Universities in Qatar

Higher education in Qatar was introduced in the seventies with the establishment of two colleges of higher education, one each for men and women. In 1983, the Qatar University, the only university in Qatar, was established. Higher education in Qatar comes under the purview of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The ministry regulates all institutions in Qatar, public or private. Private schools and colleges in Qatar receive financial support from the government in various forms including textbooks for students, healthcare and free electricity & water.
 
Institutes of higher education in Qatar have seven faculties, namely that of Education, Humanities & Social Sciences, Science, Engineering, Administration & Economics, Shari’a & Islamic studies and technology. The colleges in Qatar offer undergraduate programs or Bachelor degree courses in all faculties while graduate programs or Master’s degree courses are offered in some of the faculties. Classes are held primarily in Arabic, especially courses in Arts, Education and Social Sciences. Courses in Natural Sciences, Business and engineering programs are taught in English. The colleges in Qatar follow a semester system with the academic year divided into two semesters; Fall and Spring, each approximately four months or 16 weeks long.
 
Bachelor’s degree courses in Qatar

Bachelor’s degree courses in Qatar form the first stage of higher education in Qatar. The institutes in Qatar offer bachelor programs in Humanities & Education, Administration & Economics and Islamic Studies. These programs last four years and upon successful completion of which, a student is entitled to conferment of the Bachelor of Arts degree. Bachelor degree course in Engineering take five years to complete.
 
Admission to the bachelor’s degree courses in Qatar requires candidates to have successfully completed their secondary education and earned the Thanawaya Aam Qatari. Candidates interested in science studies are required to score a minimum of 60% in their secondary examinations, while those interested in literary studies are required to score more than 65% in their secondary examinations. Candidates interested in engineering need to have scored at least 60% in their secondary education or have achieved a minimum average of 75% on their religious secondary certificate examination.
 
Master’s degree course in Qatar

Master’s degree courses in Qatar are offered only in Education. This is the second stage of higher education in Qatar which when successfully completed entitle the student to conferment of Postgraduate Diploma.
 
Higher education in Qatar is strongly encouraged through financial support for the students. The government provides grants and scholarships, not just to students pursuing degrees in domestic colleges in Qatar but also to those pursuing higher education abroad.
 
Besides financial support, the ministry has also set up a Graduate Employment Committee with the primary aim of absorbing the various university graduates into government and other commercial institutions in Qatar.
 
In 2002, the Supreme Education Council was formed in Qatar to direct the nation’s education policy in order to reform the current system into one that provides modern, world class education. Under the renewed effort, the council has established multiple institutions in Qatar:

• Education Institute to oversee and support independent institutions
• Evaluation Institute to develop and conduct tests for students as well as monitor student progress and institutional performance
• Higher Education Institute to advise students on opportunities in career and higher education in Qatar and abroad.