The 5 Best Schools for Civil Engineering in Dubai
If you dream of taking part in the building of structures that shape skylines, gather people of all types, and provide spaces for different purposes, then taking up civil engineering in college may be the way to go.
We scoured the city to give you the best schools for civil engineering in Dubai. We’re also sharing with you the factors we considered in choosing.
At the end of the list, take a look at some FAQs about civil engineering in Dubai to learn more about your dream profession.
How much does studying civil engineering in Dubai cost?
The cost of studying civil engineering at a university depends on the number of classes a student takes in a term and additional school fees.
To give you a starting point, we made a table of the average cost of school fees for the civil engineering program in the universities that we have included in this list.
The Best Schools for Civil Engineering in Dubai
Before we get right into our top picks for the best schools for civil engineering in Dubai, here are the factors we considered for our entries on this list:
1. Amity University
| Criteria | Rating |
| Credibility | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Opportunities | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Faculty | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Program Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Accredited by various national and international education organizations, such as the UAE Ministry of Education and University Grants Commission, Amity University focuses on developing groundbreaking innovations in science and technology.
We love that this university’s penchant for science and technology has allowed its engineering department to flourish and its students to reach their full potential with its state-of-the-art facilities.
On top of that, its record of job offers has resulted in it becoming part of the most sought-after education destinations.
Its civil engineering program offers students standard job opportunities such as managerial positions at construction sites, design and research positions, as well as teaching positions in government or private institutes.
However, its undergraduate program lacks a special focus that molds students into more than just being well-rounded engineers. We’d appreciate it more if they provided specializations.
The civil engineering program’s faculty is a group of highly accomplished professors with international experience in the industry and in teaching.
One of its assistant professors is a geotechnical engineer with a Ph.D. from Kingston University London, which is notable for its research work on collapsible soils in the UAE.
Overall, Amity University aims for well-rounded engineers over highly specialized ones. And while it can be argued that it lacks edge, not all universities can consistently produce students like these.
Pros
- Accredited by various national and international education organizations
- Strong focus on science and technology
- Produces well-rounded graduates
- Faculty is highly-accomplished
Cons
- Program lacks specialized knowledge
2. BITS Pilani Dubai
| Criteria | Ratings |
| Credibility | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Opportunities | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Faculty | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Program Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus offers programs for all higher education levels in various engineering and allied disciplines. Here, more than a thousand students from multiple countries are admitted worldwide every year.
Its Dubai campus is approved by the University Grants Commission and by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority(KHDA).
On top of that, the university has won countless awards both in the UAE and in India, and most of its alumni hold leading positions in various fields in UAE and across the world.
What makes its civil engineering program one of the strongest in Dubai is the fact that it works with over 400 highly renowned companies across UAE & India to offer internships to students.
This drastically opens up opportunities for its students to land their first jobs easily because of the early networking opportunities they attain.
And this plays into its civil engineering program, which we think really shines because of its unique 7.5-month internship program called practice school.
This extended time spent working in the industry fully equips students with valuable work experience that is almost unrivaled by other universities in Dubai.
However, one of its weakest points, in our opinion, is its faculty. While it is undeniable that the students have the unwavering support of their professors, the professors seem to lack worldly experience in the industry.
Thus the need for its uniquely long internship program and strong network with private companies.
Pros
- Accredited by UAE’s educational organizations
- Has won countless awards in UAE and in India
- Has a strong internship network
- Unique 7.5-month Civil Engineering internship
Cons
- Faculty lacks global experience
3. University of Sharjah
| Criteria | Rating |
| Credibility | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Opportunities | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Faculty | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Program Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Leaders in scientific research and the arts in the UAE and the GCC region, The University of Sharjah has programs, like Engineering, that have attained international accreditation.
What we love about the University of Sharjah is one of its biggest edges when it comes to its engineering — its programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission and the American Board of Engineering and Technology.
Not many universities can claim this prestigious credit in the UAE, as it is only given to those Engineering Departments that provide a global education.
Its four-year civil engineering program spans multi-disciplinary fields of the industry.
And while there is nothing special with its internship programs, the University of Sharjah carries such weight in its name because of its accomplishments that its well-rounded students are sure to have a leg up on the competition.
On top of that, its faculty is composed of highly-qualified instructors and supporting lab engineers and technicians.
Competent in its own right, it faces the same problem as BITS does, and that’s a faculty with less global experience compared to other universities. However, unlike BITS, it doesn’t have a special internship program to rely on.
Despite that, the programs in civil engineering are well-designed, and we can see the intention in its curriculum.
It is fit for a fast-paced economy where important academic aspects such as research, innovation, and entrepreneurship are vital.
Pros
- Has national and international accreditations
- Civil Engineering program spans multi-disciplinary fields
- Program designed for the fast-paced economy of today
Cons
- Nothing special in its internship program
- Faculty is competent but lacks global experience
4. Heriot-Watt University Dubai
| Criteria | Rating |
| Credibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Opportunities | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Faculty | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Program Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Heriot-Watt University Dubai is ranked in the top 25 UK universities and top 250 universities worldwide for Engineering and Technology.
On top of that, the university has an incredible record when it comes to fresh graduate employment, with 95% of them starting work or going into further studies months after graduating from their undergraduate program.
However, being a multi-national university has hindered itself from honing in national and international accreditations for each campus, thus it has fewer ones compared to others.
We also love that Heriot-Watt values the power of forming close relationships with different industries, not just for student networking, but also to provide more opportunities for learning.
Its School of Engineering and Physical Sciences has a well-renowned international research reputation and close ties with the science, engineering, and technology industries.
When it comes to its faculty, while some of its professors are imports from different universities around the region, most of them lack practical experience and global knowledge.
Some of them went straight into teaching after their education, which takes away some points for us.
Honestly, we think it’s always better that theoretical knowledge is backed up with experience from working in the industry — something that the instructors here lack.
Pros
- Highly ranked university in global rankings
- Excellent employment record
- Strong network with organizations and different industries
Cons
- Lesser accreditations
- Faculty lacks global knowledge and practical experience
5. Manipal Academy of Higher Education
| Criteria | Rating |
| Credibility | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Opportunities | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Faculty | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Program Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Manipal Academy is hailed as a 5-star university by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority’s Higher Education Classification Rating this 2022.
It is also a proud recipient of the ‘Outstanding Support for Students’ given by the Forbes Middle East Higher Education Award.
The school is known for providing students great opportunities for growth and future career paths, especially in its civil engineering program.
Besides its mundane internship program, students get to be exposed to the industry through site visits in the MENA region.
On top of that, its students also get the opportunity to be connected through a global network by joining professional societies like the American Society of Civil Engineers.
But what we think makes this university shine is the faculty’s initiative to establish a mentor program to support student engagement and development.
We think this is great, especially nowadays, because having a mentor keeps students engaged and motivated to push themselves.
On top of that, it also gives students much-needed attention and helps them focus on picking up concepts that they have trouble understanding.
However, the overall curriculum of the program doesn’t have anything special to it. Just like any other civil engineering program, it follows a set of major classes with minor electives for specialization.
Pros
- Rated as a 5-star university
- Offers exposure experiences to the industry around the region
- Offers global networking opportunities to the students
- Has a faculty mentorship program
Cons
- Nothing special about the curriculum
- Nothing special about the internship program
FAQs about Civil Engineering in Dubai
We hope this helped you in finding a suitable school for civil engineering in Dubai. Also, if you’re looking for other educational services, then check out these articles: