Khalifa University : Rankings, Fees & Courses Details | Top Universities
university logo

Khalifa University

Location

Main Campus, Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates

Ranking

# 202QS World University Rankings

PGicon

47Undergrad. & Postgrad. Programmes

International

30 % International students

About Khalifa University

In 2017, UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, issued a decree to merge the Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, and The Petroleum Institute under one university called the Khalifa University of Science and Technology (Khalifa University).

Khalifa University is now a comprehensive research-intensive university with three colleges, three research institutes, 18 research centers, and 36 departments covering a broad range of disciplines in science, engineering, and medicine. The internationally top-ranked university is the one university in the UAE with the research and academic programs that address the entire range of strategic, scientific and industrial challenges facing the UAE’s knowledge economy transformation and our rapidly evolving world.

Khalifa University’s world-class faculty and state-of-the-art research facilities provide an unparalleled learning experience to students from the UAE and around the world. The university brings together the best in science, engineering and medicine in the UAE, to offer specialized degrees that can take promising high school graduates all the way to top-rated doctorate degree holders.

It will continue to evolve with the UAE’s rapidly developing national goals and needs and nurture the innovation ecosystem required for the country’s targeted knowledge economy transformation.

About Khalifa University

In 2017, UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, issued a decree to merge the Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, and The Petroleum Institute under one university called the Khalifa University of Science and Technology (Khalifa University).

Khalifa University is now a comprehensive research-intensive university with three colleges, three research institutes, 18 research centers, and 36 departments covering a broad range of disciplines in science, engineering, and medicine. The internationally top-ranked university is the one university in the UAE with the research and academic programs that address the entire range of strategic, scientific and industrial challenges facing the UAE’s knowledge economy transformation and our rapidly evolving world.

Khalifa University’s world-class faculty and state-of-the-art research facilities provide an unparalleled learning experience to students from the UAE and around the world. The university brings together the best in science, engineering and medicine in the UAE, to offer specialized degrees that can take promising high school graduates all the way to top-rated doctorate degree holders.

It will continue to evolve with the UAE’s rapidly developing national goals and needs and nurture the innovation ecosystem required for the country’s targeted knowledge economy transformation.

Available programmes

University information

Undergraduate admission requirements:

- The applicant should have graduated from high school no later than two years prior to their application year.

-Hold a UAE Secondary School Certificate (SSC) in Advanced Stream – Ministry of Education or Physics Stream – Abu Dhabi Education Council with a minimum overall achievement of 80%, and a minimum score of 80% in Mathematics with a minimum overall average of 75% or its equivalent

-Minimum score of achievement in each of the following EMSAT subjects (Validity of Emsat scores is 18 months) 

-Emsat English 1400 OR IELTS (Academic): 6.0 OR TOEFL iBT 79.

-Emsat Math 1250

-Emsat Physics 1000

-Emsat Computer science in any of (Java, C++, and Python) 1000

-One Emsat Elective: Chemistry OR Biology 1000 

-Emsat Arabic 700

-For non-Arabic speakers, the Emsat Arabic can be exempted. 

-Pass the admission interview. 

Postgraduate admission requirements:

Graduate admissions at Khalifa University is highly competitive. Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:

-           To apply for a KU MSc program, applicants must be a Bachelor’s graduate from a STEM program (minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4 or its equivalent).

-           To apply for a KU PhD degree, applicants must be a MSc graduate in a STEM program (minimum of CGPA 3.2).

-           IELTS 6.5 overall academic score (or iBT TOEFL of 91 or its equivalent)

-           GRE Quantitative score of 155 for MSc applicants.

-           Provide a minimum of two referee recommendations.

-           Submit a statement of purpose (500-1000 words), as well as a research statement (500-1000 words) for PhD applicants.

-           Undergo and pass the admission interview

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

Khalifa University and its partners offer a number of undergraduate scholarships for both Emirati and international students. These include:

·         Khalifa University Scholarship

·         ADNOC Scholarship Program

·         Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) Scholarship "Betha"

·         UAE Nuclear Energy Scholarship Program (ENEC & FANR)

·         National Electronic Security Authority (NESA) - Tamayuz Scholarship Program

·         The Future Teachers scholarship 


Khalifa University offers partial and full scholarships to eligible UAE Resident undergraduate students.

Full scholarships are awarded to all admitted Emirati and international postgraduate students.

General

3+
91+
150+
6.5+

As the UAE’s top research university, Khalifa University has 228 labs and some of the region’s most advanced research facilities. These include:

•        Region’s first cleanroom

o    Provides the ultra-clean environment and photolithography tools needed for advanced microelectronics research and small-scale production.

