By Jasmine Kurb
Applying to universities in the UAE is an exciting milestone. This has become a global hub for education, particularly for international pupils. However, with so many pupils applying to these institutes, getting admission is not a walk in the park. That’s where an admission essay comes in.
Think of it as a way to stand out from the other candidates and make a good impression. Whether you’re a local high school graduate or an international student studying in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, your admission essay is a crucial part of your application.
Moreover, UAE institutes are becoming more competitive and recognised. Hence, writing a statement that grabs attention immediately and leaves readers wanting more is essential.
But how?
If that’s what you are wondering, too, then you are at the right place. In this blog, we will walk you through the details of how to write a winning essay. We will show you how to write one that not only covers all the essential points but also sets you apart.
Come on! Let’s get into it.
Why A Strong Admission Essay Matters
Before we dive into the heavy stuff about writing an admission essay, let’s understand why having a strong personal statement matters.
Think of the essay as your voice that differentiates you from others. While grades, test scores and recommendation letters show your academic achievements, the essays are the insights into who you are.
Here are the top reasons why having a strong essay is essential:
- It helps you show why you are a great fit with our goals, passion and objectives within the industry.
- Moreover, it allows you to convey your personal voice style.
- Having a solid essay can increase your chances 10X of getting admission to your desired university.
However, writing an admission essay is not as straightforward as it may seem. With new trends emerging, institutes have different requirements. Let’s find out.
What’s New in 2025?
- Authenticity is crucial, as institutes are increasingly using AI and plagiarism detection tools to check your essays.
- The government recently announced the UAE Vision 2025, which puts emphasis on innovation, sustainability and national development. Hence, institutes are now valuing applicants who show alignment with these values.
- Moreover, many UAE institutes now require program-specific essays, especially for fields like medicine and engineering.
Hence, when writing the admission essay, you need to take care of this so that you can grab the reader’s attention perfectly.
What UAE Universities Look for in Admission Essays?
Before you work on the university admission essay, you need to know what UAE universities expect from you.
The admission committee usually wants to see what makes you the best fit, why you are applying to the field, what your goals are, and how you can make a big difference. Popular universities in the UAE, like the United Arab Emirates University, Sharjah University, American University in Dubai, etc, seek candidates who are:
- Academically capable.
- Aligned with focused values.
- Motivated and confident.
- Innovative and socially responsible
- Open-minded and can handle the challenges.
Additionally, admission committees look for unique essays that reflect one’s voice and show growth potential. Also:
- The essay must share a glimpse of the candidate’s values, experiences, strengths and personality, which makes them stand out.
- An essay should show the student’s ability to share the experiences and learn from them.
- The essay must reflect on how a candidate aims to use their degree in the future.
By adhering to their expectations, you can create an admission essay that not only meets the guidelines but also impresses the admission committee at a glance.
Tips for Writing a University Admission Essay UAE 2025
Writing an admission essay for the UAE university but have no clue what to do?
No worries! Below are some incredible tips that you should consider following:
- Start early
- Research the University
- Understand the Prompt
- Use a clear and concise writing style.
- Do not just tell, instead show
- Show your achievements
- Stay focused
- Revise and edit the essay
- Come on! Let’s dive into these tips in detail.
Start early
Are you someone who likes to put off work until the last minute?
While you can pull it off sometimes, in other cases, like writing an admission essay, it is not easy.
Therefore, instead of procrastinating till the end, start as soon as possible. Your application date might have a deadline.
So, start working on the essay one or two weeks before that. Furthermore, break your task into different chunks and allocate mini-deadlines for each.
This way, you can complete the essay before the submission and might even have time for revisions.
Research the University
If you are writing your admission essay without researching the institute, stop right there, as you are making the biggest blunder.
You want to showcase to the admission committee that you’re interested and passionate about their field.
So, take your time and research the institute you’re applying to. Look for the goals and values. Furthermore, discover how your passion aligns with them. For example, the University of Sharjah aims to be one of the best research, learning and teaching platforms that values Islamic studies.
