Making the Right Choice of College in UAE

Those who decide on pursuing their further education in UAE are likely to face the dilemma of deciding the right college. College channelizes the career and also shapes the personality of an individual through studies and extra-curricular activities. The valuable years of your college will decide your future to a great extent and they can either aid in choosing the correct path or detain you from realizing your potential.

The college that is perfect for you may not suit your friend so this choice is entirely personal. The fact that is important is that you should not go by the name of the college. It has been frequently observed that even the less famous colleges are worth being noticed and they offer quality education as well. Through this article, we wish to throw light on the various points which will help out our readers in picking up the most appropriate college.

• Nature of College: The colleges in UAE can be widely categorized into research and teaching colleges besides the typical public and private colleges. While the research colleges mainly focus on the research side of education, the teaching institutes emphasize the teaching side. The choice of the kind of institute is influenced by the career plans.
• Infrastructure and campus milieu: This should be one of the most important factors influencing your decision. Infrastructure here refers to the classrooms, workshops, computer laboratories, seminars gym etc which are really essential today for remaining up-to-date. The thing that matters is that it must offer a congenial and virtual learning environment.
• Accreditation: Make sure you check the accreditation of the university or institution you're targetting. There are various universities which have been accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) and a few by overseas bodies or organisations. In future, if you have plans to get employed within the UAE government, go for a MOHESR accredited institution. Those who want to work with private employers in the UAE do not need a MOHESR accredited university degree. 
• University Enrollment: Students to find out the enrollment number of the university from where they wish to pursue their studies. Do this exercise for figuring out how many students graduate from the same. So if a university's enrollment number was 1500 students in 2017, then find out the number of graduates in 2020 and 2021. A lower graduating number may reflect a high dropout rate.

• Academics: Students must look out for the best possible academic education. There are numerous educational institutions in UAE so you are sure to face a problem in deciding on the best one but try opting for the one that offers challenging classes and broad degree requisites. This is the chief factor that is going to influence your future life.
• Financial Assistance: This is also a chief concern while making the choice of a college. Besides the college fees, a student also needs to consider the housing market. How much can you afford to spend on college and on other things if you are going to live off campus also shape the decision of college. But what is important is that you shouldn't discard colleges on the basis of their fees since there are various institutes in UAE which offer scholarships, financial aid, and grants for students.
• Faculty: Faculty is the backbone of a college. It is very important to have an idea of the faculty before getting enrolled in a particular institution. One should try getting an idea of the faculty from the students already studying at the very institute you are applying.
• Reputation: Although this factor also deserves attention it should not top your priority list. Since you will have this college name on your resume for the rest of your life so it also matters. Whether the college name will matter or not depends on what one decides to do after graduation. As a matter of fact, the closer you stay to your major, the more your school matters. Undoubtedly a good school gives you a boost but even if you do not have this edge it will not prove to be an intractable obstacle. Lazybones from well-reputed schools may get fired while hard workers from less known colleges may get rapidly promoted.
• Area of Expertise: First you need to judge your areas of interest. Then according to that, you can settle down on the choice of an institute which excels in that particular field. Moreover, you must also consider whether the college is strong in other areas as well so that you can attain a quality education even if you wish to change your majors. Go with the school that excels in every field rather than a school which is excellent in one domain but zero in the rest.
• Internships and Placements: At some point in your academic tenure, you will be required to do an internship for earning credits. This may also be important with regard to your future job as many organisations take internship experiences into consideration while hiring. Figure out if the university where you wish to study hosts internships during your study and what all are the partner companies. Also, read about the placement data of the university on its official website. Every good university will have information regarding the same. Check out where the university alumni are working at present.
• Scholarships: As living in UAE (off-campus) may be expensive, Ii will be good if atleast a part of your academic expenses is taken care of. Apply for a university scholarship, if available. Many UAE institutions offer special scholarships to international students. Make sure that the scholarship amount mentioned on the official website is the same as they would actually provide once you're enrolled as many times they cover only a specific percentage of the tuition fees. 
• Location: The location of the college also matters to a great extent. The cost of commute also needs to be considered.

By now you must have realized that choosing a college just because of your friends or because it tops the ranking list is not a wise idea. It solely depends on you as only you are aware of your interests and capabilities.