Study in Oman

Higher education in Oman includes the public Sultan Qaboos University, the public University of Technology and Applied Sciences with its branches, and a range of private universities and colleges supervised by the Ministry of Education and accredited by the Oman Authority for Quality Assurance of Education. Most follow the American credit-hour system or the British module system: • Foundation programme: usually one year of English, mathematics and IT for students who do not meet direct-entry levels. • Bachelor's: usually 4 years (about 120 credit hours or 480 credits); engineering 4–5 years and medicine about 7. • Master's: 1.5–2 years; PhD: 3–4 years at Sultan Qaboos University and a few private universities. English is the language of instruction in engineering, science, business and medicine; Arabic is used for Islamic law, law and arts at some universities. The academic year starts between late August and September, with fall and spring semesters and an optional summer term; some private universities also admit a second intake in spring.

1) The Higher Education Admission Center (HEAC) is the admission gateway for Omanis, and for GCC students who completed Grade 12 at a school in Oman (for their Sultan Qaboos University scholarships). International students coming from abroad apply directly to the university through its online portal, usually with an application fee (for example OMR 100 at GUtech and Al Buraimi University College). 2) Sultan Qaboos University: its Afaq programme admits up to 300 fee-paying international and Omani students to 62 bachelor's programmes (excluding the College of Medicine and Health Sciences); applications for 2026–27 ran from 19 July to 19 August 2026. Postgraduate applicants apply through the Deanship of Postgraduate Studies. 3) Recognition: universities require a 12-year secondary certificate with an equivalency letter from Oman's Ministry of Education, after attestation by your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Omani embassy. English-taught programmes usually ask for IELTS 5.0–6.0 for direct entry; otherwise you start with the foundation programme. 4) Deadlines: most private universities admit for the fall semester until late August or 1 September, and some have a spring intake (for example 1 February at GUtech). Apply early to leave time for the equivalency and the visa.

Tuition: there is no national fee scale; fees vary by university and programme, and many universities charge international students more than Omanis. Current official examples: • Dhofar University: OMR 70 per credit hour for bachelor's (about OMR 8,400 for a 120-credit programme) and OMR 110–150 per credit hour for master's. • Middle East College: OMR 2,586–5,100 a year for bachelor's and OMR 3,355–4,318 a year for master's. • Muscat University: OMR 4,400–4,900 a year for international students in the degree years; master's OMR 6,800–12,000. • GUtech: OMR 3,375–3,900 per semester for international students; foundation year OMR 4,000. Other fees: the student visa costs about OMR 50 every two years, and health insurance is compulsory (for example OMR 155 a year at GUtech). Living costs: female student housing at Al Buraimi University College costs OMR 170–380 per semester, and the Omani government scholarship pays a monthly allowance of OMR 200 (OMR 140 with housing), a guide to the minimum outside Muscat. We estimate USD 500–1,000 a month depending on the city and housing, with Muscat the most expensive.

GCC citizens need no study visa. Everyone else needs a student visa issued by the Directorate General of Passports and Residence of the Royal Oman Police, with the university handling the procedure: 1) Complete admission and registration and pay the required fees: the visa is granted to regular students in an academic programme. 2) Documents for applicants outside Oman: a copy of a passport valid for at least 12 months, a recent photo, an enrolment letter from the institution and the visa fee; a medical certificate may be required for some nationalities. 3) The university submits the application, which takes about 10 days once complete; a copy of the visa is e-mailed to you to show at the arrival airport. 4) After arrival, the university prepares the residence card file and you collect the card in person from the Royal Oman Police. The visa and card are usually issued for two years and renewed through the university; you need the card to open a bank account. 5) If you already live in Oman on a family visa, you need a sponsorship transfer with an extra fee and a no-objection letter from your current sponsor. Health insurance is compulsory for international students, and universities usually arrange discounted cover.

A student residence in Oman does not give a general right to work. Ministry of Labour Decision 13/2025, which regulates part-time work for students (up to 25 hours a week at a wage usually of at least OMR 3 an hour), restricts it to Omani nationals, so do not count on a job to cover your costs. The practical exception is work inside the university as part of a scholarship: for example, Sultan Qaboos University postgraduate scholarship holders do up to 10 hours a week of academic or administrative work. Universities can also arrange the internships required by your study plan. After graduation: there is no dedicated job-search visa for graduates; you must leave or switch to an employer-sponsored work visa before your student residence expires. Hiring is subject to Omanisation rules, which reserve some occupations for Omani citizens.