NAR designation · Delivered in the UAE

International Real Estate: The CIPS® Designation

NAR's global designation for real estate professionals who work across borders, delivered in the UAE. Forty hours across five courses covering the world's key markets, the referral network, and the tools to grow your business internationally, from one of the most international property markets on earth.

Starts 31 August 202640 hours, face to face or live online

Awarded by NARTaught by Alireza Memar

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Registration for the 31 August 2026 cohort is open now.
Both the face to face and live online seats are limited.

In short

CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) is a NAR designation covering global markets, cross-border transactions and the international referral network. ThinkProp delivers the 40 hours across five courses in the UAE, face to face or live online.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi draw buyers and sellers from every continent, yet most agents handle those clients on instinct, with no framework for a market they have never worked in and no one to refer an outbound client to. The CIPS puts a NAR designation on cross-border real estate, hands you a worldwide referral network, and shows clients you can move a deal across any border.

Serve buyers and sellers from any market with confidence

Tap the global CIPS referral network, inbound and outbound

Read the legal, cultural and currency factors of a cross-border deal

Understand how the world's major markets actually transact

Use the CIPS brand, tools and Global Marketing Center

Speak the language of international investors

hours, face to face or live online

1908

NAR has set the standard since

courses: 2 core, 3 elective

KHDA licence #631657Approved by Dubai RERADubai Land DepartmentADREC, Abu Dhabi

Does this sound like you?

You are already closing deals with overseas buyers, with no framework for it

Foreign clients ask about their home market and you are guessing

You want referrals from agents abroad but have no network to tap

You have local credibility, but nothing after your name that travels

What you will walk away with

◎The network

Access to the global CIPS network and its inbound and outbound referral pipeline.

$The deal

The tools to structure a cross-border transaction with confidence.

®The credential

Eligibility to apply to NAR for the CIPS, recognised worldwide.

Before

You take the overseas client and hope for the best.

You have no one to refer an outbound client to.

Nothing after your name says international.

After

You handle cross-border deals to a global standard.

You tap a worldwide CIPS referral network.

CIPS after your name, NAR behind it.

Inside the course

01Global Real Estate: Local Markets

The core course. How international capital moves, how currency, tax and culture shape a deal, and how to position yourself for cross-border clients from a hub like the UAE.

02The Business of US Real Estate

How the US market functions, from its social and legal norms to the way transactions close, so you can serve clients buying into or selling out of it.

03Asia/Pacific and International Real Estate

The skills and knowledge to facilitate transactions with clients across Asia, a market that sends significant capital into the UAE.

04Europe and International Real Estate

The laws, cultural norms and geography of Europe's key markets, plus the investment patterns and network to work them.

05At Home with Diversity (AHWD)

Practical tools for working across cultures and adapting to future market trends, with fair and inclusive practice at the centre.

Your route to the CIPS

ThinkProp delivers the coursework. NAR awards the CIPS. Finishing this course does not make you a CIPS, it puts you on the path. Here is the whole route, with nothing hidden.

LearnYou are here

The 40 hour CIPS coursework, in the UAE, face to face or live online. Two core courses and three electives. This is what you are enrolling in.

Test

Pass the test at the end of each course, at 70 percent or higher. Face to face tests are done in the room.

Qualify

Join NAR as an International REALTOR member and document 100 points of international business experience.

Designate

NAR verifies your membership and experience, then awards the CIPS, with the network and brand that come with it.

What is included

40 hours of training with a NAR-affiliated trainer, face to face or live online

The official CIPS course materials

A ThinkProp participation certificate

Guidance through the NAR membership and designation application

Not included: NAR's International REALTOR membership and CIPS application fees, which are paid to NAR directly in USD. Ask an advisor for the current figures before you budget.

Taught by

Alireza Memar

Global Coordinator for MEA, NAR

Ali Memar's career spans residential, commercial and industrial projects across markets. A member of professional real estate boards since 2003, he has held roles including Treasurer, Director and President, and serves as NAR's Global Coordinator for the Middle East and Africa. The case studies come from real cross-border deals, not a textbook.

NAR Global CoordinatorCross-border specialistNAR member

Testimonials

Straight from the room

Not scripted, not staged. Real estate professionals on what the training changed for the way they work.

Our partners

In partnership with global institutions

The CIPS comes from NAR, the largest real estate association in the world, and reaches you through a UAE institute approved by RERA, the Dubai Land Department and Abu Dhabi's authorities. Global standards, delivered where the world's buyers actually meet.

Compare

CIPS alone, or the full global track

	CIPS only	Global Advisor Track
International, cross-border real estate (CIPS®)	✓	✓
Commercial investment analysis (CCIM®)	Not included	✓
Covers both cross-border and commercial investment	Not included	✓
Recognised worldwide by NAR	✓	✓
Price	AED 5,250

Certificate

This certificate confirms your successful completion of the CIPS coursework. It affirms your commitment to professional growth, your grasp of cross-border real estate practice, and your readiness to pursue the CIPS designation through NAR.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be a NAR member?

Yes. To receive the CIPS designation you must hold an International REALTOR membership with NAR. You can apply for it in parallel with the coursework, and an advisor will walk you through every step.

Does ThinkProp give me the CIPS?

ThinkProp gets you there. We deliver the full coursework and issue your certificate of participation within 2 to 4 working days of completing the sessions. The CIPS itself is awarded by NAR once you pass the course tests, hold the membership and document your international experience.

Do I need a broker licence first?

No. The CIPS is an international specialisation, not a licence. It suits agents, brokers and managers who work with cross-border buyers and sellers, whatever market they sit in.

Is there a test?

Yes. There is a test at the end of each course, passed at 70 percent or higher. For face to face sessions the test is done in the room. There is no separate exam needed to earn the designation.

What does the NAR membership cost?

The International REALTOR membership is a one-time application fee plus an annual renewal, paid to NAR directly in USD. Ask an advisor for the current figures before you budget, so nothing surprises you.

What is the 100 points of international experience?

To earn the CIPS, NAR asks you to document a track record of international transactions or activities. An advisor can help you map your experience to the points before you apply.

Can I reschedule?

Yes, you can reschedule your training session up to 7 days before the course start date.

Is the CIPS recognised outside the UAE?

Yes. The CIPS is awarded by NAR, the largest professional body in real estate, and is recognised in the UAE and around the world for its high professional standards.

Ready to enrol?

FULL COURSE

AED 5,250

Includes VAT · paid once, nothing recurring

40 hours with a NAR-affiliated trainer, face to face or live online

Official CIPS course materials

Guidance on NAR membership and the designation

Enrol now

Next cohort starts 31 August 2026

Not sure CIPS is your next step?

Whether you are already closing cross-border deals or just starting to, leave your number and an advisor will map the CIPS to your business before you spend anything.

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