By doing so, you can craft essays which meet the UAE university requirements perfectly.
Understand the Prompt
Before you start working on the admission essay, take your time and read the requirements with a clear mind.
Make sure you know what the admission committee expects from your essay. Furthermore, check the word count and deadline.
Here are some general prompts that you might have to work with:
- Tell me why you are the best fit.
- What is the challenge you’ve overcome?
- What are your passions and long-term goals?
Use a clear and concise writing style.
Want to make a good impression? Clarity is the key.
Let’s be real! No one wants to read an essay that is filled with jargon, complex, and not understandable.
Therefore, you must be very careful. Ensure that you convey your thoughts in a clear, concise, and relevant manner. Furthermore, ensure that there is a logical flow between the paragraphs. Additionally, your sentences must be able to form coherent connections.
Do not just tell, instead show.
Writing the admission essay is more than just getting words on paper. Instead, you need to tell the admission committee that you mean it with proper examples.
Hence, when writing, ensure that you back your work with real-world scenarios and avoid being generic. Moreover, if you want to learn more about how to show your strengths in the right manner, keep reading as we cover this section in detail.
Stay focused
An admission essay has a specific word limit that you need to stick to. Additionally, admission committees often lack the time to review lengthy essays thoroughly. They’ll quickly review the essay and see why you are the best fit.
Hence, it is better to stay focused. do not exaggerate anything. Instead, stick to the point and only answer the prompt that has been given.
Revise and edit the essay.
No matter how amazing a writer you are, you are bound to make mistakes in the first draft. Therefore, after you are done writing the admission essay, set it aside for a few hours and then come back for editing. We’ll learn more about this later in the blog.
Review the essay and look for grammatical, structural and punctuation errors. Furthermore, you can seek guidance from professional Admission Essay Writing Services. They have experts in their team who can help you improve your essays by offering suggestions.
Additionally, consider reaching out to friends and peers to solicit their opinions.
Common Mistakes in UAE University Admission Essays
When it comes to writing essays, there are common mistakes that you need to stay away from or else they might make your hard work go down the drain.
They include:
- Poor Writing and Grammar: Typos, spelling errors and grammatical mistakes can weaken the impact of your essays. Furthermore, using overly complex language can detract from the essay’s authenticity.
- Not Proofreading: Failing to proofread the essays before submitting them can negatively impact the overall value.
- Neglecting the Guidelines: Universities have different guidelines for admission essays. Not adhering to them shows that you are not keen enough to secure the seat.
- Generic Content: Writing a general essay that works with every institute is also a common mistake. Admission essays require personalisation according to your industry, values, goals and passion. Hence, focus on them.
How to Showcase Your Strengths in UAE University Essays
In essays, telling your strengths is not enough. Instead, you need to show your achievements and strengths.
But how?
Well, the admission committee wants to know what makes you stand out from others. Hence, for this, you need to use the STAR METHOD.
Now, what sort of sorcery is this?
It is:
- S = Situation( where you set the context.)
- T = Task (involves explaining what your responsibility or role was. )
- A = Action ( to tell what you did. )
- R = Result ( Sharing the outcomes of your action)
Additionally, identify your key strengths. Also, think about their academic experiences, curricular activities and other experiences that shaped you into the person you are today.
For example:
As the head of my school’s science club, I organised a robotics and AR competition, which attracted 12 teams, teaching me the importance of project management and teamwork under pressure.
Pro Tip: Focus on your achievements, leadership qualities that you overcame and passion for the field, as it can help you craft impressive essays.
Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Personal Statement for UAE Universities
Writing a personal statement that aligns with UAE values can be a challenging task. For those who are working on them for the first time, here is a complete roadmap that you need to follow.
- Brainstorm.
- Choose your angle
- Create a solid structure.
- Write your first draft freely.
- Revise for clarity
- Edit grammar
- Ask for Feedback from the Peers
- Seek Guidance
Brainstorm.
