Graduate Admissions Requirements & Program Leaflet

Graduate Admissions

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Applications for admission to AUD’s graduate programs are evaluated by the Graduate Admissions Committee of the respective graduate program, which consists of the Program Director as Chair, two graduate faculty members appointed by the Program Director, and one representative of the Office of Admissions. The Committee employs a balanced approach, based on the principle that ample satisfaction by an applicant, of one or more of these criteria, may to a reasonable extent compensate for deficiencies in one or more of the other criteria used in the applicant’s evaluation.

During preliminary evaluation, photocopies of educational documents can be submitted to make informed decisions. Final acceptance is granted once the University has received all necessary documents including official English translations of all supporting documents. Translations must be literal (i.e., word-for-word).

The University reserves the right to evaluate the adequacy of all credentials submitted for admission. Furthermore, students are reminded that omission or falsification of information constitutes sufficient reason for rejection or dismissal. This dismissal, requiring the President’s approval, may occur at any time during a student’s residence at AUD; i.e., upon discovery of the omission/falsification.

Here is what we are looking for when reviewing your Application

Application, Grades, and Degrees
- An online Application for Admission to an AUD graduate program.
- An undergraduate degree earned from an institution accredited by the Ministry of Education in the U.A.E. or by the relevant national or regional institutional accrediting body in the case of international applicants.
- A 3.00 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) or better in undergraduate study. For students with post undergraduate credits earned at more than one institution, a separate GPA is calculated.
- Undergraduate/Graduate Records: Original, official (sealed) transcripts from all universities, colleges, or other postsecondary institutions of higher learning at which the applicant completed undergraduate and graduate studies.
- Undergraduate and Graduate Diplomas – originals required for verification.
- Confirmation of University Records, required from every university attended by the student before joining AUD to be e-mailed directly from the student’s university to the Office of Admissions at AUD (myapplication@aud.edu)
- Profile and/or Grading system of universities/colleges previously attended.
Attestations and Equivalencies
1. Original, official transcripts of academic record from all universities, colleges or other postsecondary institutions attended by the candidate; to be submitted to the Office of Admissions. Transcripts should be attested by the appropriate higher education authority in the country in which the undergraduate degree was granted, and must be translated into English if they are issued in a language other than English.
  
  • Applicants with degrees granted outside the UAE., should obtain attestation from (1) the Ministry of Higher Education of the country of study, (2) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that country, and (3) the UAE embassy in that country or the embassy of the country of study in the UAE and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2. Statement of Recognition of you’re the applicant’s previous university degree to be obtained from the UAE Ministry of Education for all applicants with the exception of applicants with degrees granted in the UAE and approved by the UAE Ministry of Education (MOE). It is solely the applicant’s responsibility to obtain this statement from MOE.
English Language Requirements
Students must achieve any of the following:
- Academic IELTS™ score of 6.5
- TOEFL® score of (550 ITP [Paper-based]) or (79 IBT), or,
- EmSAT English score of 1550
Students who have completed undergraduate education in an English-medium institution might be allowed admission into a graduate program without demonstrating TOEFL score of 550 (or equivalent). This exemption can be applicable only to those students who undertook their schooling (K-12) plus a Bachelor’s degree in English in a reference English speaking country (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA).

American University in Dubai is an ETS TOEFL ITP® authorized testing center. To check further regarding the test details and booking, please click here
Master of Urban Design and Digital Environments (M.U.D.D.E.)
- Undergraduate degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Urban Design, or Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning.
- Applicant’s design portfolio demonstrating previous design and scholarly work.
- Interview with the M.U.D.D.E. Admissions Committee.
Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Affairs
- In addition to university requirements for admission into graduate programs, an interview will be considered in admitting students to the M.A. in International Affairs program.
M.B.A. Program-specific Admission Criteria
- Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT®) OR the MBA Admission Interview:
- Applicant’s work experience: Candidates who have a minimum of two years of work experience will be given preference for admission.
- Students who have earned their undergraduate degree in an unrelated major may be required to pursue one or more graduate foundation courses. The Graduate Foundation Course Program consisting of various discipline-specific modules is designed to prepare potential students who do not have the necessary competencies in the core areas of accounting, microeconomics, finance, and statistics. These students are required to enroll and satisfactorily complete an appropriate series of non-credited courses in the Foundation Course Program. The courses required from each such student will be determined on a case-by-case basis following a review of the student’s academic record.
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
- To determine admission eligibility, the selection committee assesses an applicant’s history, including experience, skills, evidence of content knowledge, and statement of purpose. An interview with the Dean is required.
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership and Innovation in Contemporary Media (LICM)
- Undergraduate degree: preferably but not necessarily in Communication or in a discipline related to media.
- At least 2 years’ experience preferably in the media industry.
- A Final Interview with the M.A. in LICM Admissions Committee.
Master of Science in Construction Management (M.S.C.M.)
- Undergraduate degree: In Engineering, Architecture, or a closely-related discipline, from a recognized institution.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE®): A minimum of 148 is required in the quantitative section. The Engineering Admissions Committee will also take into consideration the sub-scores in the other portions of the GRE® to assess the candidate's aptitude strengths and weaknesses. Test takers should authorize ETS to make scores available on the university EDM (ETS Data Manager) verification link. The GRE code is 7493.
- A minimum of three years of work experience as a field or design engineer is recommended. Students with fewer than three years of documented work experience will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Engineering Admissions Committee.
- Students lacking the following courses or their equivalent in their undergraduate studies may be required to take undergraduate-level equivalent courses at AUD prior to enrolling in certain graduate courses:
Students who have not taken the above courses at the undergraduate level but have acquired the requisite knowledge in the corresponding areas through continuing education, MOOCs, work experience, or other means may submit a request for a waiver along with supporting evidence for consideration by the M.S.C.M.
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Intellectual Property and Innovation Management
- Selection of students for the Master of Arts in IPIM program will be based on an individual assessment of each applicant and will take into consideration the applicant’s interests, talents, experiences and potential contribution to enriching the learning experience. To this end, an admissions interview with each applicant will be required.
Personal Information
- CV or resume describing professional and academic experience including two Professional or Educational References (with contact information)
- A statement of the applicant’s career objectives, special professional and academic interests, and other reasons why the candidate wishes to pursue their choice of program at AUD, as well as the applicant’s special skills, expertise and interests that might contribute towards enriching the graduate learning at AUD.
- Photocopy of passport, UAE ID (both sides).
- Completed Health History Form. This form must be signed and stamped by a Physician.
- National Military Service letter for UAE (male) nationals.
Financial Requirements

Non-refundable application fee of AED 420. A reservation deposit (non-refundable) of AED 2,000, which is fully applied toward tuition, is required upon acceptance for admission.