Abu Dhabi/Dubai, UAE: Zayed University (ZU) will welcome 2,860 students for the 2025/2026 academic year, making it the university’s highest ever intake. This rise in enrolment reflects ZU’s strengthening reputation for academic excellence and its expanding role in preparing the next generation of leaders, innovators, and creators for the UAE and beyond.

The new class reflects strong interest across ZU’s colleges, with particularly high enrolment in Business, Technological Innovation, and Communication & Media Sciences. Creative disciplines and health-focused programmes also continue to attract diverse talent, highlighting ZU’s broad academic appeal.

Professor Michael Allen, Acting Vice President of Zayed University, said:"The scale of this year’s intake is a testament to the trust students and families place in the ZU experience. This growth not only brings fresh vibrancy to our campuses, it also reflects the relevance of our programs. Every student who joins ZU is part of a bigger story, one of national ambition, personal growth, and shared achievement "

This year’s larger cohort will benefit from ZU’s enhanced First Year Experience (FYE), part of a transformation in the student journey from the first day. The programme is designed to be inclusive, inspiring, and unique, with a commitment to nurturing confident, capable, and compassionate individuals ready to thrive in a complex world.

The FYE is a structured, two-semester journey that builds the foundation for personal growth, academic success, and resilience. It develops core competencies such as personal growth, career readiness, leadership, adaptability, digital agility, and global awareness. Through tailored advising, mentorship, interactive projects, workshops, and immersive campus life, students gain practical, transferable skills that prepare them for success at ZU and in their future careers.

A dedicated team of First Year Ambassadors; trained senior students, play a central role, providing peer guidance from the “Ya Hala” orientation week through to the end of the year, connecting new students with resources, student organisations, and opportunities for active citizenship and cultural expression.

ZU’s year-on-year growth reinforces its role in supporting the UAE Centennial 2071 vision and Projects of the 50, producing graduates with the skills, creativity, and resilience to thrive in a competitive global environment.

About Zayed University

Zayed University, the UAE’s flagship higher education institution, was established in 1998 and proudly bears the name of the Founder of the Nation – the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. In the spirit of Sheikh Zayed, the University is a pioneer and innovator in the field of education and research. The University currently caters to many Emirati and international students across its full range of undergraduate and postgraduate offerings.

Led by Her Excellency Shamma Bint Sohail Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development, Zayed University Board of Trustees Chairperson, the University proudly serves the needs of the Nation and contributes to the UAE’s economic, social, and cultural progress, in its state-of-the-art campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 

 Through research, scholarship, creative activities and outreach, Zayed University provides educational leadership, expands opportunity, and enriches the knowledge of local, regional, and global communities.

The University is proud of its role in encouraging academic excellence, promoting leadership skills and advancing knowledge. The University also strives to encourage the potential and inspire the promise of all its students, whilst also accelerating change in the UAE and contributing towards the Nation’s ambitious plan for the next 50 years.