37 answers
Everything you want to know before starting a business
Straight answers about the degree, your company, the diploma, costs and the admission process.
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11 questions
About the degree
What it is, how it works and what makes it different.
01What makes this degree different from a traditional business degree?
IORCA BUSINESS DEGREE starts from a different idea: don't wait until you finish university to start a business.
While you study for your Bachelor's in Business Development and Global Business, you'll start developing a real company with a market in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, applying what you learn throughout the degree.
Our model is 90% practice and 10% theory. For three years you won't just study how a company works: you'll live the process of creating it, developing it, making mistakes, learning and growing it.
• 10% theory — learning to understand: the academic foundations, knowledge and tools to understand how businesses, markets and organizations work.
• 90% practice — learning by doing: you apply what you learn in your real venture: spotting opportunities, developing products and business models, finding clients and selling, taking part in real operations, managing resources, measuring results and making decisions.
At IORCA, entrepreneurship isn't a side activity: it's the core of learning.
You don't study to start a business someday. You study while you build one.
02Will I really create a company in Dubai while I study?
Yes. That is precisely the goal of the degree.
At IORCA we believe the only real way to know whether a business works is to enter the market and make sales. That's why, from the first terms, you'll develop your company with a clear goal: take your product or service to market as soon as possible and land your first clients.
From there, the market itself becomes part of your learning: you'll test, measure results, make mistakes, adjust and make decisions based on real clients and sales.
We don't want you to spend three years planning a company. We want you to spend three years building it in the market.
03How long is the degree?
The Bachelor's Degree in Business Development and Global Business lasts 3 years, in a four-month term system and online format.
IORCA focuses much of its energy on practice and business execution. Theory matters, but our model is designed so that knowledge is applied directly to building your company and, above all, in the real market.
During those three years you will study, start a business, look for clients, generate sales, make mistakes, adjust and learn to make business decisions based on real results.
Your three years of university will also be your first three years as an entrepreneur.
If you take subjects ahead of schedule with approval from the Academic department, you can complete your curriculum in less time (see question 13 under Costs, scholarships and financing).
04Are classes fully online?
Yes. The degree is 100% online: you can take it from Mexico or any other country in the world, without physically attending a university or living in Mexico or Dubai, while you develop your company in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The model is designed so you can combine your university education with developing your business project, without needing to move to Dubai to get started.
Important: what is 100% online is the academic training. Some practical activities for your venture may require in-person participation in Dubai, depending on your business; in many cases they can be handled with IORCA's infrastructure, without you having to travel.
05Do I need to live in Dubai?
No. You don't need to live in Dubai to get started.
IORCA's model is designed so you can take your degree from Mexico or any country in the world while you develop a company with operations and a market in Dubai.
IORCA has business infrastructure and presence in the United Arab Emirates, allowing you to start developing your project from your home country.
Your company can be in Dubai without you having to live there from day one.
Example: a student living in Mexico sells Mexican tortillas in Dubai. From Mexico they research the market, negotiate with suppliers, find clients, set prices, coordinate orders and manage the business. What requires a physical presence in Dubai —receiving goods, storage and distribution— is handled with the available business infrastructure, as long as the operation is viable and meets the applicable requirements.
You don't need to live in Dubai to become a business owner with operations in Dubai.
06Will I have to travel to Dubai during the degree?
It's not mandatory. Traveling to Dubai is not an academic requirement or a condition for developing your venture: you can take the degree and run operations in the United Arab Emirates without changing your country of residence.
But we do want you to have the chance to get to know Dubai. IORCA offers:
• Annual conventions in Dubai: gatherings of students, entrepreneurs and business owners to share experiences, build business relationships and collaboration opportunities.
• Seminars and business experiences: in-person activities to get to know the business environment and strengthen your professional relationships.
All these activities are optional: taking part or not doesn't affect your academic progress or graduation. Dates, programs, costs, visas, flights and accommodation will be announced in official calls.
Our philosophy is that the trip shouldn't just be an expense: let your own company generate the sales that allow you to travel, meet clients and strengthen your presence in Dubai. Let your company be the one that opens the way.
07Do I need to speak English to get in?
You don't need to be fluent in English to enter the degree.