Never start working on your essay without any proper planning. Instead, sit down and brainstorm what you will write. Additionally, a mind map:
- How will you start the essay
- Experiences you want to include
- How do you want to end the essay
- Examples you want to use
Furthermore, jot down the key pointers so you won’t have to worry about missing the crucial points.
Choose your angle
The next thing you need to do is choose a clear angle, whether you want to talk about leadership qualities, resilience and curiosity.
Make sure that whatever you choose is consistent throughout the essay.
Create a solid structure.
Imagine submitting the essay without proper formatting. Do you think it will impress the readers?
Nope!
Hence, you must create a solid structure. Here’s how it should look:
- Introduction: Start with a solid introduction where you state the main topic, why you are applying to the program and how it makes a big difference.
- Main Body: Here, you will back your work with relevant examples, experiences and achievements. Do not forget to maintain clarity.
- Conclusion: Lastly, summarise the essay.
Write your first draft freely.
Now that you have created the outline, it’s time to work on the first draft. Start by stating the solid thesis statement. Ensure that it captures your readers’ attention immediately. Moreover, focus on getting words on paper, as you can refine the quality later on.
Also, make sure to cover everything.
Revise for clarity
Clarity is essential when it comes to writing a winning admission essay. Therefore, when you have completed the draft, take a brief break and then return to ensure clarity. Maintain consistency and make sure that your thoughts flow logically. The sentences and paragraphs must be able to connect with this perfectly.
Edit Grammar
When working with the flow, you are bound to miss the grammatical mistakes. Well, it can ruin your hard work.
Therefore, look for the grammatical, punctuation and syntax errors. Correct them as you go. Also, ensure that you have used the correct form of the verb.
Ask for Feedback from the Peers
If you are having second thoughts on your admission essay, consider asking your friends and family for recommendations. Moreover, consider their suggestions and incorporate them into your work. This will help you ensure that the essay is relevant and engaging.
Seek Guidance
Working on the admission essay, that too for the first time, can be challenging. So, if you are having trouble, consider seeking guidance from professional admission essay writing services. They have a team of experienced writers who can help you craft well-written, unique and error-free essays that will help you stand out.
Tailoring Your Admission Essay for Different UAE Universities
Whether you are applying to the University of Dubai or the University of Sharjah, each institution has its own specific requirements.
Hence, when working on the essay, you need to tailor it to the specific requirements of different UAE universities. Here is how you should do it:
- Read their guidelines and see what’s expected of you.
- Additionally, look for their values, passion and long-term goals. Ensure that your objectives align with the institute you are applying to.
- Look up how student life is there. Moreover, see what extracurricular activities they offer.
Moreover, since each institute has its own culture, here’s how you can tailor the essay for different universities.
| institutes | Unique Features |
| NYU Abu Dhabi |
|
| Khalifa University |
|
| American University of Sharjah |
|
| UAEU |
|
| Zayed University |
|
Additionally, when writing the essay, ensure that you focus on the institute’s cultural goals and values.
Examples of Successful UAE University Admission Essays
Are you seeking successful essays from the UAE?
No worries!
Here, we have two of the best examples.
Example 1:
After volunteering in a mobile clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic, I realised my passion for public health. That’s when I decided I wanted to study medicine at Khalifa University to serve underserved communities.
Example 2:
Growing up and moving to three countries, I developed cultural sensitivity and adaptability. At Zayed University, I plan to continue this global journey and explore international relations.
The key to the success of these essays is that they are concise, personal, authentic, and clear in their goals. Additionally, review the various essay samples to gain insight into crafting the best ones.
Writing Admission Essays for Engineering, Business, and Medical Programs in the UAE
The UAE universities are known for their engineering, business and medical programs. According to the Bachelor’s Portal, over 216,000 pupils applied for engineering programs in the UAE. Similarly, for business, there are over 22,890, making them the best destination for the pupils.
Hence, gaining admission to these programs can be a difficult process. For these programs, here’s how you can make them unique.
Engineering
- Talk about problem-solving and curiosity.
- Align your values with AI, robotics, AR, VR, etc.
- Mention any coding experience.
Business
- Emphasise leadership and business values.
