UAB World Mastercard
Up to 10% cashback on school fees, fashion and fuel
at United Arab Bank's secure site
Terms & conditions apply. See rates & fees.
Cashback rate
"If school fees are your biggest annual bill, this card attacks it harder than almost anything else in the UAE — up to 6,000 a year back on tuition. The rest of the package (Entertainer, lounges, USD 500K travel insurance) is real, but read the tier table first: the headline 10% assumes 15,000 of monthly spend, and outside its four categories the card pays nothing."
Earning cashback with the UAB World
Rates are tiered on your total monthly spend excluding school fees: 5,000–10,000 earns 3%, 10,000–15,000 earns 5%, and from 15,000 the full 10% kicks in on school fees (MCC 8211/8299), fashion (clothing, department stores, footwear, luxury bags) and fuel including CAFU. Video streaming comes back at 100% from the 5,000 tier. Caps: 2,000/month and 6,000/year on school fees, 500/month on fashion, 150/month each on fuel and streaming.
Below 5,000 of monthly spend the card earns nothing, and no other category ever earns cashback. What you do earn is credited automatically on the next statement — no portal or vouchers — but accrued cashback is forfeited if the card is closed.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- Free the first year, then 1,050 (VAT inclusive) — waived on ~ 60,000 annual spend
- Welcome gift
- ENTERTAINER app membership — one wallet transaction + one taxi/food-delivery app transaction within 30 days (cards from 15/03/2025)
- Interest rate
- 3.79% per month on unpaid balances
- Interest-free period
- Up to 55 days when the full balance is paid
- Minimum salary
- 25,000 per month; ages 21–65, UAE residents
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.77% issuer markup on non- spend; the fee schedule also lists a 3.15% currency conversion fee
- Cash advance fee
- 3.15% of the amount (minimum 157.50), interest at 3.79%/month
- Late payment fee
- 241.50; over-limit 288.75
- Minimum payment
- 5% of the outstanding balance
- Card network
- Mastercard World
Rates verified against UAB's Retail Banking Schedule of Charges (V2.0, April 2026) and Cashback Terms & Conditions (V2.0, Nov 2025), VAT inclusive. Always confirm on the issuer's site before applying.
Card benefits
School fees cashback
Up to 10% back on school fee payments — capped at 2,000 a month and 6,000 a year, one of the strongest tuition perks in the UAE.
ENTERTAINER welcome gift
A full ENTERTAINER membership with thousands of 2-for-1 offers on dining, attractions, spas and hotels — unlocked by two simple transactions in your first 30 days.
Airport lounge access
Access to 1,200+ lounges in 135+ countries via the Mastercard Travel Pass app.
Travel insurance
Travel inconvenience and travel medical insurance up to USD 500,000 when you buy tickets with the card.
Hertz, Avis & Onefinestay
Hertz Gold Plus Five Star membership, 25% off Avis rentals across EMEA and Asia, and 10% off Onefinestay luxury apartments.
Flexible payments
0% Easy Payment Plans and 0% balance transfer for 6 months (3% processing fee), plus Loan on Phone at 0% for 6 months.
Pros and cons
- Up to 10% cashback on school fees — up to 6,000 a year, a rare category among UAE cards
- 10% on fashion and fuel and 100% on video streaming once you hit the top tier
- Full ENTERTAINER membership as a welcome gift, plus Careem, Hertz, Avis and Onefinestay perks
- Travel inconvenience and travel medical insurance up to USD 500,000 on tickets bought with the card
- First year free, and the 1,050 renewal fee is waived at 60,000 annual spend
- Steep 25,000 minimum salary
- 0% on everything outside school fees, fashion, fuel and streaming — and nothing at all below 5,000 monthly spend
- Tight caps: 500/month on fashion and just 150/month each on fuel and streaming
- The full 10% rate needs 15,000 of monthly spend excluding school fees
- High 3.79% monthly interest and a 2.77% FX markup on foreign spend
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You pay significant school fees — the 6,000 annual cashback cap is the card's real prize.
- Your monthly card spend (excluding tuition) clears 15,000, unlocking the full 10% tier.
- You'll actually use the Entertainer, Careem, car-rental and lounge perks that pad out the package.
Consider skipping it if
- You earn under 25,000 a month — consider UAB's own Platinum at 10,000 instead.
- Your spending is spread thin — below 5,000 a month this card pays exactly nothing.
- You want cashback on general spend — outside school fees, fashion, fuel and streaming the rate is 0%.
Alternatives to consider
UAB's Platinum needs only a 10,000 salary and pays 5% on supermarkets and fuel with the same free first year — a simpler everyday version.
RAKBANK World pays 10% on travel, supermarkets and dining with a 1,250 monthly cap and a lower 20,000 salary bar — better if school fees aren't your big bill.
Best cashback cards →
Lifestyle perks — VOX cinema, Talabat, golf — from a 5,000 salary, earning TouchPoints on every instead of category-gated cashback.
Not sure which way to go? Put them side by side in our card comparison tool or browse the full ranked list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the annual fee on the UAB World Mastercard?+
The first year is free. From the second year the fee is AED 1,050 (VAT inclusive), waived if you spend around AED 60,000 on the card in the year.
What is the minimum salary for the UAB World Mastercard?+
AED 25,000 per month, for UAE residents aged 21–65.
How does the school fees cashback work?+
School fee payments at MCC 8211/8299 merchants earn 3%, 5% or 10% depending on your total monthly spend excluding school fees (AED 5,000–10,000, 10,000–15,000, or 15,000+). The cashback is capped at AED 2,000 per month and AED 6,000 per year, and merchants with 'driving' in their name are excluded.
What are the cashback caps on the World card?+
AED 2,000/month on school fees (AED 6,000/year), AED 500/month on fashion, AED 150/month on fuel and AED 150/month on video streaming. Spend below AED 5,000 in a month (excluding school fees) earns no cashback, and all other categories earn 0%.
How do I get The Entertainer welcome gift?+
For cards issued from 15 March 2025: within 30 days of receiving the card, make at least one mobile-wallet transaction (Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay) and one transaction on a major taxi or food-delivery app (Careem, Talabat, Deliveroo, Noon etc.). The VIP membership key arrives by SMS within 45 days and is activated at theentertainerme.com/vipkey/uab.
Does the UAB World Mastercard include airport lounge access?+
Yes — access to 1,200+ lounges in over 135 countries through the Mastercard Travel Pass app. UAB does not publish how many complimentary visits are included, so confirm with the bank.
Does the card include travel insurance?+
Yes — travel inconvenience insurance and travel medical insurance with cover up to USD 500,000, provided you buy your travel tickets with the card.
What are the interest rate and key fees?+
3.79% per month on unpaid balances with up to 55 days interest-free, minimum payment 5%. Late payment AED 241.50, over-limit AED 288.75, cash advance 3.15% (minimum AED 157.50), FX issuer markup 2.77%. All fees include VAT.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.