English is part of your education and you'll study it throughout the degree, progressing as you develop your skills and your company.
When doing business in Dubai, language becomes an essential tool for communicating with clients, suppliers and partners of different nationalities.
You don't need to arrive speaking English; part of our job is preparing you to do business in English.
08What does “Study in Mexico. Build a business in Dubai” mean?
It's IORCA's international model:
• Study in Mexico: your university education follows the Mexican academic framework, with Universidad Kuri as the institution responsible for your university degree.
• Build a business in Dubai: you develop your business project with IORCA's support, experience and business infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates.
You study online from any country, while your company's activities are carried out according to the characteristics and needs of each venture.
09Why Dubai?
“The environment where you build a business changes the entrepreneur you become.”
Dubai isn't a complementary destination: it's the center of our model. It's a city built for international trade, between Asia, Europe and Africa, where people from all over the world live side by side.
Starting a business there forces you to develop what a classroom doesn't teach:
• Global vision: understanding that your business doesn't have to be limited to your city or country. A Mexican product can find a market in the Emirates and, from there, in other regions.
• Negotiating with the world: dealing with Asian suppliers, Arab distributors or European buyers, each with their own way of doing business.
• Competing by creating value: in a market full of international brands, you learn to answer why a client should buy from you, without relying on lower prices.
• Operating for real: suppliers, imports, logistics, inventory and deliveries, because a company isn't done when it sells; it's done when it delivers.
• Growing as a person: another language, another culture and decisions with real resources build autonomy, discipline and adaptability.
It's not about choosing between Mexico and Dubai. It's about learning to connect markets.
10Is starting a business in Dubai mandatory? Can I only sell there?
Yes, developing a project with real operations linked to the Dubai market is a mandatory part of the IORCA model.
But you don't have to limit your sales to the United Arab Emirates: you can also sell products or services in Mexico and other markets, as long as your project meets the degree's business objectives.
Nor do you need to incorporate your own company from the start or carry out all your operations physically in Dubai. What matters is real, progressive and demonstrable business development linked to that market.
11Does IORCA offer other degrees?
No. IORCA offers a single degree: Business Development and Global Business. It's an intentional decision.
We don't want to be a university that teaches a little of everything. We focus our experience, professors, mentors, technology and infrastructure on a single purpose: teaching you to create, develop and run your own company.
Here entrepreneurship isn't a subject or an extracurricular activity: it's the reason the entire degree exists.
One degree. One specialty. One mission: teaching how to build a business.
13 questions
About my company
Your real company, from the first term.
01Do I need to have a company or a business idea to get in?
No. You don't need an incorporated company, a developed product, business experience or a defined business idea.
Part of the process in the first terms will be identifying real opportunities in the Dubai market and finding a project that makes sense given your skills, interests and commercial opportunities.
If you already have an idea or even a business in operation, we can work on it and evaluate its potential to develop it in Dubai.
What matters isn't arriving with an idea; it's having the initiative and determination to build it. You don't need to know how to start a business to join IORCA, but you do need to be willing to.
02What if I still don't know what company I want to create?
That's fine. Part of the IORCA experience is precisely discovering which opportunity is worth developing.
During the first terms you'll explore different opportunities and analyze the Dubai market until you identify a product, service or business model with real potential.
We're not simply looking for an idea you like. We're looking for an opportunity that can enter the market, win clients and generate sales.
First we find the opportunity. Then we build the company around it.
03Is starting a business mandatory during the degree?
Yes. At IORCA, starting a business isn't an extracurricular activity or an optional project: it's an essential part of the academic model.
Every student actively takes part in developing a real business project, and its progress is evaluated across the nine terms.
IORCA is designed for people who want to become entrepreneurs. If you're only looking for a university degree without getting involved in creating and running a company, IORCA probably isn't the best option for your goals.
04When do I start developing my company?
From the first term.
At IORCA you don't have to wait several years into the degree to start a business. From the beginning you'll explore opportunities, understand the Dubai market and build the foundations of your business project.
Our goal is for you to move quickly from idea to execution and, once your project is ready, enter the market, land your first clients and start generating sales.
05Will the company I develop really be mine?
Yes. Your venture belongs to you: the project, the brand, the products, the knowledge you develop and your intellectual property.
