American University of Beirut

The American University of Beirut seeks students of sound character and demonstrated academic achievement and promise. In accordance with the policies of its founders and with its policy of equal opportunity, the university admits students regardless of race, color, religion, gender, disability or national origin. While it attracts students from more than ninety countries around the world, AUB primarily serves applicants from Lebanon, the Arab world, and other countries in the Middle East, and seeks to maintain geographic distribution within the region. The university values its strong ties with its alumni and considers the attendance of alumni children important to the maintenance of these ties and to the continuation of its traditions.

Application Procedures

Applications can be submitted online via the AUB On-Line application portal for residents in Lebanon at https://www-banner.aub.edu.lb/pls/weba/BWSKALOG.P_DISPLOGINNON. Applicants from abroad can submit their applications via AUB On- Line application portal at https://www-banner.aub.edu.lb/pls/weba/BWSKALOG.P_DISPLOGINNON or through CommonApp at https://www.commonapp.org/apply.

Admission to Undergraduate Study

Students may apply for admission to AUB’s four-year undergraduate program as:

• Freshmen in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences,
• Sophomores/first-year professional students in all the faculties,
• Transfer students from other universities,
• Visiting students, or non-degree students,
• Second-degree applicants.

The Executive Admission Committee is in charge of issuing admission decisions on freshman, sophomore, transfer to sophomore, and visiting/non-degree applications. The selection of transfer students to advanced standing or those applying for a second degree is made by the respective faculties/schools.

All admission decisions are conditional upon evidence of the student having received the certificate or degree (recognized by the Ministry of Education of the originating country) on the basis of which admission is sought and based on evidence of having fulfilled the Readiness for University Studies in English (RUSE). A student is not eligible to register until all conditions of her/his admission are met. Conditions are stated in the letter of admission’s checklist.

Students applying for entrance in the fall term arenotified of conditional admission by early April. Applicants for the spring term arenotified by mid-January. Upon notification of conditional admission, a student can hold a place for the fall term by making a non-refundable enrollment deposit of $1,000 by June 30 or as listed in the letter of admission. This deposit iscredited to the student’s account upon registration.

Students applying as undergraduates should submit the items listed above by the appropriate deadline.

Note: Recommendations, official transcripts of records, and all other documents presented to complete an application for admission are the property of AUB and are not returned to applicants.

Applicants for the Freshman Year

Freshman applicants may apply for admission to AUB’s four-year undergraduate program in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. They may apply for entrance in the first (fall) term or in the second (spring) term. Those applying for the fall term may opt to apply under a special early admission plan. All applications should be submitted to the Office of Admissions by the deadlines specified below.

Candidates for the freshman year are judged primarily on the basis of:

• Their academic record (school grades)
• The results of their SAT

Freshman applicants must submit the following:

The AUB applicantion: https://www-banner.aub.edu.lb/pls/weba/BWSKALOG.P_DISPLOGINNON.

• The Secondary School Record: Official report of grades, including average and rank in class for the two years of schooling prior to the year in which the student is filing the application. Schools that do not provide complete information, particularly average and rank in class, may jeopardize the admission of their students. Applicants should ask officials of the school they have attended over the last two years to send their school grades directly to the AUB Office of Admissions.
• SAT: The SAT is required of all undergraduate applicants except junior and senior transfer students, and non-degree and visiting students. Each student is responsible for registering and taking the SAT. Applicants planning to enroll during the spring term must take the test by the October testing session of the previous year of their planned enrollment. Students applying for the fall term must take the SAT by the December testing session of the previous year of their planned enrollment. For students who take the test more than once, the university considers the highest score achieved in each of the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math sections. Students should make sure to submit their SAT scores before admission decisions are issued (unofficial scores are considered pending receipt of official ones). For details on the dates and locations of the SAT, contact College Board (https://www.collegeboard.org/sat). When registering for the SAT, applicants must enter the AUB code, 0902, and ask College Board to send the scores directly to the Office of Admissions. Students should make sure the results of their last test will be out before admission decisions are issued. AUB will only accept scores received by College Board.
• Applicants to the freshman class are required to present “permission” to enter the freshman class from the Equivalence Committee of the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (*MEHE) and are required to take the SAT. Students admitted to the freshman year are not classified as freshman sciences or Arts. However, the Equivalence Committee at (MEHE) Classifies the freshman students into two tracks: Sciences and arts. A minimum SAT score of 950 for the sciences track, and a minimum of 870 for the arts tracks is required prior to entering the freshman program.
• A photocopy of the applicant’s identity card or passport.
• A non-refundable fee of $50.
• Should a second admissions cycle be opened for selected majors, the non-refundable fee will be $200.

