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Latest data from GEMS Education highlight how one of the UAE’s largest graduating cohorts and their families are making university decisions, with new insights suggesting that students are becoming more strategic, value-conscious and career-focused in their approach to higher education.
GEMS Education students have secured more than 12,000 university admission offers for the 2026/27 academic year after submitting more than 14,000 applications across 1,470 universities around the world.
The offers include more than 1,000 from Ivy League, Oxbridge and Russell Group institutions, over 600 from universities ranked among the world’s top 50, and 203 from top 30 universities globally.
Of this year’s 6,612 graduates, 95% applied to university, with the remaining students primarily taking gap years, including Emirati students undertaking national service.
Over the past five years, GEMS students have collectively secured scholarships worth more than USD 400 million. This year, the number is expected to reach around USD 150 million.
Beyond these outcomes, the data also reveals a broader shift in how students and families are approaching higher education. Students are increasingly applying to a greater number of universities and weighing factors such as scholarships, employment prospects, industry exposure, wellbeing, safety and overall value before making final decisions.
The findings suggest that traditional university rankings, while still important, are no longer the sole determinant of choice.
Dino Varkey, Group CEO at GEMS Education, said: “These outcomes for our students are, first and foremost, a celebration of their ambition, resilience and the countless hours of hard work they have invested in reaching this milestone.
What is equally fascinating is what this year’s data tells us about the changing nature of higher education itself. Today’s students are approaching university decisions differently from previous generations. They are looking beyond prestige and rankings alone and thinking more deeply about employability, affordability, wellbeing, industry exposure and long-term value.
At GEMS, we are committed to equipping our students with the knowledge and skills that open doors to the best universities around the world. We are proud of the continued high success rate, which testifies to the calibre and global competitiveness of our graduates as well as the outstanding outcomes being achieved across our network. The choices our students are making today reflect a generation that is thoughtful, globally minded and deeply intentional about shaping their futures, and that gives us tremendous confidence in the leaders, innovators and changemakers they will become.”
The year’s data also points to changing patterns in where students choose to study. The proportion of GEMS graduates enrolling in UAE-based universities has increased significantly over recent years, rising from 18% in 2022 to 35% in 2025.
The trend reflects growing confidence in the quality and reputation of universities within the UAE, as well as the appeal of remaining close to family while benefiting from internationally recognised qualifications and strong employment opportunities.
Meanwhile, demand for universities in Europe has increased substantially and the UK continues to see steady growth. Canada has experienced a more noticeable decline in popularity, while applications to the United States have seen a slight dip.
The changing preferences are also evident in the subjects students are choosing to study. Business and Management remains the most popular degree programme among GEMS graduates for the fifth consecutive year, followed by Computing and Artificial Intelligence and Engineering. Growing interest is also being seen in Medicine, Psychology and Health Sciences, highlighting the increasing importance students are placing on future-focused and socially impactful careers.
Meanwhile, the university admission process is becoming more holistic, assessing applicants beyond academic performance with a greater emphasis on work experience, leadership initiatives, entrepreneurial thinking, additional skills and certifications, and super-curricular and extracurricular engagement.
The scale of the data also reflects the breadth of support available to students throughout their university journeys.
Over the past year, more than 13,000 students have been supported through the GEMS For Life programme, which includes 1,130 university visits, 67 university and careers fairs, 132 seminars and masterclasses, 876 work placement opportunities and 93 alumni engagement initiatives to support lifelong pathways.
GEMS For Life currently partners with 109 universities globally, providing scholarships, guidance initiatives and exclusive opportunities for students, with one in every four GEMS graduates ultimately enrolling in a partner university.
The outcomes have been achieved across a diverse, non-selective student community and offer a unique window into the changing aspirations and priorities of young people in the UAE as they prepare for higher education and the world of work.