Eligibility Requirements

Federally-Funded Students

UAE Nationals and children of UAE Nationals are eligible for admission to HCT, provided that they meet all of the following three criteria:

• Possess a valid Emirates ID, UAE National ID card, and a valid UAE passport (or other passport if mother is a UAE passport holder) if enrolled in a federally funded credential program.
• Have reached 17 years of age before the start date in the academic year of admission.
• All male students should have completed the National Service or exempted from National Service.
• Have passed the General School Certificate (GSC), or hold equivalent qualifications, and the Emirates Standardized Test (EmSAT) or equivalent.

The Admission Priority Categories for funding students at the federal universities is as follows:

Admission Priority One

1. Current female high school graduates who have earned the required averages that make them eligible for admission to Federal Higher Education Institutions.
2. Male high school graduates who have completed the national service requirements and have earned the required averages that make them eligible for admission to Federal Higher Education Institutions.
3. Current male high school graduates exempted from National Service.
4. Current students in Federal Universities and Colleges (including internal transfer and returning students within one year).

Admission Priority Two

1. Male and female high school graduates who are non-current students for a period not exceeding three years from the date of their high school graduation.
2. Male and female students who ceased their post-secondary studies for a period not exceeding three years.

Admission Priority Three

1. Male and female high school graduates who are non-current students for more than three years from the date of their high school graduation.
2. Male and female students who ceased their post-secondary studies for more than three years.

Self-sponsoring Students

Certain categories of student who are not eligible for admission to HCT, but meet the academic criteria, may qualify for HCT admission, provided they pay their own tuition fees as specified below:

Criteria for students paying their own tuition fees

• Non-Emirati high school students with an average of 85% and an IELTS score of 5.5 / EmSAT-English score of 1250 or equivalent.
• Children of full-time academics working at HCT in accordance with similar admission criteria for expatriate students.
• UAE Nationals who have already received an academic credential and are interested in pursuing their studies to earn another credential from HCT.

Tuition Fees for Expatriate Students (Self-Sponsored Students)

• Admission Application Fee, Cash AED 250 non-refundable.
• Registration fees for courses:    

Tuition Fees

Tuition Fees

Academic Department	Fee for full-time student per semester (12-18 credit hours)	Fee per credit hour (for hours less than 12 or more than 18)
Engineering Technology and Science, Health Sciences, Computer Information Science, Applied Media	AED 36,750	AED 2,500 per credit
Education, Business	AED 30,000	AED 2,100 per credit

Entry Requirements

Admission and placement in all HCT credential programs is subject to the following criteria:

GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants who meet the following requirements are eligible to apply for admission to the Higher Colleges of Technology according to the admission policy and regulations for the relevant programs:

• They have passed the government General School Certificate (GSC) or its equivalent with a minimum average of 60%.
• They have completed the Emirates Standardized Test – EmSAT in English or equivalent.

In accordance with the following mechanisms and criteria:

FIRST: ACCELERATED TRACK: “APPLIED BACHELOR” PROGRAMS (ALLOWS STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE THEIR PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FASTER)

A. MoE Graduates of the Elite Stream or equivalent.

B. MoE Graduates of the Advanced Stream or equivalent, fulfilling the following criteria:

1. Minimum GSC overall average of 90%
2. Minimum EmSAT-English score of 1250 or equivalent.

SECOND: APPLIED ACADEMIC TRACK: “APPLIED DIPLOMA/ HIGHER DIPLOMA/  BACHELOR” PROGRAMS

A. MoE Graduates of the Advanced Stream or equivalent, fulfilling the following criteria:

1. 60% for non-Engineering Technology programs.
2. Minimum GSC overall average of 70% for Engineering Technology programs.
3. Minimum EmSAT-English score of 650 or equivalent for other programs.

B. MoE Graduates of the General Stream or equivalent, fulfilling the following criteria:

1. Minimum GSC overall average of 70% for non-Engineering Technology programs.
2. For Engineering Technology programs:
   1. Minimum GSC overall average of 80%.
   2. Minimum EmSAT-Math score of 800.
   3. Minimum EmSAT-Physics score of 750 OR minimum EmSAT-Chemistry score of 600.
   4. Minimum EmSAT- English score of 650 or equivalent.

C. MoE Graduates of the General and Advanced Streams or equivalent with EmSAT-English score < 650 and GSC overall average >= 85%.

D. Admission Criteria for Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood):

     a.  Minimum GSC overall average of 70% for Advanced Stream and 75% for General Stream or equivalent.

     b. Minimum EmSAT-Arabic score of 800 .

     c. Minimum EmSAT-English score of 1100 or equivalent.

     d. Passing admission interview.

THIRD: PROFESSIONAL CAREER TRACK “ ENJAZ / DIPLOMA”

Available for MoE Graduates of the Advanced and General Streams, or equivalent at HCT, except campuses in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Important Note:

1. Private High School Graduates are treated as per MoE issued equivalencies.

Enrollment after an Interruption

Students who wish to enroll after an interruption or graduation are classified by their campuses under one of the Categories below.

Deferral (returning student, Admission Priority Category 1)

Applicable for:

• Students who withdraw from, or fail a course or set of courses in a given semester and must wait to repeat the course or set of courses in a subsequent term.

Note: The deferral can span up to two consecutive semesters, after which a re-enrollment hold is applied. Deferred students who re-enroll before the expiration of the deferral period are not required to apply for re-enrollment. The maximum deferral period is from the semester in which the failure or withdrawal occurred until the add/drop period of the second subsequent semester.

Readmission (former student, Admission Priority Category 2 OR 3)

Applicable for:

• Students who deferred enrollment but who did not enrol before the expiration of the deferral period. Students withdrawn without deferral in a given semester who did not return to “enrolled” status in the following semester.
• Students who were awarded HCT credential and seek another at a higher level and did not return in the following semester.

Reinstatement (returning student, Admission Priority Category 1 or former student, Admission Priority Category 2 OR 3)

Applicable for:

• Students who previously were required by their college to withdraw without deferral from their program for academic or other reasons and have applied to resume their studies.