Top Tips for Applying to top UK universities from the UAE

Steve Spriggs

May 21st 2025

Every year William Clarence Education works with students from the UAE guiding and advising them on the Oxbridge applications (Oxford & Cambridge) and other top UK universities.

If you’re applying to top UK universities from the UAE, it’s essential to understand the difference in curriculum and admissions expectations and to start preparing early.

Our education consultants and UCAS advisors have years of experience working with students and are up to date on new courses in the UK.

Advice to Students Applying to Top UK Universities from the UAE

Here are our top five tips for students applying to top UK universities from the UAE:

1. Mentoring

Mentoring is a key part of our work with a student, helping them to understand the UK and what to expect at different universities and their cities and settings. We regularly begin working in a mentoring role well before the application process starts, helping students understand the UK university system and what to expect from different institutions and locations.

Many students in the UAE have not taken A- level exams and a mentor works with a student to advise on how to increase the depth of knowledge around a subject/subjects well in advance of the all important personal statement. Background reading and activities that will strengthen an application are all important.

Your mentor will also advise around entry requirements, whether a student has the right subjects particularly if you are coming from a non UK system.

2. Visit universities if you can

Once a student has decided on a course and has a longlist of possible universities, a consultant will give advice on the list considering a student’s academic progress and predicted grades. If possible, a student should visit universities on Open Days the summer before application. Visits, particularly to Cambridge and Oxford, are an important way to see Colleges and cities and talk to admissions staff.

3. Early practice and tuition if necessary for admissions tests

Most subjects at Cambridge and Oxford, Medicine and Law, and an increasing number of STEM subjects at top universities are now asking for an admissions test. As these courses become ever more competitive, our consultants work with students on early test practice and preparation.

4. As much background work as possible for the strongest personal statement

For 2026 entry, the personal statement a student submits to all five of their university choices is changing. In only 4,000 characters a student has to explain why they are applying for the course, how their qualifications and studies have helped them prepare and what else they have done outside education and why these experiences have helped. A consultant helps a student bring together earlier mentoring work to draft the strongest personal statement.

5. Interview practice and preparation

Cambridge, Oxford, Medicine and some STEM courses offer interviews for those students who have done well enough in the admissions test and with their personal statement. Preparation and practice is key and a consultant will prepare a student for an interview as well as bringing in an outside expert for practice interviews.

Case Study: Successful Natural Sciences Applicant from Dubai

A recent successful Natural Sciences applicant from Dubai did the following over two years:

‘Over a period of at least 12 months, the student built up a superb and in depth bank of reading that not only widened his knowledge base but also generated new avenues of interest in the sciences for us to explore in our meetings. Together we discussed the new format admissions test for applications to particular universities, and separate tutoring was put in place in order to ensure he was properly prepared for this crucial exam.

We discussed at length the final five university choices that would be chosen, factoring in location and predicted grades as well as considering at least one suitable insurance choice. The consultant put together an initial long list of at least a dozen universities and together, they talked about similarities and differences in modules alongside likely academic entry requirements to arrive at a final list of five universities’.

Need Guidance for Applying to Top UK Universities from the UAE?

If you’re applying to top Universities from the UAE, your eduction consultant is a sounding board and UCASadvisor who offers up to date knowledge and information about a subject and the courses on offer.  For students from the UAE who may not be familiar with the UK, they provide wide ranging advice to achieve the best possible outcome.