• IORCA and HOLI do not automatically acquire shares, stakes, ownership rights or profit percentages for providing you with training, mentorship, advice, infrastructure or operational support.
• While you study, your venture operates with IORCA and HOLI's business structure. Using it doesn't make them owners or partners in your business.
• When you finish the degree, you can become independent and create your own structure.
We don't train entrepreneurs to keep their companies, but so they build businesses of their own and have the freedom to decide how far to take them. IORCA and HOLI are allies in your development, not owners of your business.
06What kind of companies can I develop?
You can develop a product or service company, as long as there is a real market opportunity and IORCA has the infrastructure and capabilities needed to support its development in Dubai.
We look for projects we can realistically support, operate and take to market.
07Can IORCA reject my project or an operation?
Yes. You're free to develop your own idea, but any operation that uses IORCA's infrastructure must meet legal, commercial, operational and safety requirements. IORCA may reject, suspend or request changes to an operation when it:
• Breaks the law or applicable regulations.
• Lacks permits, licenses or required certifications.
• Poses safety risks to people, facilities, goods or resources.
• Creates disproportionate legal, financial, commercial or reputational risks for IORCA.
• Isn't operationally viable with the available infrastructure.
What happens then? A rejection doesn't mean abandoning your venture or failing. IORCA helps you analyze the causes and look for alternatives: modifying your business model, obtaining permits, adapting your product or service, changing your strategy or developing a new project.
That said, you must keep building: you'll continue with a viable alternative and demonstrate your learning and execution. Identifying risks, complying with regulations and finding alternatives is also part of becoming a business owner.
08What if my business doesn't work? Do I fail the degree?
No. A venture failing doesn't mean failing the degree. Starting a business involves uncertainty, decisions, mistakes and learning.
If your business doesn't work, you can:
• Correct your strategy: identify mistakes and adjust your business model.
• Change product or service: adapt your offer to what the market wants.
• Close the project: recognize when an initiative is no longer viable and decide responsibly.
• Start another venture: put what you learned to work in a new opportunity.
IORCA evaluates your process: how you identify problems, analyze results, justify decisions, correct course and show progress. A business that doesn't thrive also brings learning, as long as there is real work, evidence of execution and a well-founded reflection on what happened.
We don't promote or romanticize failure: we work so you build viable businesses and make better decisions. But results can't always be controlled. At IORCA you don't fail for closing a business; what matters is what you learned and how you used that experience to keep building.
09Can I start invoicing while I'm still studying?
Yes. That's one of our main goals.
We look for disruptive entrepreneurs who execute, go out and sell, and enter the market as soon as possible. We don't want you to spend years perfecting an idea without knowing whether anyone is willing to pay for it.
The market is won by selling, not by planning.
10What infrastructure does IORCA provide in Dubai?
You develop your venture in Dubai backed by a real business structure, already established and operating: logistics, storage, distribution, staff and commercial structure.
Instead of immediately incorporating your own company, hiring staff, securing facilities or setting up a logistics network, you focus on what matters most: developing your business, winning clients, selling and generating real operations.
Financial benefit: you avoid major upfront investments, reduce infrastructure costs, save implementation time and cut mistakes that could cost you thousands of dollars if you started on your own.
Is it included in tuition? Yes, tuition gives you access to the support model and the available business infrastructure. Variable costs of specific operations —imports, storage of goods, transport, deliveries or particular permits— belong to your venture and are determined for each project.
Our philosophy: we don't want you to spend your first months and thousands of dollars building a structure from scratch, but to make use of one that already exists and focus on learning to start a business, sell and grow in Dubai.
11Do I need to incorporate my own company in Dubai?
Not necessarily at the start. Depending on your business model and the authorized activities, you can start using IORCA's business structure.
If you later need to incorporate your own company, you'll receive guidance to do so at the right time.
12Does IORCA invest in my company, or do I need additional capital?
It depends on each project.
IORCA provides students with knowledge, mentorship and business infrastructure, but some businesses may require additional capital to start or grow.
Part of your education will be precisely learning to finance a company, manage resources and find capital when needed.
13What happens to my company after I graduate?
Your company continues.
The goal is that by the end of the degree you've built a company with experience, clients, sales and real knowledge of the market.