Applicants to the Sophomore Year and All Other Undergraduate Programs

Sophomores/ first-year professional students may apply for admission to AUB undergraduate programs in all the faculties. They may apply to one, two or three of AUB’s faculties /schoolss. Applicants for the fall term may apply under a special early admission plan. Sophomore and other undergraduate applicants—transfer students from other universities, visiting students, non-degree students, and second-degree applicants— may apply for entrance in the first (fall) term or in the second (spring) term. All applications should be submitted to the Office of Admissions by the deadlines specified below.

Candidates for the sophomore and other undergraduate programs are judged primarily on the basis of:

• Their academic record (school grades)
• The results of their SAT.

Undergraduate applicants who are not freshman candidates must submit the following:

The AUB applicantion: https://www-banner.aub.edu.lb/pls/weba/BWSKALOG.P_DISPLOGINNON

• The School Record: The official report of grades for the two years of schooling prior to the year in which the student is filing the application, including average and rank in class. Schools that do not provide complete information, particularly average and rank in class, may jeopardize the admission of their students. Applicants should ask officials of the school they have attended over the last two years to send their school grades directly to the AUB Office of Admissions.
• SAT: The SAT is required of all undergraduate applicants, except junior and senior transfer students and non-degree and visiting students. Each student is responsible for registering and taking the SAT. Applicants planning to enroll during the spring term must take the test by the October testing session of the previous year of their planned enrollment. Students applying for the fall term must take the SAT by the December testing session of the previous year of their planned enrollment. For students who take the test more than once, the university considers the highest score achieved in each of the Evidence-Based Critical Reading and Math sections. Students should make sure to submit their SAT scores before admission decisions are issued (unofficial scores are considered pending receipt of official ones). For details on the dates and locations of the SAT, contact College Board (https://www.collegeboard.org/sat). When registering for the SAT, applicants must enter the AUB code, 0902, and ask College Board to send the scores directly to the Office of Admissions. Students should make sure the results of their last test will be out before admission decisions are issued. AUB will only accept scores received by College Board.
• A non-refundable fee of $50.
• Should a second admissions cycle be opened for selected majors, the non-refundable fee will be $200.

Deadlines for All Undergraduate Applications

Readiness for University Study in English (RUSE)

Prior to registration at the university, undergraduate students admitted to AUB must demonstrate a level of English proficiency consistent with the demands of a program carried out almost exclusively in the English language. This should be done as early as possible (but no later than end of July). This can be done by submitting official test scores for either of the following tests: The AUB English Entrance Examination (AUB EN), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Updated scores to meet the RUSE could be found on the following URL: https://www.aub.edu.lb/admissions/english/.

Applicants may also be admitted with English language proficiency test scores lower than those listed in the URL above. In such cases, the applicants will be required to take remedial or intensive English language courses upon starting their degree programs, as per the URL above.

Upon registering for these tests, applicants must specify that results be sent to the AUB Office of Admissions. The applicant must also send a scan of the results to
admit@aub.edu.lb.

Information and application forms for the TOEFL can be requested from

Applicants who take the TOEFL must use the institutional code number for AUB, 0902, when registering for the test.

For information pertaining to IELTS, applicants should contact the British Council in their respective countries.

Intensive English Course

English Language Intensive/Remedial Courses

Applicants who obtain scores lower than the required ones will be placed a in remedial English course (ENGL102) or in an intensive English course (IEC) (ENGL100A or ENGL100B). Placement in ENGL102 or ENGL 100A/B is done according to the distribution listed on https://www.aub.edu.lb/fas/english/Commskills/Pages/Placement.aspx .

Students enrolled in IEC may register for only one or two regular university courses (a maximum of 6 credits), based on placement in ENGL 100A or ENGL 100B, respectively, thus earning credits toward a degree while working toward achieving the level of English needed for carrying a full course load in the regular program. Such courses are restricted to Arabic and mathematics/statistics/computer literacy courses (maximum 6 credits) in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and equivalent courses in statistics in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business, and the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The length of time required to complete the IEC varies with the linguistic background and performance of the student; it usually ranges between one and two terms, depending on the level of proficiency at the time of entry. However, a student who fails to pass the IEC by the end of the second term loses her/his admission to the university.

