American University in Dubai
الجامعة الأمريكية في دبي
A US-accredited, American-style university in Dubai Media City, with rolling admissions and students from 100+ countries.
- Students
- 2,395
- International
- 70%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 14:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- AED 106.1K
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1995
About AUD
The American University in Dubai opened in October 1995 as a branch campus of the American College in Atlanta, with 165 students. It was founded by Elias Bou Saab with the support of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and in 2000 moved to its purpose-built campus on Sheikh Zayed Road, next to Dubai Media City. AUD calls itself the first American-accredited university in the GCC and Dubai's first private higher education institution. It is accredited by SACSCOC in the United States and licensed by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
AUD is a small, teaching-focused university: 2,395 students from more than 100 nationalities in 2025-26, 168 faculty and a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Degrees follow the US model, with a general-education core, credit hours and English as the language of instruction. Many programmes hold US professional accreditation: ABET for engineering, NAAB for the Bachelor of Architecture, AACSB for business, ACEJMC for journalism and CIDA for interior design.
Admission is rolling and decided quickly: complete applications receive a decision within a week. That makes AUD a practical option for students already in the Gulf who want a US-style degree without leaving the region. Fees are high (about AED 106,000 a year in tuition), but AUD says 45% of students receive a discount or scholarship.
Get Life Ready
University motto
Why students choose AUD
US professional accreditation across key degrees: ABET for Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, NAAB for the five-year B.Arch., and AACSB for the School of Business Administration.
The Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication teaches the ACEJMC-accredited B.C.I.S. in English and Arabic tracks, with full-tuition scholarships for high-achieving Arab students.
Location beside Dubai Media City gives easy access to internships; AUD reports that 92% of surveyed 2023-24 graduates who were employed or seeking work had jobs within 12 months.
Exchange and progression partners include the University of Pennsylvania, Georgia Tech, Bocconi, Sciences Po, IE University and a dual-degree route with Manchester Metropolitan University.
Admissions
Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 entry (rolling admissions)
Selectivity
AUD does not publish an acceptance rate. Admission is rolling and based on an individual assessment of each applicant's school record; required averages vary by school system.
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma (any curriculum) | Attested high school diploma and grade 12 transcript, plus a UAE Ministry of Education equivalency certificate (not needed for UAE Ministry system graduates) |
|---|---|
| UAE Ministry of Education diploma (Engineering) | Minimum subject average in Math, Physics and one science of 75% (Elite track) or 80% (Advanced track); General track students cannot be admitted to Engineering |
| A-levels, IB, AP, French Baccalaureate, Abitur | Accepted; these can exempt students from English and Math tests, and qualifying results (e.g. AP 4 or higher) can earn advanced standing credit |
| Bachelor of Architecture | Online portfolio of three artworks with short commentaries, plus photos of three buildings with a 100-word justification for each |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 79 IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79 or TOEFL ITP 550 for direct entry. Students with IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 68 or ITP 520 are admitted but must take ENGL 100 Developmental English; those below that start in the English Bridge Program. |
Deadlines
- Spring 2027 early application Non-bindingOctober/November 2026
Early applicants get priority class registration. Spring 2027 classes begin 11 January 2027.
- Spring 2027 late application Non-bindingDecember 2026/January 2027
Late applications are accepted through December/January.
- Fall 2027 early application Non-bindingMarch/April 2027
Early applicants get priority class registration. The main AUD merit scholarships are awarded only for fall entry.
- Fall 2027 late application Non-bindingJuly/August 2027
Late applications are accepted through July/August.
AUD publishes approximate application windows rather than fixed dates. Admission is rolling, and Summer I and II sessions have open admission. The 2026-27 academic calendar has Fall 2026 classes starting on 1 September 2026 and Spring 2027 classes on 11 January 2027; the 2027-28 calendar had not yet been published. The ICT Fund scholarship for UAE nationals has published deadlines of 25 July (fall) and 15 December (spring).
How to apply
Apply online directly to AUD (AED 420 application fee), uploading your high school transcript, diploma, English test score, passport and health form; scans are accepted for a preliminary decision. Complete applications get a decision within one week. On acceptance, pay a non-refundable AED 5,000 seat deposit (credited to tuition); the full tuition balance is due one month before term starts.
What admissions looks for
- A good academic standard across the last three years of high school, judged against norms for your school system.
- For Engineering: good grades in Math, Physics and one other science.
- English proficiency at IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79 for direct entry into degree courses.
- For Architecture: creativity and visual thinking shown in the required portfolio.
Tips for applying to AUD
- 1 Start document attestation early: transcripts from outside the UAE need a chain of stamps (your ministry of education, your foreign ministry and the UAE embassy), plus a UAE Ministry of Education equivalency certificate.
- 2 Aim for early application (March/April for fall) to get priority class registration.
- 3 If you have a 90% average, apply for the H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Scholarship, which can cover part or all of tuition and is awarded only for fall entry.
