Accelerate your future at Dubai's largest UK university

Maaz Shaikh started university in Mumbai in September 2018 but something didn’t feel right. “I didn’t like the teaching, which prompted me to look for other options,” he said. Maaz settled on a BA in Business Management (Marketing) with Middlesex University Dubai beginning in January 2019.

Starting university in January provides a multitude of benefits, especially for students like Maaz whose first choice wasn’t what they thought. The January intake also offers the opportunity to shop around for the right programme.

Not wishing to rush this important decision, Kashish Shaheen took a break after her A Levels. “I wanted to evaluate all potential options and carefully chose a college for my undergraduate experience.” Kashish is now studying for her BA Business Management (Finance) at Middlesex.

The UK University has provided pioneering British Honours degrees in the UAE for seventeen years. It is the largest UK higher education institution in Dubai for total student enrolments, according to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority's October 2021 data.

Middlesex is offering many foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes for January 2022 entry. Postgraduate degrees are taught part-time, making them highly convenient for professionals seeking career development. Foundation and undergraduate students complete one academic year in one semester and will progress to their second year in September 2022 alongside their peers.

“You save almost a year,” Sameen Tariq, BA Innovation and Entrepreneurship student, explained.

Fathima Riffai agrees. She joined Middlesex’s International Foundation Programme (IFP) in January because she could start her BSc Information Technology that September. “One of the most significant benefits is the potential to complete the IFP before most undergraduate degrees begin,” she said.

Although her first year was shorter, Sameen found classes were structured to help students manage their time well. “The lectures were spread out properly, so we didn’t get burdened. The workload is similar for both January and September,” she remembered.

Luckily, Middlesex’s support teams, such as the Centre for Academic Success (CAS) – which provides services like academic enrichment, learning disability support, and counselling – were available when Sameen needed guidance. “I improved my writing with the help of CAS.”

For Anusha Masbooq, Middlesex’s pathways for APTECH students stood out.

“The requirement is to have a two-year APTECH diploma then a final year can be completed in Dubai. Students can also enrol on their Foundation course and continue until their final year,” the BSc Information Technology alumna said.

Jani Spangenberg, BA Business Management (Finance) student, appreciated the admissions team’s support. “They guided me and kept checking on me until I settled in.”