At a glance
What a student from Maharashtra needs to know before deciding — clearly and honestly.
The education
Dubai's International Academic City hosts 60+ international branch campuses — earn a UK/US/Australian degree without leaving the region.
The true cost
Branch-campus fees are real, but tax-free salaries and proximity to India improve the maths. Model your own numbers below.
Safety & visa
Check the latest MEA advisory before you travel. Student residence visas are typically university-sponsored.
Top universities
A selection of universities popular with Maharashtra students. Fees vary significantly by university, programme and campus — check each university’s current fee schedule.
After you graduate
Post-study work rights are the most important factor — and the most likely to change. Here is the position as of today.
After you finish your studies, you can stay in the UAE for up to 180 days under the current residence-grace provision. This is a stay period, not automatic permission to work — to take a job, you must get the appropriate work-authorised status. Eligible graduates can also use the UAE Job Exploration Visa (durations include 90 and 120 days; no UAE host is needed), subject to eligibility such as skilled-profession criteria or recent graduation from a qualifying highly ranked university. Green and Golden Residence are separate, eligibility-based routes — not automatic graduate entitlements.
Immigration rules, eligibility and salary thresholds change frequently and without notice. Always verify the latest official guidance before you apply, and never treat any figure here as a guarantee of future entitlement.
- Up to 180 days to stay — not a permit to work
- A job needs work-authorised status
- Job Exploration Visa (90 or 120 days) if eligible
- Green and Golden Residence are eligibility-based
Visa, work & money rules
The official rules behind your visa, work, family and budget planning. Rules change often, so confirm each point on the official government or university website before you apply.
Visa & permit fees
Student residence fees differ between the federal ICP system and Dubai. Under the federal ICP student-residence service, the published charges are an AED 100 application fee, AED 100 residence issuance per year and an AED 100 smart-services fee. Dubai’s GDRFA applies its own fee schedule (for example, AED 200 for the residence permit, AED 10 each for the Knowledge and Innovation Dirham, and AED 20 for delivery). Check with the authority for the emirate where you study.
Work while studying
A student residence visa does not by itself give you an unrestricted right to work. UAE establishments may train or employ eligible students through the applicable MOHRE student training/employment permit and contract framework. Expatriate students must hold valid UAE residence status, and additional approvals may apply. Federal guidance also allows establishments to recruit students during academic holidays for up to three consecutive months. Do not assume a universal weekly-hour entitlement.
Family & dependants
Family members of foreign university students may qualify to stay in the UAE under the applicable family-residence rules. Eligibility depends on residence status, suitable housing and other immigration requirements; general UAE family-sponsorship rules also use financial-solvency criteria. Check the current ICP/GDRFA requirements for your emirate and circumstances.
Health insurance
To get student residence, you need valid health insurance and, where applicable, the prescribed medical-fitness examination. Applicants aged 18 or above are generally subject to the UAE residence medical-fitness requirement. Exact health-insurance arrangements vary by emirate and university.
ROI calculator
Enter your own numbers to see total investment and an indicative payback period. This is a guide only — not financial advice.
United Arab Emirates — Master's ROI
Indicative · based on today's assumptions
Figures are indicative only and vary with fees, salaries, exchange rates and visa rules. Treat this as one data point — not conclusive evidence or financial advice.
Safety snapshot
Based on Ministry of External Affairs guidance — always check the latest official advisory before you travel.
Check the latest MEA advisory
Check the latest guidance from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate of India in Dubai before you travel and during your stay. Register on MADAD (madad.gov.in).
Emergency contacts
Dial 999 (police) / 998 (ambulance). MEA helpline: 1800 11 3090.
Register with the embassy
Register at madad.gov.in on arrival so the nearest Indian Mission can reach you in an emergency.
Food, culture & community
What to expect day-to-day — and how to feel at home far from home, as a student from Maharashtra.
Food & groceries
Outstanding Indian and Maharashtrian food everywhere; vegetarian, Jain and halal options are universal across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The Maharashtra community
The UAE has the largest Indian community of any destination in the region, with temples, gurdwaras and active Maharashtra associations.
Maha-Alumni Connect lets you speak with students from your own district who studied at these very universities.
Compare United Arab Emirates with other destinations.
See the same degree across countries, or check the latest safety guidance before you commit.