Regular IEC attendance is expected due to the intensive nature of the course. Continued class absence may result in a recommendation that the student discontinue IEC.

University Preparatory Program

The University Preparatory Program (UPP) is designed for high-achieving students who have completed the high school/Baccalaureate II/or other secondary school diploma (based on 12 years of schooling starting with Elementary One Class) and who have a limited formal background in English. The 20-hour-per-week English curriculum stresses an integrated approach to listening, reading, writing and speaking. Study skills, pronunciation and research skills are incorporated into the course, which is especially tailored to meet student needs. An additional 6 hours of mathematics and/or science is given to ensure that students are prepared for university work.

It is recommended that students live on campus in one of AUB’s all-men or all-women residence halls and participate in a partial on-campus meal plan. Residence is a mean of fostering an “immersion approach” to language learning, giving students the opportunity to practice their English language skills outside the classroom.

Besides the residence/boarding experience, students have the opportunity to participate in regular AUB extracurricular activities and a series of field trips planned in conjunction with coursework.

Students enrolled in the UPP are accepted into the freshman class at AUB after taking an exit exam fulfilling the requirements set by the Program; and taking the SAT exam to meet the minimum requirements set by the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (Refer to the above section ‘Applicants for the Freshman Year’); students applying to the sophomore class need to take the SAT and go through the normal admission procedure for regular students.

Early Admission

A special early admission plan for fall admission has been designed for students who fulfill the following requirements:

• submission of application form by end of October
• class rank in the top 25 percent in each of the last two years prior to application
• SAT scores (last session considered is the October session), as per the below table:

Admission decisions are issued by the end of January and admission is granted to the first choice of major in each of the faculties applied for. Admission is conditional upon the student receiving the certificate or diploma (recognized by the Ministry of Education of the originating country) on the basis of which admission was sought and on evidence of having fulfilled the Readiness for University Studies in English (RUSE). Students may not register until these conditions are met. Applicants who apply early but are not granted early admission are automatically placed in the pool of all other applicants to the same level and same faculty/school, and are given equal consideration. Decisions are issued by early April.

Applicants for early admission may benefit from early action if they have excellent academic records but are missing one of the class rank requirements.

Applicants for early admission may benefit from early decision if they have excellent academic records but their school does not provide class rank.

Early action and early decision admissions and are subject to capacity and budget availability.

Transfer from Other Universities

Students enrolled at a recognized institution of higher learning may apply for transfer to the sophomore/first year professional level of any of the faculties /schools if they have completed a class equivalent to that of the freshman class of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at AUB.

Admission in the above-mentioned cases is based on the SAT , and school and university grades and applications should be submitted by the deadlines set for sophomore applications.

Transfer applicants to the advanced standing (i.e., those who have completed the 24 sophomore credits or equivalent at other recognized institutions of higher learning) need not submit SAT results. All transfer applicants should consult the appropriate faculty sections of the catalogue, taking particular note of the residence requirement and any particular admission requirements of that faculty. All admitted transfer applicants must submit the most recent transcript of their grades and must fulfill the Readiness for University Studies in English (see https://www.aub.edu.lb/admissions/english/) before registration.

All transfer applicants need to submit the syllabi of the courses for which they expect to receive credit at AUB to the Office of Admissions before April 30 if applying for the fall term. The deadline for receipt of additional missing syllabi is May 30, after which no equivalence will be given for courses. Transfer applicants for the spring term are required to submit the syllabi of the courses by November 30.

Courses of suitable academic standard and in recognized academic disciplines that have been satisfactorily completed at other institutions are given transfer credits only (not grades) pending review by the relevant departments and faculties at AUB. Credits alone may be transferred; grades are not transferable.

Credit for University Work Done at the Secondary Level

With approval of the academic departments concerned, a maximum of 15 freshman credits may be given for high grades on advanced placement (AP) examinations of the College Board https://ap.collegeboard.org/.

