American University in Dubai

The American University in Dubai was founded in 1995 and delivers an American-style liberal arts and professional curriculum entirely in English. It holds institutional accreditation in the United States alongside licensure from the UAE authorities.

Its schools cover business administration, engineering, architecture and interior design, communication and information studies, education, and liberal arts and sciences. Class sizes are small by regional standards.

The American model means general education requirements alongside a major, a credit-hour structure, and the ability to transfer credit — which is why students sometimes begin here and complete a degree elsewhere, or the reverse.

Admission follows the American pattern and is administered by the university directly.

• A completed secondary qualification recognised for university entry, with the subjects required for engineering, architecture or business.
• English proficiency through IELTS, TOEFL or an equivalent at the published minimum, or an eligible exemption.
• Portfolio submission for architecture and design programmes.
• A recognised bachelor's degree with a suitable standing for graduate programmes, plus references and a statement.
• Attestation of academic documents as required by the authorities, which should be started well before enrolment.

A private institution in Dubai, charging per credit — so the cost depends on the course load you take as well as the programme.

• Charged per credit hour, which means the annual cost varies with how many credits you register for.
• Programme variation — engineering, architecture and business differ from general studies.
• One rate regardless of nationality, as at most private institutions in the region.
• Merit awards are partial and often renewable against a maintained grade average.
• Early acceptance, sibling and early payment reductions are common in Dubai and are worth asking about directly.
• Additional costs — residence visa, medical insurance, and Dubai's high accommodation costs.

Work from AUD's published per-credit fee schedule and your expected course load for your specific programme and year of entry — it is the only figure that will be correct for you, and it is republished every year. We will confirm the current cost and what it includes before you commit to an application.

Funding at AUD is set by the campus itself and is generally merit-based, offered as a partial reduction in tuition and in several cases renewable against a maintained grade average. Awards for early acceptance and for siblings studying together are also part of the picture.

• Merit awards — partial tuition reductions on academic record, frequently renewable.
• Programme awards — attached to a particular degree.
• Early acceptance and sibling reductions — administrative rather than academic, but real money.
• Employer sponsorship — widely used in Dubai, where many students study alongside work.

Check whether an award is guaranteed for the full programme or reassessed annually, and what average keeps it. A scholarship withdrawn in year two is easier to plan for than to react to.

A private campus in Dubai with an American-style curriculum and a very internationally mixed student body.

• A single contained campus in Dubai Media City, with studios, labs and sports facilities.
• An American liberal-arts structure — general education requirements alongside the major, and credit-based progression.
• A very diverse student body drawn from many nationalities resident in the UAE and abroad.
• Active clubs and student government, in an American campus tradition.
• Limited on-campus housing, so most students live at home or rent privately — and Dubai rents are high.
• Dubai itself — well connected internationally, safe, and expensive.

Most students here live off campus, so accommodation cost is a large part of the real budget. Dubai is an expensive city to rent in, and that should be planned rather than discovered.