Founders often ask which single license they need to open a medical or aesthetic training center in Dubai. The honest answer is that there are two separate approvals answering two separate questions. One asks whether you may operate a training institute at all. The other asks whether a specific program is good enough to count toward the continuing professional development that healthcare professionals need to keep their licenses.
Getting the order right saves months. This guide sets out both approvals as they are described by the regulators themselves, then the practical sequence I recommend.
Approval one: the KHDA Educational Services Permit
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) regulates private education and training in Dubai. A training institute needs its Educational Services Permit before it can operate. According to KHDA's own service description, the process works like this:
- Obtain Initial Approval and a Trade Name Reservation certificate from the licensing authority: the Department of Economy and Tourism for mainland Dubai, or the relevant free zone authority.
- If your programs fall under the remit of another government body, obtain that body's prior approval as well. For health-related training, expect this question to come up.
- Apply through the KHDA e-services portal or, for mainland investors, the Invest in Dubai platform.
- Complete the remaining steps within six months of the Initial Approval; otherwise the approval becomes void.
- Upload the trade license once issued to complete the permit.
Business setup advisers in Dubai also report a premises stage: a tenancy contract (Ejari), a Civil Defence certificate and a site inspection before the final permit, with the permit renewed every year. Check the current requirements and fees with KHDA directly, because they are updated from time to time.
Approval two: DHA accreditation for each CPD program
The KHDA permit lets you run a training institute. It does not make your courses count toward a doctor's or nurse's license renewal. That is the role of CPD (also called CME) accreditation.
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) accredits CPD programs offered by training centers, health institutions and event organizers. Its published process includes:
| Stage | What the DHA asks for | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Application | An accreditation application form and a CPD disclosure form signed by the organizer | Plan objectives, faculty and sponsorship before you announce the course |
| Hands-on training | For practice on patients or volunteers: a valid DHA professional license for the instructor and patient or volunteer consent forms | Your faculty model must include DHA-licensed trainers for live hands-on sessions |
| After the program | Attendance list and participant evaluation report within two weeks | Build attendance tracking and evaluation into every course from day one |
| Branding | Accreditation does not permit use of the DHA logo or name, except to announce the CPD hours granted | Write your marketing accordingly |
Other emirates and free zones
Healthcare professionals in the UAE are licensed by the authority of the emirate where they practice: the DHA in Dubai, the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, and the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the Northern Emirates. If your learners are licensed elsewhere, check which accreditations their authority recognizes. Dubai Healthcare City has its own regulator and its own CPD standard for education operators within the free zone.
The sequence I recommend
- Business model and jurisdiction. Who pays, for which programs, and whether mainland or a free zone suits your market and partners.
- Program map. List the programs for the first 18 months and decide which need CPD accreditation and which include hands-on training.
- Faculty plan. Confirm which trainers hold DHA licenses for hands-on sessions and how you will document every trainer's qualifications.
- Initial Approval and trade name. Start the six-month KHDA window only when the first three steps are ready.
- Premises. Choose space that will pass inspection and suits hands-on training before you sign a long lease.
- KHDA permit. Complete the application and inspection.
- DHA accreditation per program. Apply well before you announce each course, with disclosure forms and evaluation built in.
The common mistake is to start with the room. A beautiful facility without a faculty model, a program map and an accreditation plan is the most expensive way to discover these steps.
This guide summarizes publicly available information from KHDA and the DHA as of October 2026. It is not legal or regulatory advice; confirm current requirements and fees with the authorities before you commit.
Sources
Questions
Do I need KHDA approval to run medical courses in Dubai?
A training institute operating in Dubai needs a KHDA Educational Services Permit. If your programs also fall under another authority's remit, KHDA asks for that authority's prior approval as well.
Does a KHDA permit make my courses count for CPD?
No. CPD or CME accreditation for healthcare professionals in Dubai is a separate approval from the Dubai Health Authority, granted program by program.
Can my trainers do hands-on training on patients?
For hands-on practice on patients or volunteers, the DHA asks for a valid DHA professional license for the instructor and signed consent forms.
How long does the process take?
KHDA allows six months from Initial Approval to complete the permit. Realistic timelines depend on premises, documents and how prepared your program and faculty plans are.