Admission of Non-Degree Students

Persons enrolled at recognized universities other than AUB (or who have completed some coursework —at least one term or 12 credits —at other universities) and who have a recognized secondary school diploma, or the equivalent , may apply to take up to 17 credits per term at the undergraduate level in any faculty for the fall term (by end of June, rolling till one month prior to the beginning of classes) or for the spring term (by mid-November, rolling till one month prior to the beginning of classes), using an application available from the Office of Admissions. Admission is normally offered for two terms if the student is joining AUB starting fall or for one term if starting in spring (registration may be extended to another term depending on course offerings and achievement in courses taken at AUB upon submission of a petition to this effect). Courses successfully completed at AUB by a non-degree student not working for a degree may be considered for credit toward an AUB degree if the student subsequently applies for degree candidacy through the regular admission process and is admitted to it. Students whose native language is English, or who have completed two years of higher education in a university in which English is the primary language of instruction, are exempted from the Readiness for University Studies in English for registration (https://www.aub.edu.lb/admissions/english for more information on RUSE).

Admission as a Visiting (Exchange) Undergraduate Student

This category applies to students who are on study abroad or as part of an exchange program. Applicants must be students at other recognized institutions of higher learning having completed at least the sophomore year or its equivalent at their home universities. Applications should be submitted to the Office of Admissions along with the degree and transcript of record by end of March if applying for fall or end of October if applying for spring. Applicants should specify their intended course of study during their visiting status. Admission is offered normally for two terms if the student is joining AUB starting fall or for one term if starting in spring (registration may be extended to another term depending on course offerings and achievements in courses taken at AUB upon submission of a petition to this effect). Students whose native language is English, or who have completed two years of higher education in a university in which English is the primary language of instruction, are exempted from the Readiness for University Studies in English for registration (see https://www.aub.edu.lb/admissions/englishfor more information on RUSE).

Admission of University Employees

Employees of the university who meet at least minimum undergraduate admission requirements are given admission by the director of Admissions as part-time students. Such applicants must take the SAT within the set deadlines and must meet the Readiness for University Studies in English (see page 30) prior to registration. Employees who leave the service of AUB and wish to continue their education at the university must apply for admission in competition with other applicants.

Admission to the Summer Session

Candidates who are not registered at AUB but who wish to join only the summer session must submit their applications before May 1, must hold a recognized secondary school certificate, must be enrolled at a recognized university, and must meet the Readiness for University Studies in English (see page 37). The Director of Admissions evaluates such applications and decides on the admission or non-admission of these applicants. Currently registered students need not complete an application for admission to the summer session.

Readmission/Reactivation

The following factors govern students seeking readmission:

• Students in good standing who withdrew voluntarily shall be granted reactivation to their former faculty if the period between the end of the term or session of withdrawal and the beginning of the term for which readmission is sought is not more than four regular terms. The reactivation petition is available online (https://epetitions.aub.edu.lb/) and must be submitted to the concerned Faculty Dean’s Office one month prior to the beginning of the term or summer session to which readmission is sought. Readmission is then automatic.
• Students who have left the university for more than two years must submit the readmission petition (readmission form) available online (https://epetitions.aub.edu.lb/) to the concerned Faculty Dean’s Office and must receive readmission approval from the office of admissions.
• Students who have left the University while on probation remain on probation for one term and are required to take 12 or 13 credits only. If students do not remove probation at the end of that term, they are dropped from the faculty.

Deferred Registration of Admitted Students

Undergraduate applicants who are offered admission for the fall term and who do not register for that term may be eligible for admission to the spring term of the same academic year, pending availability of places. An email petition should be submitted to the Office of Admissions prior to November 30.

Students who enroll in other institutions of higher learning are not eligible for such accommodation, they will be assessed as transfer applicants.

Applicants who have been admitted to the fall term in two different faculties, and who actually register in one of these, must petition the Office of Admissions prior to November 30 if they intend to use their second admission. Admission to the second faculty depends on availability of places.

Requirements of Admitted Students for Registration

Students admitted to AUB are required to meet several requirements prior to registering at the university. These include a medical examination, the Readiness for University Studies in English (RUSE), and evidence of having received the diploma, certificate, degree or level of university education on the basis of which the student applied and admission was granted. The RUSE may be met in a variety of ways, as outlined under the RUSE section. The diploma/certificate requirement may also be met in a variety of ways, which in turn determines the faculty and level to which a student applies, is admitted, and may register at the university.