- Share any internship experience.
- Reference Dubai’s business hub.
Medical
- Talk about the clinical experiences.
- Focus on empathy, patient care and science interest.
- Show your understanding of the ethics.
The Role of Cultural Identity in UAE University Admission Essays
When it comes to writing admission essays, cultural identity plays a vital role.
But how?
It allows institutes to understand how you align your goals with cultural values. Furthermore, it shows that your cultural values influence your personality. The institutions value pupils who respect diversity and culture. Therefore, you need to include it in the essay. Here’s how you can do it:
- Provide background information and discuss how it has shaped you.
- Moreover, highlight traditions or values which influenced your goals.
- Connect your heritage to your personal growth and worldview.
- Also, avoid stereotypes. Instead, use cultural identity as a lens of reflection.
How to Edit and Proofread Your UAE University Admission Essay
Editing your UAE university admission essay is essential. Nonetheless, if you skip this part, it might render your efforts ineffective.
Now, the question is how to edit and proofread your UAE university admission essay.
Come on! Here’s the complete checklist.
- Clear structure, including an introduction, body and conclusion.
- Furthermore, add personal voice and examples.
- No grammar or spelling mistakes.
- With the word count.
- Moreover, it flows smoothly. For this, read it aloud to check.
- Additionally, avoid repetition or filler words.
- Answer the words perfectly.
If you want, consider hiring professionals for proofreading and editing. This will help you submit engaging essays.
Addressing Challenges and Gaps in Your Admission Essay
Before we end the guide, there are a few things left to uncover, like addressing challenges and gaps.
This helps you refine the quality of the essay. Hence, if you ever see any loopholes in the essays, do not neglect them.
Instead, tackle them. Here’s how.
- Be honest and avoid fabricating lies.
- Moreover, tell how your past experiences shaped your personality.
- Tell them how you have improved and what you did to stay focused.
Storytelling Techniques for UAE University Admission Essays
The main purpose of writing an essay is to grab readers’ attention and ensure that it makes a lasting impact.
That’s why you need to master the art of storytelling. The good thing is you do not have to be a pro at this.
Instead, just master a few techniques, and you are good to go. Do this:
- Add Dialogues. For example, my uncle said, “You’ll never become a doctor”. This boosted my confidence, and that’s why I chose nursing.
- Be descriptive. Let the readers visualise the moment. It must feel like they are living in the moment.
- Reflect. Show what the experiences taught you and what you learnt.
Highlighting Career Goals in Your Admission Essay
Highlighting career goals in your admission essay is essential as it tells the admission committee that you have made a foolproof plan and can go to any lengths to achieve your dreams.
Here’s how you can highlight your career goals:
- Be specific. Instead of being generic like I want to be in tech. Say that I want to become a data scientist.
- Nonetheless, tell how the institute plays a vital role in shaping your values.
- Furthermore, tie your goals to national impact.
UAE University Essay Guidelines and Word Limit
Yup! Adhering to the essay guidelines and word limits is essential. Most institutes want 500 to 600 words. So, stick to it.
But how?
Here’s how you do it:
- Read the guidelines carefully.
- Additionally, make sure to stick to them.
- Moreover, do not exaggerate your points.
- Answer only what’s asked of you.
Writing an Admission Essay Aligned with UAE Vision 2025
Remember we talked about the UAE Vision 2025?
Well, it is:
- Innovation and AI
- Sustainability and Clean Energy.
- Youth empowerment
- Global stability.
So, make sure to write an essay which covers these visions. For example, if you are writing for the learning sector, discuss youth empowerment. Thus, this shows that you are well-prepared.
Wrapping Up!
This brings us to the end of the guide. Your admission essay is your one chance of getting into your dream school. Therefore, make it count.
Furthermore, to write a perfect essay, follow the guidelines, create a first draft, and maintain clarity. Do not forget to convey your passion for the field.
Be bold, honest and specific.
Thus, take your time while writing, avoid common mistakes, tailor it to different institutes, and edit. This guide will help you craft a perfect essay.
Best of luck!
