UAE ministry announces new review fees for universities, vocational institutions

The UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) has adopted a new resolution setting review fees for higher education and technical and vocational education and training institutions.

The resolution, introduced under the Federal Decree-Law on Higher Education and Scientific Research, aims to strengthen the UAE’s licensing, accreditation, and quality assurance framework for academic and training institutions.

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Under the new system, the Ministry will establish clear fees for institutional and programme licensing, accreditation and renewals, giving institutions greater clarity over the costs involved in evaluation and review processes.

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The fees will also cover expenses related to external evaluators and specialised experts involved in accreditation and review activities, based on defined guidelines and procedures.

Dr Ahmed Sultan Al Shoaibi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said the resolution forms part of the UAE’s broader efforts to strengthen the sector’s legislative and regulatory framework.

The resolution is also intended to help institutions plan their finances and administrative processes more effectively by clearly defining service categories, review fees and payment procedures.

The Ministry said the fees are directly linked to specialised technical reviews that are an integral part of the quality assurance and accreditation process. The reviews will assess whether institutions and programmes continue to meet approved standards and requirements.

The new framework also takes into account differences between academic programmes and their individual evaluation requirements, reflecting the varying technical and organisational work involved in reviewing institutions and programmes.

Where will the fees go?

The review fees will be transferred to the Review Fund for Higher Education Institutions and Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutions.

Established by a Cabinet resolution, the Fund's objective is to finance and support review operations associated with licensing and institutional and programme accreditation.

It also funds the enlistment of specialised international evaluators, experts and institutions, enhancing the quality and reliability of evaluation processes and ensuring the long-term sustainability and governance of the licensing and accreditation ecosystem.