•        Masdar Institute Solar Platform

o    Provides critical tools and expertise required to test these concentrating solar power (CSP) and thermal energy storage (TES) systems at the one-of-a-kind 100 kW beam-down CSP facility.

•        Microscopy facility

o    Electron Microscopes are critical for much of the research ongoing at Khalifa University and its world-class electron microscopy facility is one of the more widely utilized core laboratory facilities.

•        ADNOC Research and Innovation Center (ADRIC)

o    39 labs covering reservoir rock characterization and reservoir fluid characterization

•        High Performance Computing Cluster

o    over 3,000 CPU cores and 32 GPUs spread across two HPC clusters to provide leading edge, stable and reliable computing resources to KU researchers

Khalifa University has also established a number of focus research laboratories with local and international partners, including:

•        YahSat Space Lab

o    Launched with Al Yahsat Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) and Orbital ATK to provide students and faculty of the University’s Master’s concentration in space systems and technology with the facilities required to construct, test and launch miniature satellite CubeSats.

4,156
0%
0%
1,229
0%
0%
590
8%
92%

Student life

Khalifa University is committed to promoting a caring, cooperative campus environment that values diversity and reflects an appreciation of the dignity of all people.

INTERNSHIPS

All undergraduate students at Khalifa University undertake an 8-week internship, where they get the opportunity to explore the different perspectives of their major outside of the classroom. KU students intern at large local and global companies, including IBM, Siemens and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ANDOC).  

Eligible students are offered international internship opportunities in Japan through the Japan International Collaboration Center (JICE) program. The program provides students with an exceptional technical and cultural learning experience, and offers internships at companies like Chiyoda Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

 

STUDENT CLUBS

At Khalifa University, students can choose from over 15 student clubs covering sports, culture, arts, and social service, to explore opportunities to grow and develop in areas related to leadership, teambuilding, and planning and organizing events, outside the classroom. KU clubs include:

1.            Debate Club

2.            Sports Club

3.            HOPE Club

4.            Outdoor Activities Club

5.            Talent & Theater Club

6.            Emirati Club

7.            Japanese Club

8.            Happiness Club

9.            Literature Club

10.          Spanish Club

11.          Music Club

12.          Wise Korean Club

13.          Medical Club

14.          Art Club

15.          Pioneers Club

16.          Chess Club


Social Activities

Khalifa University’s Student Services Office supports students to lead events and activities such as the new students Orientation Day, Career Fair, Majors Day, and non-academic recognition award ceremonies. KU students actively participate in local and international competitions, conferences, workshops and events.

Students can also enjoy a range of activities, such National Day Celebration, Bazaar Day, Global Day and KU Film Festivals, Ramadan gatherings, and more, which enhance their social and cultural experiences.

Throughout the academic year, students are invited on trips to historical and cultural destinations such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Global Village in Dubai, and the local Korean and Chinese Festivals. 

Khalifa University’s Career and Alumni Services aim to maximize students’ engagement with educational and market-oriented experiences contributing to their learning and development and academic success. The Office strives to help students identify academic majors; develop career plans and goals, and improve readiness for employability.

Our aim is to :

  • Educate and empower students to develop, implement, and continuously evaluate their academic and career goals.
  • Facilitate students transition to employees.
  • Maximize opportunities for students to develop connections with potential employers.
  • Provide career development and networking opportunities.
  • Help students and alumni develop soft skills by offering career related workshops and, strengthen their self-marketing tools whilst expanding their market knowledge base through a better understanding of the available job search strategies.

Tuition fees

Domestic Students

27,200 USD
-

International Students

27,200 USD
-

Rankings & Ratings

Khalifa University is one of the top public universities in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is ranked #202 in QS World University Rankings 2025.

QS World University Rankings

  • 2015
    #441-450
  • 2016
    #481-490
  • 2017
    #401-410
  • 2018
    #451-460
  • 2019
    #=315
  • 2020
    #268
  • 2021
    #211
  • 2022
    #=183
  • 2023
    #=181
  • 2024
    #=230
  • 2025
    #202

QS World University Rankings

  • 2015
    #441-450
  • 2016
    #481-490
  • 2017
    #401-410
  • 2018
    #451-460
  • 2019
    #=315
  • 2020
    #268
  • 2021
    #211
  • 2022
    #=183
  • 2023
    #=181
  • 2024
    #=230
  • 2025
    #202

Videos & media

Videos & media

media_view_gallery View Gallery

Campus locations

open the map

Khalifa University advanced Public Very High 7 no 27200 1229 S 22873