Orientation and Settling In
Orientation and Settling In
In this section you will find information to help you navigate those first critical weeks after your arrival at Zayed University and the U.A.E. You will find specific information about the Orientation Program, held in August and January when most of our new faculty and staff commence, in addition to valuable resources on housing, schools, banking and more.
Orientation Schedule
The New Faculty and Staff Orientations take place in August and January. Your arrival in the U.A.E. will coincide with the start of the Orientation. If you arrive at another time of the year, your Orientation will be tailor-made.
The Orientation is designed to help you settle into your new environment quickly and comfortably.
Week One is focused on getting all the mandatory contract and visa requirements underway - signing off your employment contract, completing the medical insurance forms, completing the required blood tests for the residence visa, etc.
Academic Calendar
To see the full academic calendar outlining semester dates, breaks and holiday schedules, click here.
Important Documents
At the contract signing session, you will also be asked to hand over a number of important documents to enable us to apply for your Residence Visa.
Please plan ahead to bring a package with the following documents with you on Day One of the Orientation:
- Passport
- Marriage Certificate (attested)
- Birth Certificates of Children (attested)
- Adoption and Custody Agreements (attested)
- Signed Letter from Father/Mother (attested)
- Covid-19 vaccination certificate, it is required for Al Hosn application
To help you organize all the important documents, download the checklist
We will return your passport, marriage certificate, birth certificates of children, adoption and custody agreements and signed letters from the father/mother to you after completing the Residence Visa application procedure.We will need for (2) passport photos after your arrival with white background.
Details on attesting documents can be found here.
Banking
The salary is a direct transfer to the employee’s UAE bank account on the 30th day of each month.
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Local UAE based hires should provide banking details on the hire date while signing contract. If you do not have a bank account, your first salary will be paid by cheque. However, the second monthly salary should be a bank transfer via the payroll system - unless there is a specific reason for not submitting banking information. This payment is in UAE Dirhams.
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International hires arriving in the UAE should be able to open bank account as soon as you receive your UAE residency visa and Emirates ID card. Hence your first monthly salary is processed by cheque. The monthly salary for the second month is dependent if you were able to open a bank account prior to the payroll processing timeline. In case of any delay in opening the bank account, your salary for the second month will be processed by cheque. However, as per Zayed University audit procedures, all employees should open a UAE bank account in a timely manner. This payment is in UAE Dirhams.
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The payment processing timeframe (Cheque, separate bank transfers) is generally around 10-15 business working days.
The monthly salary for these employees is processed at the end of the month.
Any delay in opening a bank account may delay payment of your salary. It is easy to change banks at a later date; however, if you do change your bank, please give Human Resources the details of your new bank account to avoid problems or delays with paying your salary. You will also be required to submit the following documents to the Payroll Administrator electronically and followed by the original documents.
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A ‘No Liability letter” from your current bank addressed to Zayed University in original.
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Submit your new banking details: Banking information form attached.
Please ensure that the documents for changing the bank account are submitted on time to the Payroll Administrator. The payroll processing closes on the 25th day of the previous month. Ex: The payroll cut-off date for September payroll will be August 25th.
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A photocopy of your passport (and a photocopy of your spouse's passport for joint accounts).
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A "No Objection" letter from Zayed University. We will prepare this letter for you.
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Banking machines with international connections are available throughout the U.A.E.
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Please note that in the U.A.E., you cannot stop a check once it has been written. Checks are typically only used to pay utility bills. Many businesses do not accept personal checks. Postdated checks are used to pay car loans and personal loans.
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All banks offer major credit cards such as MasterCard and Visa. If you decide to retain the credit card that was issued in your country of origin, it is a good idea to notify the issuing bank. If you do not notify the bank of your change of address, you risk having your credit card stopped by the bank due to a sudden and unexpected profile/geographical change.
Accommodation
On arrival in the UAE, you, your spouse, and your dependent children will be provided with accommodation in a hotel, for no more than ten nights. The employee will be responsible for finding his own accommodation after the mentioned duration.*What do we mean by "resident dependents"?
A resident dependent refers to your spouse and children who reside with you in the U.A.E. for at least seven months each year and will have a valid U.A.E. residence visa; dependent children are those who are less than eighteen years of age or children who are between eighteen and twenty three years of age and are continuing their studies on a full-time basis until the end of the first university stage or its equivalent.
Please be advised that it is not possible for male children of eighteen years and older to be sponsored for residence in the U.A.E. by their parents; they must be sponsored by the university they are attending in the U.A.E.
Thus, housing is determined based on your family size considering only those dependents who meet the definition above and reside in the U.A.E. as noted.
Utilities, Telephone and Internet
Utility, telephone and internet charges are your responsibility.
You will only be able to obtain telephone and Internet connections for your home once you have obtained your Residence Visa.
Many banks offer Internet banking allowing you to pay your water, electricity, and telephone bills online.
Options to pay your utility bills include:
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Water and Electricity |
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Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC) |
Dubai Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) |
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Telephone |
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Mobile Phones
Two types of mobile phone service are available in the U.A.E. - monthly credit account and pre-paid. There are two telephone companies in the UAE, Etisalat and Du, offering mobile phone services:
The employee should purchase their own sim card from the airport once they arrive, to record all the details on the Emirates ID at later.
