Set up your student consultancy, university admission service, or overseas education advisory business in Dubai. We manage the complete two-step process: DED trade licence first, then KHDA permit approval.
Education Support Services is an official DED mainland trade licence activity classified as Professional under the KHDA regulatory framework. It is the correct licence for anyone wanting to run a student consultancy business in Dubai or the UAE — whether advising on overseas universities, international school admissions, or academic pathways.
Primary Group: Education | Secondary Group: Institutes and Education
Activity Type: Professional | Regulating Entity: Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
This activity covers non-instructional services that support educational processes, including:
Unlike teaching or training activities, Education Support Services focuses on supporting and advising students and institutions — not direct instruction. This makes it suitable for overseas university placement agents, education advisors, and academic consultants.
⚠️ Two-Step Process: You must first obtain your DED trade licence with this activity, then separately apply and pay the KHDA permit fee. Both steps are required before you can legally operate. KHDA permit fees for Education Support Services start from AED 5,000 per activity. All fees and final approval are subject to KHDA's government assessment.
STJ Corporate Services handles both steps — DED licence procurement and KHDA permit application — as a fully managed service. View KHDA services portal →
This is the correct KHDA licence for businesses providing non-teaching, advisory, and support services within the education sector. If you want to run an international student consultancy from the UAE or set up a study abroad advisory business in Dubai, this is the activity you need. Common business types include:
Agents and consultants helping students apply to UK, US, Canada, Australia, or European universities
Student counselling, career path advisory, school selection guidance for families in Dubai
Representing international schools or universities, managing institutional partnerships
Advisory and enrolment services for IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, GMAT, GRE preparation — not the teaching itself
Managing operations, administration, or support functions for education institutions
UAE-based businesses helping students apply to universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, and beyond
Note: If your business delivers actual teaching, training, or instruction (not advisory), a different KHDA-regulated activity may apply — such as a Training Centre or TVET provider. TVET and similar activities have higher KHDA permit fees starting from AED 15,000. STJ will advise you on the correct activity for your business model at no charge.
Getting your Education Support Services licence in Dubai is a two-stage government process. DED comes first, KHDA second. STJ manages both stages.
We confirm that Activity Code 8550006 (Education Support Services) is the correct activity for your business, review your structure, and give you a clear cost breakdown including KHDA permit fees. No obligation.
We apply for your Dubai mainland trade licence from DED with Education Support Services (Activity Code 8550006) listed. This is your initial government approval. The licence is issued at this stage but the KHDA activity is not yet activated.
With the DED licence in hand, we file your KHDA permit application for Education Support Services through the official KHDA portal. We prepare all supporting documents — owner credentials, service description, premises details, and any programme information required by KHDA.
KHDA levies a permit fee for each approved activity. For Education Support Services, the fee starts from AED 5,000 per activity. This fee is paid directly to KHDA. The final amount is subject to KHDA's assessment and may vary depending on the scope of activities and government approval conditions.
Once KHDA approves the permit, your Education Support Services activity is fully activated on your DED trade licence. You can now legally operate, advertise your services, and onboard clients. KHDA approval must be renewed annually alongside your DED licence.
KHDA fees are government fees paid directly to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. They are separate from STJ's consultancy fee, which is agreed transparently upfront.
Requirements vary by activity type but typically include:
Showing the intended educational activity
All owners, managers, and partners
Registered tenancy for your premises
Description of programmes or services
Educational certificates or professional credentials
For training centres requiring physical inspection
The correct licence for a student consultancy business in Dubai or the UAE is Education Support Services — a professional DED mainland activity regulated by KHDA. It covers non-instructional services supporting educational processes: educational consultancies, international student advisory, university admission services, academic liaison, exam preparation advisory, and educational facilities management. If you want to run an international student consultancy from the UAE — helping students apply to universities abroad — this is the licence you need.
Yes — the process is always DED first, KHDA second. You must obtain your DED trade licence with the Education Support Services activity listed before you can apply for the KHDA permit. The DED licence is issued first, but you cannot operate the educational activity until KHDA also approves it.
The KHDA permit fee for Education Support Services (Activity Code 8550006) starts from AED 5,000 per activity. For other KHDA-regulated activities such as TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training), permit fees start from AED 15,000. All fees are subject to KHDA's government assessment — the final amount may vary and is confirmed at the time of approval.
Typically 2–4 weeks once all documents are correctly submitted. KHDA processing times can vary depending on the complexity of the application and current government workload. STJ Corporate Services tracks your application and follows up with KHDA directly on your behalf throughout the process.
Yes. If you already have a Dubai mainland trade licence, you can add Activity Code 8550006 through a DED activity amendment. Once added to your DED licence, you then apply for the KHDA permit. STJ handles both the DED activity addition and the KHDA permit application as a combined service.
For Education Support Services (non-instructional/advisory activities), a business centre address with a valid Ejari is generally acceptable. However, KHDA's requirements may vary depending on the scope of your services. STJ will advise you on the specific premises requirement for your application before you commit to an office.
20 years of UAE business setup experience. We manage your DED licence application and KHDA permit from start to finish — with transparent fees and no hidden costs. Whether you're setting up an international student consultancy from the UAE or expanding an existing education advisory business, we handle it all.
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