to apply
Apply online through the UoS admission portal, ranking your preferred majors, uploading documents and paying the AED 360 application fee (Medicine and Dental Medicine applicants pay AED 1,500 to enter the competitive process). Applicants are told their status within 3 to 7 working days; those nominated reserve a seat with AED 12,000 (credited to tuition; AED 3,000 is non-refundable if they withdraw) and then submit attested high school certificates, English test results and a medical fitness form.
What admissions looks for
- A final high school average at or above your college's minimum, with higher grades improving your competitive ranking.
- Strong grades in required subjects, such as mathematics and sciences for Medicine, Pharmacy and Engineering.
- English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent) for English-taught programmes.
- Complete, properly attested documents and medical fitness, including immunisation evidence where your major requires it.
Tips for applying to UoS
- 1 Get your foreign certificates attested in the right order early: education authority, foreign ministry, UAE embassy, then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- 2 Medicine and Dental Medicine admit only in Fall and only students who finished school within the last year, with no conditional admission.
- 3 Budget for the AED 12,000 seat reservation soon after you are nominated; it counts toward tuition.
- 4 Take IELTS before applying: a 5.5 exempts you from remedial English courses and speeds up your start.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in AED
UoS offers discounts for high school excellence, academic achievement, siblings, and science and Sharia programmes, plus financial aid. External scholarships from the Sharjah Council for Higher Education, NAFIS and the TDRA are for Sharjah or UAE citizens.
- AED 360 (AED 1,500 competition fee for Medicine and Dental Medicine)
- Application fee
- AED 12,000, credited to tuition
- Seat reservation
- AED 97,820 and AED 95,060 per year
- Medical and Dentistry foundation years
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (Fall and Spring, plus summer)
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Taught in English after a medical foundation year, with a 95% minimum average and competitive promotion to Year 1.
Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering
An undergraduate nuclear engineering degree taught in English, at AED 70,200 a year.
Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence
A newer English-taught programme in the College of Computing and Informatics.
Bachelor of Law (English or Arabic track)
Law is offered in both an Arabic track and an English track.
Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Water Desalination Engineering
Engineering that combines chemical processes with water desalination, taught in English.
Research
- Three research institutes: Humanities and Social Sciences (RIHSS), Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS) and Sciences and Engineering (RISE).
- Centres of Excellence for Cancer Research, Public Health and Precision Medicine.
- The Sharjah Surgical Institute on the medical campus trains surgeons from the region.
Schools & faculties
- College of Medicine
- College of Dental Medicine
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Engineering
- College of Computing and Informatics
- College of Sciences
- College of Business Administration
- College of Law
- College of Communication
- College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Sharia and Islamic Studies
Student life
UoS students live and study in University City, where two student centres house student union and club offices, a fine arts room, shops and a bank branch. The university runs separate dormitories on campus, with single, double and triple rooms, clinics, study halls and organised outings, and a bus service links dorms and colleges. Two separate sports centres, one for men and one for women, have swimming pools and host sports from volleyball and karate to squash, chess and football.
- Graduation ceremonies in the domed University City Hall.
- Two student centres with offices for student clubs and societies.
- Separate men's and women's sports centres with swimming pools.
- Student newspaper The University Forum.
Housing. UoS has two dormitories on the University City campus with one, two and three-bedroom options; in 2023/24 rooms ranged from AED 3,770 (triple) to AED 12,986 (special single) a year.
Location
Sharjah is one of the seven emirates of the UAE and borders Dubai. The university sits in University City, a district on the edge of Sharjah city that brings several universities together, and runs buses for dormitory students to shopping centres and between the dorms and colleges. Dubai's jobs, culture and airport hub are a short drive away.
Nearest airport: Sharjah International Airport (SHJ); Dubai International Airport (DXB) is nearby
Frequently asked questions
How much does the University of Sharjah cost?
Annual tuition for 2026-27 ranges from AED 47,300 (Sharia) to AED 130,430 (MBBS), with most Business, Computing and Engineering programmes between AED 63,740 and AED 70,200.
What grades do you need for the University of Sharjah?
Minimum final averages are 70% for most colleges, 75% for Law, Engineering and Health Sciences (scientific tracks), 85% for Pharmacy and Dentistry, and 95% for Medicine. With the IB, the base minimum is 24 points.
Is the University of Sharjah taught in English?
Business, Engineering, Computing, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Health Sciences and Public Policy are taught in English; Sharia, Arabic and several communication and humanities programmes are taught in Arabic.
Can I start at the University of Sharjah in Spring?
Yes, most bachelor's programmes have Fall and Spring intakes. Medicine and Dental Medicine admit in Fall only.
What is the application fee at the University of Sharjah?
AED 360, plus AED 1,500 for Medicine and Dental Medicine applicants. Nominated students then reserve a seat with AED 12,000, which counts toward tuition.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- QS World University Rankings 2027 (topuniversities.com)
- THE World University Rankings 2026
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
- University of Sharjah: Undergraduate admissions
- University of Sharjah: Admission Tuition Fees 2026/2027
- University of Sharjah: Undergraduate tuition fees for students admitted from 2022/23 (PDF)
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