- 4 Submit SAT Math (590 for Engineering, 560 for most other majors) or IB/A-level results to skip AUD's Math placement test.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in AED
AUD says 45% of its students receive a discount or scholarship worth 5% to 100% of tuition. Undergraduate options include the H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Scholarship (partial or full tuition for students of any nationality with a 90%+ average, with financial need considered), the Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication Scholarship (full tuition for Arab students in the Arabic B.C.I.S. track), the ICT Fund scholarship for UAE nationals, partner-school waivers of up to 100% through ASPI, and a 25% tuition remission for each additional sibling.
- 45% (AY 2025-26 fact sheet)
- Students receiving a discount or scholarship
- AED 5,000, credited to tuition
- Seat reservation deposit
- 4-5% per year, according to AUD
- Tuition increases in recent years
Academics
Academic calendar: US-style semesters: Fall (September-December) and Spring (January-April), plus two optional summer sessions
Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
A five-year, 166-credit professional degree accredited by the US National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
B.S. in Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
All four are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Bachelor of Communication and Information Studies (B.C.I.S.)
Majors in Digital Production and Storytelling and in Journalism, accredited by ACEJMC and taught in English and Arabic tracks.
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.)
Taught in the AACSB-accredited School of Business Administration, with a dual-degree progression path to Manchester Metropolitan University.
B.F.A. in Interior Design
Accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
B.S. in Game Design and Development
A newer undergraduate degree on AUD's AY 2025-26 programme list, alongside the university's Center for Research, Innovation and Design (CRID).
Research
- The Center for Research, Innovation and Design (CRID) supports more than 40 courses, and students have earned more than 200 certifications in tools such as Rhino, Grasshopper, Autodesk and Unreal Engine.
- The AUD Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (AEIC), which AUD describes as the first incubator set up by a university in the UAE and GCC, has supported 193 startups.
- The UAE Ministry's classification of higher education institutions rates AUD Group II ('Very Good') among research universities.
Schools & faculties
- School of Architecture, Art and Design
- School of Arts and Sciences
- School of Business Administration
- School of Education
- School of Engineering
- Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication
Of 2023-24 graduates who answered AUD's job placement survey and were employed or seeking work, 92.43% were employed within 12 months (171 of 185).
Student life
AUD's campus combines teaching buildings, residence halls and sports facilities, including a pool, tennis, squash and padel courts, a track and soccer fields. Student life runs through 49 clubs (Fall 2025), from departmental chapters and a debate club to more than 20 cultural clubs representing communities from Afghanistan to Syria, a sign of how international the student body is. AUD Knights teams compete in intercollegiate and international competitions in basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis and swimming, with men's and women's teams in each. Practices are held in the evenings.
- 49 student clubs in Fall 2025, including more than 20 cultural clubs.
- AUD Knights intercollegiate teams in basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis and swimming, for both men and women.
- Students from more than 100 nationalities.
- Exchange partners including the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins, Georgia Tech, Bocconi, Sciences Po and the University of St. Gallen.
Housing. Four single-gender residence halls (two for women, two for men) house 512 students; a shared room costs AED 8,500 per semester and an AED 2,500 reservation fee secures a place.
Location
AUD is on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, beside Dubai Media City in the 'New Dubai' district, which also contains Dubai Internet City and is close to Dubai Marina. The campus puts students near many regional media, technology and business employers, which helps with internships. Dubai is a large, international city, and most students' costs come from housing and transport, so AUD's on-campus residence halls are worth considering.
Nearest airport: Dubai International Airport (DXB)
Notable alumni
- OA Omar Al OlamaUAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; bachelor's degree in business administration from AUD
- MB Maktoum bin Mohammed Al MaktoumUAE Minister of Finance; BBA from AUD (2006)
- MB Manal bint Mohammed Al MaktoumEmirati politician; bachelor's degree in interior design and master's in marketing from AUD
- SR Saman Rafat ImtiazPakistani jurist; Justice of the Islamabad High Court from 2021 until her transfer to the Sindh High Court in April 2026; BBA from AUD (1998)
- EA Elham Al QasimEmirati who skied to the North Pole; business and marketing degree from AUD (2004)
- HB Haifa BeseissoPalestinian-American YouTuber and rapper; studied Digital Production and Storytelling at AUD
- OA Omar Al BusaidyEmirati businessman and author of Just Read It; bachelor's degree from AUD
Frequently asked questions
How much does the American University in Dubai cost per year?
Undergraduate tuition is AED 53,025 per semester, or AED 106,050 a year for Fall and Spring, plus an AED 2,000 services fee. A shared residence hall room costs AED 17,000 a year.
What IELTS or TOEFL score does AUD require?
IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79 for direct entry. Students with IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 68 are admitted with a developmental English course, and lower scores lead to the English Bridge Program.
When is the AUD application deadline for Fall 2027?
Admission is rolling. AUD recommends applying early, by March/April 2027, for priority registration, and accepts late applications through July/August 2027.
Does AUD require the SAT?
No. SAT Math scores (590 for Engineering and Biology, 560 for other majors) can replace AUD's Math placement test, and IB, A-level or AP results can exempt you from English and Math tests.
Does AUD offer scholarships to international students?
Yes. The H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Scholarship is open to all nationalities with a 90% average and can cover part or all of tuition. AUD says 45% of students receive a discount or scholarship.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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