University students and prospective students in the UAE who hold a Fazaa card can access a range of tuition-fee discounts and education benefits, with several institutions offering reductions of between 10 per cent and 25 per cent.
In some cases, the benefits also extend to eligible family members.
The discounts are part of the broader Fazaa programme, which provides members with preferential rates across education, travel, retail, entertainment and other services. According to Fazaa, its student discount programme covers universities and other education providers alongside thousands of brands and locations across the UAE.
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For families facing rising education costs, these offers can be significant. Even a 10 per cent or 20 per cent reduction in tuition can translate into substantial savings over the duration of a degree. However, the terms vary considerably between institutions. Some offers apply only to new students, while others are limited to particular programmes or semesters. Several also cannot be combined with other scholarships or promotions.
Here are some of the key UAE higher-education institutions currently advertising Fazaa-related discounts.
Abu Dhabi University: Up to 25%
Abu Dhabi University is currently listed by Fazaa with a discount of up to 25 per cent on selected programmes.
Under the current offer, Fazaa cardholders can receive a 15 per cent discount on undergraduate programmes. Employees of the Social Security Fund (Fazaa) and individuals affiliated with the Ministry of Interior who hold eligible Fazaa cards can receive a 25 per cent discount on master’s programmes.
The offer is currently listed as available until January 1, 2027. Fazaa states that the discount is for new students and requires presentation of a valid Fazaa card.
For prospective students, the distinction between undergraduate and postgraduate study is important. The headline figure of 25 per cent does not mean every Fazaa member receives 25 per cent off every programme; the standard undergraduate benefit listed by Fazaa is 15 per cent .
Middlesex University Dubai: 25% tuition grant
Middlesex University Dubai is offering one of the more substantial Fazaa benefits, with a 25% grant on tuition fees for eligible Fazaa cardholders.
The offer applies to academic programmes and, according to the Fazaa listing, can also cover eligible siblings, children and spouses of cardholders. The university is required to apply the discount across the duration of study, subject to the programme’s terms.
The current offer is available for both the September and January intakes and is listed as valid until August 1, 2027.
Students must enroll as new students, provide the required documentation and maintain valid eligibility. The Fazaa grant cannot be combined with another promotion or offer.
This makes Middlesex University Dubai particularly notable for families considering private higher education, as the benefit is not simply an introductory first-semester discount.
Canadian University Dubai: Up to 20%
Canadian University Dubai is another institution offering a Fazaa-linked reduction.
Fazaa currently lists a 20 per cent discount against published undergraduate programme fees for eligible Fazaa cardholders and a 10 per cent discount against published graduate programme fees. The benefit also extends to first-degree relatives, according to the Fazaa listing.
The structure of the offer means undergraduate applicants potentially receive the larger saving, while postgraduate students receive a smaller but still meaningful reduction.
Students should check the university’s current fee schedule before calculating their expected saving, since the percentage discount is applied against the applicable published programme fees rather than representing a fixed cash amount.
Al Ain University: 20% for eligible bachelor’s students
Al Ain University has established a specific Fazaa discount for bachelor’s students.
Its 2025-2026 student handbook states that new students registering for bachelor’s degrees receive a 20% discount on credit-hour fees across the university’s specialisations, with the exception of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme.
Importantly, this is not necessarily an unconditional discount for the entire degree. To continue receiving the benefit, students must maintain a minimum semester GPA of 3.0 while registering for at least 12 credit hours. Summer courses and repeated courses are excluded.
This illustrates one of the most important points for students comparing Fazaa offers: the headline percentage is only part of the equation. Academic-performance requirements can determine whether a discount continues from one semester to the next.
City University Ajman: Up to 20%
City University Ajman offers Fazaa-linked scholarships of up to 20 per cent for selected undergraduate programmes.
The current Fazaa offer provides a 20 per cent tuition-fee scholarship for the Bachelor of Sociology and Bachelor of Psychology, subject to programme exclusions. It also provides a 10 per cent scholarship for the MBA programme.
The offer is limited to new students and is listed as available until July 16, 2027. Fazaa also states that the offer cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions.
For applicants interested in other degree programmes, this offer demonstrates why students should not assume that a university-wide Fazaa discount necessarily covers every course.
HBMSU: 20% first-semester reduction
Hamad Bin Mohammed Smart University, commonly known as HBMSU, lists a Fazaa and ESAAD cardholder benefit of 20 per cent tuition remission for the first semester.
The university’s current scholarship and discount information says that learners holding an ESAAD or FAZAA card, as well as eligible family members, may receive the 20 per cent remission. However, the benefit is specifically described as applying to the first semester of study rather than the entire programme.
That difference could have a major impact when comparing the overall cost of a degree. A 20 per cent first-semester reduction may look similar to a 20 per cent recurring tuition discount at first glance, but the total financial benefit can be dramatically different.
Al Dar University College: 25% bachelor’s scholarship
Al Dar University College is also listed by Fazaa.
The current offer includes a 25 per cent scholarship on tuition fees for all bachelor’s degree programmes, while the institution also advertises discounts of between 25 per cent and 50 per cent on training fees for other programmes.
Fazaa lists the current offer as available until April 16, 2027. As with other participating institutions, members must present a valid Fazaa card, and the offer cannot be combined with other promotions.
Exeed College: 20% on academic programmes
Exeed College offers Fazaa members a 20 per cent discount on Diploma, Bachelor, Master and Doctorate programmes.
The institution also offers Fazaa cardholders a substantially higher 50 per cent discount on training and continuing professional development courses, although this is separate from the academic-programme tuition discount.
The current offer is listed by Fazaa as available until February 1, 2027, and discounts cannot be combined with other offers or promotions.
What students should check before enrolling
While Fazaa discounts can reduce the cost of higher education, students should look beyond the headline percentage before making an enrollment decision.
First, applicants should establish whether the discount applies to new students only. This is a common condition among participating institutions. They should also check whether the benefit continues for every semester or applies only during the first semester.
Students should determine whether the discount covers tuition only or extends to registration, laboratory, technology, examination or other university charges. At some institutions, the reduction is specifically tied to credit-hour fees.
Another important consideration is whether the Fazaa benefit can be combined with a university scholarship. Several current offers explicitly state that discounts cannot be combined with other promotions.
Academic requirements can also matter. Al Ain University’s policy, for example, requires Fazaa beneficiaries to maintain a minimum semester GPA to continue receiving the discount.
For students and families comparing UAE universities, the most valuable offer is therefore not necessarily the one with the biggest headline percentage. The duration of the discount, eligible programmes, academic conditions and restrictions on combining benefits can all materially affect the final cost of a degree.