Secondary School Certificate/Diploma Requirements for Registration and the Classes for Which They Qualify

All applicants to the freshman class must hold a secondary school certificate awarded either by a public or private school. The certificate must be recognized by the Lebanese Ministry of Education and by AUB. The university does not recognize secondary diplomas or certificates that are based on fewer than 12 years of schooling, starting with grade one (Elementary I Class). For example, the GCE ordinary level and one year of the College d’Enseignement Général et Professionel (CEGEP) do not qualify for admission to AUB.

Lebanese applicants to the freshman class may have followed a high school diploma program that fulfills the above criteria. In such cases, a student must obtain permission from the Equivalence Committee of the Lebanese Ministry of Education allowing them to pursue their higher education on the basis of a foreign (non-Lebanese) program. Applicants are advised to begin the process of securing this permission at least two months prior to the time set for registration at AUB.

This permission can be obtained by applying to the Equivalence Committee of the Ministry of Education.

• Applicants must provide evidence of having lived and studied outside Lebanon for at least two years. Evidence normally consists of proof of legal residence in a foreign country and the official records of grades from two years of secondary education in that country.
• If the years of study abroad took place at the elementary level, then proof of legal residence and school grades should cover three years.
• Applicants must provide a photocopy of their passport or Lebanese ID.
• Applicants must also provide official score reports for the required SAT.

The Equivalence Committee of the Lebanese Ministry of Education requires Lebanese applicants to the freshman class, given that they have received permission to pursue higher education on the basis of a foreign program, to take the SAT .

At the time of registration for the freshman class, Lebanese students should check with their advisors to ensure that the number of credits and types of subjects taken during their freshman year are in compliance with the specifications of the Equivalence Committee of the Lebanese Ministry of Education.

The total score of the combined SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Mathematics, must be at least 950 for the sciences track and at least 870 for the arts track.

Upon completion of the freshman class at AUB, Lebanese students who have secured this permission are entitled to have their freshman class equated to the Lebanese Baccalaureate by the Equivalence Committee of the Ministry of Education. Students must provide evidence of having received the Lebanese Baccalaureate, or its equivalent, for promotion to the sophomore class or equivalent classes in other faculties/schools.

All applicants for admission to the sophomore class, or to the equivalent classes in other faculties, should hold the Lebanese Baccalaureate or its equivalent, as recognized by the Lebanese Ministry of Education and by the university.

Applicants who hold certificates that are equivalent to the Lebanese Baccalaureate are entitled to consideration for admission to the university, but the class to which such equivalent certificates may permit admittance depends on the certificate itself.

Lebanese candidates admitted to the university as non-Lebanese are not permitted to change their nationality to Lebanese in the records of the university unless the requirements for admission of Lebanese students were fulfilled at the time of admission to the university.

Admitting Certificates and the Classes for Which They Qualify

Lebanese Baccalaureates

There are four types of Lebanese baccalaureates: literature and humanities, sociology and economics, general sciences, and life sciences; there is also a technical baccalaureate. For the classes and majors to which the four Lebanese baccalaureates permit admittance, see page 46. The technical baccalaureate permits admission to programs that are similar in nature to the area of concentration of the particular technical baccalaureate.

Certificates Issued by Governments

Other government secondary certificates entitle their holders to apply to the freshman class in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences or to the sophomore or equivalent classes in the other faculties.

Some government certificates are divided into categories of literary and scientific certificates. A literary certificate generally qualifies for consideration of admission to arts or business. However, students with a literary certificate may apply to a science major. Those students are given additional prerequisite courses required for the science major. A scientific certificate qualifies for consideration of admission to all majors (see chart on page 46).

Some systems of education do not distinguish in their secondary certificates among literary, scientific or other types of certificates, but indicate the subjects passed. The applications of holders of such certificates are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Unified Admissions Committee. The university requires certain certificates to show passes with credit standard. Certificates that do not meet this standard are not considered.

Commercial, Agricultural and Vocational Secondary Certificates

These certificates are generally not considered for admission to AUB. If, however, the issuing government recognizes the certificate to be equivalent to the official (governmental) secondary school certificate, a student will be eligible for admission consideration. The class and programs to which such certificates admit depends on the area of concentration of the certificate.

Informal Education Preparation

Requirements of formal education for admission to the freshman class may be waived for applicants who have passed their 25th birthday. Such applicants must, however, meet the specific requirements established by the university committee on admissions.

• ​​ Download PDF