Study abroad·Middle East· 7 min read

Qatar Education City Universities Guide

An overview of Education City in Qatar — the international branch campuses hosted there, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and how applications generally work, with all specifics deferred to official sources.

Last updated 14 June 2026

Key facts

Run by: Qatar Foundation
Hosts: International branch campuses + Hamad Bin Khalifa University
Applications: Separate to each university; branches often via home campus
Verify on: qf.org.qa and each university's official site

What Education City is

Education City is an initiative of Qatar Foundation that brings together several universities on a shared campus area in Qatar. It hosts a number of international branch campuses alongside Qatar Foundation's own university, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).

Students at Education City study on-site in Qatar while following programmes run by these institutions. Each university manages its own admissions, curriculum, and degree, so Education City is best understood as a setting that hosts multiple distinct universities rather than a single institution.

Branch campuses hosted there

Several well-known international universities operate branch campuses within Education City, spanning fields such as engineering, business, computing, medicine, design, communication, and international affairs.

The institutions hosted in Education City have included the following branch campuses. Always confirm the current list and each programme on Qatar Foundation's official site, as offerings can change.

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Georgetown University in Qatar
Northwestern University in Qatar
Texas A&M University at Qatar
Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar
VCUarts Qatar (Virginia Commonwealth University)
HEC Paris in Qatar

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)

Alongside the branch campuses, Qatar Foundation operates its own institution, Hamad Bin Khalifa University. HBKU offers a range of its own undergraduate and graduate programmes across areas such as science and engineering, computing, public policy, and humanities and social sciences.

HBKU is a separate university with its own admissions process and its own degrees. If you are interested in HBKU specifically, apply through its own official channels rather than through any branch campus.

How applications generally work

Because each university in Education City is distinct, you apply to each one separately. For the international branch campuses, the application is often handled through the home campus's own admissions process and platform — for example, a US branch campus may use the same application route as its main campus.

Requirements such as standardized tests (for example the SAT or ACT) and English-language evidence (for example IELTS or TOEFL) vary by university and programme. Check each institution's official admissions page for its current requirements, deadlines, and process before applying.

Verify the specifics officially

Tuition, scholarships, intake, entry requirements, and the exact set of universities present in Education City can change over time. This guide describes the structure only and intentionally avoids quoting figures.

For current details, use Qatar Foundation's official Education City information and each university's own official website. Always verify on the official source before deciding or applying.

Frequently asked questions

Do I apply to Education City as a whole?

No. Each university in Education City runs its own admissions. You apply to a specific institution, and for branch campuses the process is often the home campus's own application route. Check each university's official admissions page.

Which universities are in Education City?

Education City has hosted branch campuses such as Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Northwestern, Texas A&M, Weill Cornell Medicine, VCUarts, and HEC Paris, plus Qatar Foundation's own Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Confirm the current list on Qatar Foundation's official site.

Is HBKU a branch campus?

No. Hamad Bin Khalifa University is Qatar Foundation's own university with its own degrees and admissions. It is located in Education City alongside the international branch campuses but is a separate institution.

Official sources

This guide explains the process and is for guidance only. Eligibility, dates, fees and rules change every year — always confirm the current details on the official site before you act.

Verified against: Qatar Foundation — Education City; Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).

Last verified: 14 June 2026.