Graduating doesn't mean ending the project; it means starting a new stage as a business owner with three years of accumulated experience.
When you finish, you can become independent from IORCA's structure and run your company with your own business structure.
If you wish, you can keep a commercial relationship with IORCA or HOLI, continue using some business services or explore partnerships. Any equity stake or commercial agreement will be voluntary, negotiated and formalized in a separate contract.
IORCA philosophy
Your first client is worth more than your first A.
8 questions
Degree and graduation
Official recognition and what you leave with after three years.
01Is the degree officially recognized by the SEP?
Yes. Upon successfully completing the program, you will earn the degree of Bachelor in Business Development and Global Business, officially recognized by Mexico's Ministry of Public Education (SEP).
02Who issues my university degree?
The program combines the academic experience of Universidad Kuri, the institution that issues the officially SEP-recognized university degree, with the IORCA BUSINESS DEGREE model, focused on developing the entrepreneur and building their company from the start of the degree.
03What do I need to achieve to graduate?
Throughout the degree you will complete your academic training while you develop, run and take a real company to market.
The goal is for your graduation project to be the culmination of that process: the result of three years of learning and building a business at the same time.
Your venture is your graduation project: you don't need to write an additional traditional thesis or invent a fictional business project to earn your degree.
Across the nine terms your real venture is evaluated: spotting opportunities, developing your product or service, winning clients, selling, running the business, measuring results and showing how you learn and improve.
Having a registered company isn't enough: you'll need to present progressive evidence of your work, operations and progress.
Having an outstanding balance on the IORCA Financing Scholarship doesn't prevent you from graduating, as long as you meet the other academic and administrative requirements.
04What do I leave with after three years besides my degree?
The goal is for you to finish the degree with much more than a diploma: three years of business experience, real knowledge of the international market and a company with real operations in Dubai, one of the world's leading business hubs.
That's our goal: for you to graduate with a degree, but also as a business owner.
05Is my degree valid in Dubai?
Yes. The United Arab Emirates has an official procedure to recognize university degrees earned abroad.
As a university degree issued in Mexico, graduates can complete the verification and recognition process with the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, meeting the requirements set by the Emirati authorities.
06Do I have to generate big sales or profits to graduate?
No. Every venture has its own timing and financial results aren't always immediate.
The evaluation doesn't depend only on money earned, but also on your effort, your execution, the decisions you make, the results you achieve and your ability to learn and improve.
We don't only evaluate how much you earned, but what you were able to build, what problems you faced and how much you grew as an entrepreneur.
07Is my degree valid in other countries?
Your degree is issued under Mexico's official educational framework, in accordance with the authorization and provisions applicable to the program.
Recognition of a Mexican degree in other countries is not automatic: each country has its own procedures for recognition, equivalence, accreditation or validation of foreign studies.
Important: studying online from another country doesn't change the academic nature of your Mexican degree.
08Where do I do my professional internship and social service?
You can do them within the HOLI MIDDLE EAST business ecosystem, taking advantage of its real business activities and operations.
Completion and accreditation are subject to the corresponding academic, administrative and official requirements.
13 questions
Costs, scholarships and financing
Your investment, no fine print.
01How much does the degree cost?
Regular tuition is USD 766.61 per month.
From the second term you can apply for the IORCA Financing Scholarship, based on merit and results, and pay USD 420 per month. If you pay for the full degree in advance, you get a 17% discount.
In addition: pre-registration USD 120, enrollment USD 1,800 and re-enrollment USD 120 per term. See the details in Fees and scholarships.
02What does tuition include?
Tuition includes your university academic training, business training, mentorship and support while you develop your company.
You'll also have access to IORCA's infrastructure and business experience in Dubai, according to the needs and stage of development of your project.
It doesn't include the variable costs of specific operations of your venture, such as imports, storage of goods, transport, deliveries or particular permits.
03Are there scholarships?
Yes. Our philosophy is that financial access shouldn't stop a person with real potential from starting a business and building their future.
That's why IORCA develops different scholarship and financing schemes that aim to widen access to the degree.
We want to identify talent, initiative and determination, and create paths for more entrepreneurs to have the opportunity to build a real company.
04What is the IORCA Financing Scholarship and how does it work?
