As an academic and entrepreneurial powerhouse, Dubai is known to house some of the best universities in the world. Living in Dubai Academic City is a haven for international and local students coming here for higher education.
With a top-tier education system, the Academic City also seamlessly blends student’s social activities with a familiar community atmosphere. It offers a wide array of advantages, such as proximity to nearby cafes, markets، and study centres. It also has its own challenges, including limited residential options and congested traffic during peak hours.
In this guide, discover the pros and cons of living in Academic City!
Pros
Getting an education in the UAE is no easy feat, as it requires strenuous effort from the parents and students. This is why Dubai Academic City offers a haven for such students. It gives them the perfect campus life experience while studying hard to achieve their future career goals. So, here’s a breakdown of the advantages of living in Academic City.
1. Best Area For Higher Education
Known as the MENA’s educational hub, the Dubai Academic City aims to transform the region’s educational and academic landscape. It houses the most prominent student accommodation in Dubai and Dubai’s internationally accredited local and international universities.
The Dubai Academic City aims to promote Dubai’s position as the global epicentre for higher education. With universities sponsored by the UK, India, and Australia, DIAC is the area with the best universities in the UAE.
2. Allows Students to Socialise
With such a bustling academic life, living in Dubai Academic City seems like the dream. Markets, coffee shops, and cafes allow students to take a break from their hectic study lives. With dedicated study centres, parks، and nearby gyms, students can maintain their physical and mental health.
With 28 universities in Dubai located within Academic City, there is a chance of students from alternating universities bumping into each other. This gives them a chance to interact, socialise and mingle with like-minded people, crucial for surviving the otherwise exhausting academic life.
3. Year-Round Career Fairs
The Academic City is well-known for its year-round career fairs, competitions and workshops. The career fairs give students much-needed exposure to international academic masterminds.
For instance, recent graduates and alumni holding PHD degrees can help students learn from their peers.
4. Connects to Four Major Roads
Another major advantage of residing in Dubai International Academic City is its strategic link to major highways in the UAE. For instance, Manama Street, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan al Nahyan Street, Dubai – Al Ain Road and Emirates Road.
These roads allow students to travel to Dubai’s landmark locations and important centres, hospitals, gyms، and much more. For reference, these roads link to:
- Emirates Road: Directly links Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, and Dubai’s residential and industrial areas, such as the Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Industrial City.
- Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan al Nahyan Street: Links to the major Shiekh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Dubai South, Dubai Hills Estate, and more.
- Dubai – Al Ain Road: Links to Dubai’s major commercial and residential locations, Dubai Silicon Oasis and the Al Maktoum International Airport.
- Manama Street: Links to several Dubai areas, including Dubai Creek, Al Rigga, Al Muraqqabat, and more.
5. Major Universities in Academic City
Home to 28 universities, the Academic City boasts top universities in the UAE, providing top-of-the-line educational facilities. Highly educated professors and teachers aim to better the student’s educational career. The most popular universities located at Dubai International Academic City include:
- Abu Dhabi University
- American University in the Emirates
- Contact Information: +971 4 429 1200
- Amity University
- Contact Information: +971 4 455 4900
- BTS Pilani
- Contact Information: +971 4 420 0700
- De Montfort University
- Contact Information: +971 4 435 8700
- ESMOD French Fashion Institute
- Contact Information: +971 4 429 1228
- Hult International Business School
- Contact Information: +971 4 375 3094
- Institute of Management Technology
- Contact Information: +971 4 422 7244
- Islamic Azad University
- Contact Information: +971 4 366 4696
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education
- Contact Information: +971 4 429 0777
- Middlesex University
- Contact Information: +971 4 367 8100
6. Markets
The student life features a mix and match of lifestyle and social and academic balance. Amidst this, students and Academic City residents require daily grocery runs to stock up on essentials. There are several markets located in and around the Academic City, including:
- Circle K
- Location: Building Number 1, Academic City, Dubai, UAE
- Contact Information: +971 4 375 6709
- Zoom
- Location: Sheikh Zayed Road E11, Dubai, UAE
- Contact Information: +971 4 327 5363
- All Day Minimart
- Location: Academic City, Dubai, UAE
- Contact Information: +971 52 798 5940
- Greens Supermarket
- Location: Academic City, Dubai, UAE
- Contact Information: +971 4 552 0282
7. Dining Options
Need to grab a late-night snack to eat as a student pulling an all-nighter? Luckily, Academic City has several eateries and smaller cafes located nearby. It allows students to fuel up and get back on their academic grind. With cuisine from Dubai’s best breakfast options, lunch and dinner places, some popular cafes include:
- Tim Hortons: 4 minutes away
- Skyler’s Gourmet Bistro: 7 minutes away via Emirates Road
- Caribou Coffee: 8 minutes away via KHDA Roundabout
- The Farm: 10 minutes away via Emirates Road
Cons
Living in Dubai Academic City sounds like a dream for enthusiastic students seeking higher education. However, it has its own set of disadvantages that you must consider before moving to the area.
1. Limited Residential Spaces
The Academic City has residential areas, including dorms and hostels reserved for university and higher-education students. This leaves fewer residential areas dedicated to Dubai locals, making it difficult to settle here permanently.
2. Congested Traffic
As the DIAC is focused on housing top-class universities from all over the world, thousands of students travel every day. This contributes to the incoming and outgoing traffic getting highly congested, especially during peak rush hours.
FAQs
Dubai tourists or residents seeking to visit the Oud Metha from Dubai Academic City or vice versa can follow the fastest route. It connects via a major road, the Al Ain – Dubai Road (E66).
– Oud Metha: 21 minutes away via Al Ain – Dubai Road
Want to travel to Silicon Oasis to meet your closest loved ones while residing in Academic City? Dubai has various connecting roads that allow students to meet their friends and family.
– Academic City: 8 minutes away via Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan al Nahyan Street and D54
Parents residing in Sharjah who have sent their child to achieve higher education in Dubai Academic City can follow various routes. For instance, through the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, the fastest route includes:
– Dubai Academic City: 35 minutes away via Al Dhaid Road and Emirates Road
You can contact the Dubai International Academic City by reaching out to their head office during active business hours.
– Head Office Location: Dubai International Academic City Head Office, Block 10, Ground Floor, DIAC, Dubai, UAE
– Timings: 07:30 am to 04:30 pm (Monday – Friday)
– Contact Information: +971 4 360 2060
Living in any area in Dubai requires proper research and planning before permanently residing there. The same can be said for the Dubai International Academic City. Before moving there, consider researching the nearby markets, study centres, cafes، and residential options, including rent prices!
To know more about the area, take the help of Property Finder blogs!
