If you’re an Indian student living in the UAE, you’ve probably already heard these questions a hundred times: “Beta, engineering karoge ya medicine?” or “Which university are you applying to?” Don’t worry—you’re not alone. Thousands of Indian students in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and beyond face the same big decision: what to do after Class 12.
The good news? You’ve got options—lots of them. From IITs and MBBS in India to universities in the UAE and even studying abroad, the path you take depends on your interests, your effort, and yes, a few key exams. Let’s decode them.
For many students, engineering is the go-to career. And India’s IITs and NITs are still some of the best places to study.
The JEE route: To enter IITs, you need to crack JEE Main and JEE Advanced. For NITs and IIITs, JEE Main is enough. Even if you study in Dubai or Sharjah, you can register and appear for these exams.
DASA (Direct Admission of Students Abroad): Since you live outside India, you can apply through DASA. It’s a special admission scheme for overseas Indians. Admissions are based on JEE Main rank now (earlier it was SAT).
CIWG (Children of Indian Workers in Gulf): Here’s where being in the UAE really helps. CIWG is a quota under DASA just for Gulf-based Indians. The biggest perk? The tuition fees are charged at the same rate as Indian students, which is much cheaper than normal NRI seats.
👉 If engineering is on your mind, focus on JEE preparation. And don’t forget to collect all the embassy and employment documents needed for DASA/CIWG.
If your dream is to become a doctor, then your keyword is NEET.
NEET-UG: Every Indian student—whether in Mumbai or Dubai—must clear NEET to study MBBS/BDS in India. Even private colleges with NRI quotas require NEET.
Studying abroad: Many UAE-based Indians also consider MBBS in Russia, Georgia, Philippines, or Europe. But if you want to practice in India, you’ll need to clear the NExT/FMGE screening exam after graduation.
Medicine in UAE: You don’t have to go far, universities like Gulf Medical University (Ajman), University of Sharjah, Khalifa University, and UAE University all offer medicine and allied health programs, many taught in English. These are well recognized in the Gulf and give you a strong career path locally.
👉 NEET prep is non-negotiable if you want India. But if you’re okay with studying in UAE or abroad, you’ve got more flexibility.
Not everyone wants IIT or MBBS—and that’s perfectly fine! If your interests lie in economics, law, psychology, English, history, business, or sciences, then CUET (Common University Entrance Test) is the exam you need.
CUET is now the entry gate for top Indian universities like Delhi University, JNU, BHU, Jamia Millia Islamia, and more.
It has subject-based tests, languages, and aptitude sections.
👉 If your dream is to study at DU’s North Campus or JNU’s School of Social Sciences, start looking into CUET now.
Here’s the part many students forget—you don’t actually have to leave the UAE for good education.
Local UAE Universities:
Khalifa University (Engineering, AI, Tech).
University of Sharjah (Medicine, Business, Law).
Zayed University (Humanities, IT, Business).
Indian Universities in Dubai:
BITS Pilani Dubai Campus (same pedigree as BITS Pilani in India).
Manipal University Dubai (engineering, media, life sciences).
Amity University Dubai.
Global Branch Campuses:
NYU Abu Dhabi, University of Birmingham Dubai, Middlesex Dubai, Heriot-Watt Dubai, SP Jain School of Global Management.
These campuses follow international standards, and many allow transfers to their home country campuses.
👉 Staying in UAE means less culture shock, strong Gulf job market links, and global-level exposure without leaving home.
From UAE, applying to the US, UK, Canada, or Australia is even smoother than from India.
US: SAT/ACT + TOEFL/IELTS.
UK: UCAS applications + IELTS.
Canada/Australia: IELTS + direct college applications.
Many UAE schools already follow CBSE, IB, or A-Levels, all recognized worldwide.
👉 Bonus: UAE has many test centers, so taking SAT or IELTS is much easier here.
Not everyone wants a traditional degree. Some alternative career pathways include:
Finance: CA (India), ACCA (UK), CFA, CMA.
Technology: Short bootcamps in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, or web development.
Aviation: Pilot training and aviation management (Dubai is a hub!).
Hospitality & Tourism: With Dubai Expo legacy and booming tourism, it’s a growing field.
Start collecting these early:
Valid passport.
NRI certificate from the Indian consulate in UAE.
Parent’s work visa & employment proof (needed for CIWG/DASA).
Class X & XII mark sheets.
Entrance exam registrations: JEE, NEET, CUET, SAT, IELTS, TOEFL.
Engineering → JEE + DASA/CIWG is your route.
Medicine → NEET for India, or UAE medical universities.
Other fields → CUET for Indian universities, or UAE/global colleges.
Study abroad → SAT/IELTS + global applications.
Alternative careers → Finance, aviation, hospitality, IT.
You have missed to mention a very prestigious Indian institute IIT Delhi AbuDhabi campus for Engineering stream. UG, PG and PhD already started from last years.
Please visit abudhabi.iitd.ac.in
You are right. We have made the necessary edit. Thank You!