It's a support program that lets you lower your monthly payment during the degree: IORCA finances part of your tuition interest-free.
• First term: all students pay the regular tuition of USD 766.61 per month.
• From the second term: if you apply for the scholarship and it's awarded, you pay only USD 420 per month. IORCA finances the difference of USD 346.61 per month.
• Balance: only the differences for the months in which you received the scholarship are added up, with no maximum amount. You only pay what was actually financed.
Important: it's not a discount or a write-off. It's interest-free financing that you must repay after finishing your studies, according to the payment terms (see question 06).
The scholarship isn't awarded automatically: it's assigned through a selection process based on evaluation, merit and performance. When you receive it, you sign a contract with its terms.
05Do I have to repay the financing while I study?
While you study you only pay your financed tuition of USD 420 per month.
Repayment of the financed portion begins after you finish your studies, interest-free.
06How long do I have to repay it after finishing?
After finishing your studies you can pay off your IORCA Financing Scholarship balance in up to 36 monthly installments (3 years):
• Interest-free: the financing doesn't accrue interest.
• No penalties: you can make early, partial or full payments.
• No hold on graduation: an outstanding balance doesn't prevent you from getting your degree, as long as you meet the other academic and administrative requirements.
The goal is for you to start paying once your company has had time to develop and generate income.
07What happens to my payments and scholarship if I withdraw?
Withdrawing doesn't cancel the financial obligations you've already taken on:
• Previous debts: overdue tuition, surcharges or other amounts generated before you withdrew must be settled.
• IORCA Financing Scholarship: the balance IORCA financed during your studies remains a payment obligation, because it's interest-free financing, not a discount or a write-off.
• Term: you have up to 36 months (3 years) from your withdrawal date to pay off that balance, interest-free. You can make early, partial or full payments with no penalty.
You only pay the debts actually generated and the actual financed balance. IORCA respects your decision to interrupt your studies, with clear and transparent terms.
08Can I lose the financing during the degree?
Yes. The financing is granted on merit and is kept as long as you maintain the required performance.
If you stop meeting the conditions set out in your contract, it may be withdrawn and you would return to regular tuition.
09Is there a discount for paying the full degree in advance?
Yes. Students who choose to pay for the full degree in a single payment can access a 17% discount on the total cost of the program.
Besides the savings, paying in advance locks in the cost of all three years from the start, with no future tuition increases.
10When and how is tuition paid?
Tuition is paid monthly and in advance, with a deadline of the 5th of each month.
• Regular tuition: USD 766.61 per month.
• With an active IORCA Financing Scholarship: you pay the monthly amount that corresponds to your scholarship (USD 420 per month), according to the program's terms.
11Who issues my invoice or proof of payment?
IORCA BUSINESS DEGREE combines international business consulting and mentorship with university academic training. For each payment you receive:
• Invoice — IORCA CONSULTING FZE (United Arab Emirates): owner of the IORCA BUSINESS DEGREE brand. It issues the commercial invoice for the full amount of your payment, for consulting, advisory, mentorship and support services in developing your company.
• Academic proof of payment — Universidad Kuri (Mexico): the academic institution responsible for university processes. It issues only an academic proof of payment; it does not issue an invoice.
For specific invoicing questions, contact IORCA's Administration department.
12What payment methods do you accept?
We accept domestic and international payments:
• Card or digital wallet: Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
• International bank transfer: to the business account of IORCA CONSULTING FZE in the United Arab Emirates. Request the bank details from IORCA's Administration department.
International transfers may involve bank fees, currency conversion costs and processing times.
13How much does it cost to retake or take a subject early?
The regular cost of an individual subject is USD 600.
• Retaken subjects: if you need to retake a subject, you pay its full cost of USD 600. Retaken subjects are not covered by the IORCA Financing Scholarship.
• Subjects taken early: you can request to take subjects from your curriculum early with authorization from IORCA's Academic department. The regular cost is USD 600 per subject. If you have an active IORCA Financing Scholarship, you keep your benefit on authorized early subjects, according to the terms of your financing.
• Finishing early: the degree is designed to be completed in three years, but if you take subjects early with academic authorization you can finish your curriculum in less time.
