Global designations
International Real Estate Designations in the UAE
Globally recognised credentials earned here in the UAE: CIPS, CCIM, ABR, SRS and RENE, awarded by the National Association of Realtors and the CCIM Institute. Proof of expertise that crosses borders.
Pay with
First 4 payments interest-free, standard interest rates apply after
Designation · NARCIPS: International SpecialistAED 5,250View course
Flagship
Designation · CCIM InstituteCCIM: Commercial Investment 128 hrsAED 42,000View course
Designation · NARSRS: Seller Representation 16 hrsAED 3,150View course
Designation · NARABR®: Buyer Representation 16 hrsAED 3,150View course
A local licence works locally. These designations mark you as a professional anywhere in the world, and connect you to a global network of agents and referrals.
Before
A local licence that means little to an international client.
No credential to set you apart from every other agent.
Referrals leaving the country with no network to catch them.
Expertise that is hard to prove on paper.
After
Designations recognised by NAR and the CCIM Institute worldwide.
A clear signal of expertise to international buyers and sellers.
Access to a global referral network.
Credentials that hold their value wherever you work.
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
Empowered by the world's leading real estate institutions and the UAE's foremost government authorities, bringing global standards and local credibility to every programme we deliver.
A certificate that carries weight
Every ThinkProp course ends with a certificate of participation, issued by a KHDA licensed institute and recognised across the UAE property sector. Proof you did the work and can put it to use.
Compare international designations
Which designation is right for you?
Not sure which one fits? Compare what each designation actually qualifies you to do, instead of guessing.
| Compare international designations | ABR®Accredited Buyer's Representative | SRSSeller Representative Specialist | CIPS®Certified International Property Specialist | CCIMCertified Commercial Investment Member |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You represent | Buyers | Sellers | Clients across borders | Commercial investors |
| Your clients | I work with buyers | I want more listings | My clients are from overseas | I do commercial and investment deals |
| Awarded by | REBAC, a NAR council | REBI, a NAR affiliate | NAR | CCIM Institute |
| Hours | 16 hours over 2 days | 16 hours over 2 days | 40 hours across 5 courses | 128 hours across 4 courses, CI 101 to 104 |
| Format | Face to face | Face to face | Face to face or live online | Face to face |
| Location | Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
| Price from | AED 3,150 | AED 3,150 | AED 5,250 | AED 42,000 |
| Next cohort | 7 September 2026 | 10 September 2026 | 31 August 2026 | September cohort |
| Instructor | Alireza Memar | Alireza Memar | Alireza Memar | George E. Wilson |
| What you learn |
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| Who it is for | Property consultants and sales agents who work buy-side. Newer agents building a buyer book, and anyone doing a buyer's agent job with nothing that says so. | Listing agents, senior consultants, sales managers and team leads who need listing stock and keep losing the seller meeting on price or commission. | Agents already serving foreign buyers, international sales and BD roles, referral-driven brokers, and anyone wanting credentials that travel. | Commercial brokers, investment advisors, asset managers, acquisitions analysts and developer-side professionals who need to model the deal, not just list the space. |
| After the course |
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| Pick it if | You show buyers dozens of units with nothing protecting your fee. | You chase buyers all day and your listing wall is thin. | You already close deals with overseas buyers, with no framework for it. | You broker commercial space but cannot model the investment case. |
| View course | View course | View course | View course |
Frequently asked questions
Yes. ABR, SRS, RENE, CRB and CIPS come from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and CCIM from the CCIM Institute, all internationally recognised.
Not necessarily, but most professionals hold a local licence and add these designations to grow internationally. Talk to an advisor about sequence.
It depends on your focus: buyer or seller representation, negotiation, brokerage management, international, or commercial investment. We will map it to your goals.
Yes, and many professionals do. ABR and SRS together cover both sides of a deal, and CIPS or CCIM then opens international and commercial work. An advisor can map the order that fits your goals.
Face to face or live online, led by qualified instructors, in the UAE.
No. They are awarded by NAR and the CCIM Institute, and you earn them here in the UAE, face to face or live online, with instructors who work in this market.
We run morning, evening and weekend groups, so there is usually an option that works around a full-time job. Timings are set per group and can often be arranged on request, so tell an advisor what suits you and we will look at what is open.
Yes. You can split the fee with tabby over 4, 6, 8 or 12 payments. The first 4 payments are interest-free, and standard interest rates apply after that.
Not sure where to start?
Pick a role on the left, or talk to an advisor who will map your certifications around your goals.