Important: finishing your subjects early doesn't automatically mean receiving your degree early; you must meet the other academic and administrative requirements.
11 questions
Admission process
What we look for and how to start.
01What do you look for in a candidate?
We look for people with initiative, ambition, determination and the ability to execute.
We're not only looking for good students. We look for people with an entrepreneurial mindset, willing to take on challenges, adapt, build resilience and create something of their own.
We look for potential, not perfection.
02Do I need good grades?
Not necessarily. Grades are part of your academic record, but on their own they don't determine your potential as an entrepreneur.
A grade measures a part of you that isn't decisive for IORCA. We want to discover what you're capable of.
03How does the admission process work?
IORCA's admission process aims to get to know you beyond your grades and evaluate your potential as an entrepreneur. It has six stages:
1. Pre-registration (USD 120): registration and initial payment to start your admission process; includes the Doing Business in Dubai course.
2. Essay: a handwritten personal essay to learn about your motivations, aspirations and entrepreneurial vision.
3. Personality and integrity: assessment of your values, honesty, responsibility and personal traits.
4. Complex dilemmas: assessment of your analytical ability, judgment and decision-making in challenging situations.
5. Final interview: live interview with the Admissions Committee to get to know you and go deeper into your profile.
6. Decision: the Admissions Committee determines whether you are accepted into the program.
Important: pre-registration does not guarantee admission. All candidates must successfully complete the evaluation process.
04Why is the admission process different?
Because we believe entrepreneurial potential isn't discovered with a traditional admission exam.
We want to know your story, your decisions, what you've tried, how you react to problems and, above all, what you do when nobody tells you what to do. Our admission process aims to discover something no exam can easily measure:
your ability to turn an opportunity into results.
05How many students are accepted per class?
IORCA will keep a limited intake per class.
Our model requires mentorship, follow-up and one-on-one support while each company is built, so we don't aim to grow at the expense of the quality of the experience.
06When can I start my admission process?
You can start your admission process at any time.
We recommend starting early, since each class has limited places and the selection process requires completing every admission stage.
07What's the difference between pre-registration and enrollment?
There are two separate payments to join the degree:
• Pre-registration — USD 120 (taxes included): paid before starting the assessments. It formally starts your selection process and includes the introductory course Doing Business in Dubai.
• Enrollment — USD 1,800: only requested once the Admissions Committee officially notifies you of your acceptance. Paid in full, in a single payment.
In short: pre-registration lets you take part in the admission process; enrollment is only for those already admitted.
Important: pre-registration does not guarantee your acceptance into the degree.
08What is the Doing Business in Dubai course included in pre-registration?
It's a 4-hour introductory course that gives you an initial view of the business environment in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates before you start the degree.
You'll learn about:
• Business ecosystem: how the business environment in Dubai works and why it's an international hub for trade and entrepreneurship.
• Business opportunities: sectors, trends and possibilities for business development in the United Arab Emirates.
• Market characteristics: business culture, commercial behavior and the particulars of operating in an international environment.
• Doing business in Dubai: what it takes to set up, develop and run a company in the United Arab Emirates.
Cost: included in your USD 120 pre-registration, at no additional cost.
Purpose: for you to understand the market where you can develop your business project, with its opportunities and responsibilities.
09How long do I have to pay enrollment once I'm admitted?
When the Admissions Committee officially notifies you of your acceptance, you have 7 calendar days to pay the USD 1,800 enrollment. During those 7 days your place is reserved.
If you don't pay within that period, your admission may remain valid, but your place is no longer reserved and becomes subject to availability.
10Does IORCA accept international students?
Yes. IORCA accepts applications from international students. You'll need to submit your high school certificate or the equivalent document proving you completed upper secondary education in your home country.
Equivalence or revalidation requirements depend on the country where you studied and are evaluated by IORCA's Academic department.
Degree costs are the same for Mexican and international students.
11Can I get in without a high school certificate?
To enter the Bachelor's Degree in Business Development and Global Business and earn a university degree officially recognized by the SEP, a high school certificate or its equivalent is mandatory.
If you don't have this document yet, you can join the Doing Business in Dubai program as a diploma course.
Important: the diploma course is not equivalent to a bachelor's degree and does not grant an officially SEP-recognized university degree.