Graduate Admissions

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Graduate Admissions
Non-degree Admissions
Other Admissions

A graduate applicant must complete an application for admission, including all requested documents/credentials such as transcripts, personal statement, experience, medical certificates, etc. A file for each applicant is prepared by the Office of Graduate Admission to ensure that the applicant meets the minimum university requirements as described by the university catalog. The file is then sent to the appropriate department for recommendation. After examining the file, the department forwards it with recommendation to the dean of the school, who will send the file with decision to the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies for review. A letter is sent out to the applicant giving the type of admission, advising and registration dates, and payment of tuition. The files of those applicants who enroll at AUC are sent to the Office of the Registrar by the second week of the term for which they enroll.

The Enrollment Services together with the Dean of Graduate Studies prepares and prints the Graduate Application Form to be distributed through its outreach efforts.

Criteria for Admission of Graduate Students

The university requires the following minimum standards in admitting graduate students. Actual admissions for a given program may be at a higher level as specified by the department.

Qualifications for graduate programs

Applicants for graduate study must have an acceptable Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree with an academic record at a level sufficient to qualify for full or provisional admission as described under “Categories of Admission” below. Additional criteria such as the following may also be considered when evaluating a candidate for admission to the graduate program:
 

1. Performance as non-degree student showing evidence they are prepared for graduate level courses.
2. Test scores (GRE, GMAT, etc.).
3. Maturing time since undergraduate experience.
4. Work experience in a field related to the program applied for.
5. Strong faculty advocacy with written intent to mentor the student.
6. References from instructor and/or employer speaking to motivation and maturity.
7. Personal interview.
8. Departmental Arabic Language test for TAFL applicants

Qualifications for Ph.D. Degree programs

Applicants must have an acceptable Bachelor of Science degree and Masters Degree with an academic record at a level sufficient to qualify for admissions. In additional to the criteria mentioned above for MA and MS degrees the following may also be considered when evaluating a candidate for admission to the PhD program:
 

1. Academic performance showing evidence they are prepared for PhD level courses.
2. GRE test scores that suggest potential.
3. Thesis Abstract
4. Research interest and objectives
5. Evidence of academic English proficiency prior to enrollment.

English Language Proficiency

An applicant must demonstrate knowledge of adequate English language for graduate studies. For full admission to the University, a graduate applicant must attain the required score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (International TOEFL with TWE), (iBT) or the International English Language Testing System (Academic IELTS) examination. An applicant who does not attain the minimum test score required for full admissions, but who is otherwise qualified for admission is placed in an English Language Institute (ELI) course for further language study.

Exemptions from English Test

The University does not exempt applicants from the English test solely on the basis of citizenship or graduation from an international university in the region. An applicant may be exempted from these examinations if :

• He/ she is currently enrolled in an accredited university where the language of instruction is English.
• He/She hold degrees from an accredited English medium university
• Graduate applicants who have been recently accepted by, or were previously enrolled in an accredited English medium university for at least two semesters are exempted from presenting evidence of academic English proficiency.
• Graduate transfer students, enrolled for at least two semesters in an accredited English medium university, may also be exempted from submitting English results.

Computer and Library Skills

Graduate students may be asked to demonstrate a minimum competency in use of computers and academic libraries as they relate to graduate study and research.

Entrance Examination

The department of major may require applicants to sit for a graduate entrance examination, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for admission to the PhD program, Economics and Economics in International Development, and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for the Master of Business Administration (MBA), whose results will be considered at the time of admission.

Medical Examination

Recent medical report stating that the student is physically and mentally capable of doing university work should be submitted before the semester begins. Non-Egyptian students will need to submit a recent HIV to expedite the issuing of student visa by the Egyptian authority.

Medical Insurance for Non-Egyptian Applicants

It is recommended that non-Egyptian students have health and accident insurance which will cover them while they are in Egypt. In addition, all non-Egyptian students are required to enroll in the medical insurance service plan offered by the American University in Cairo which provides for limited care at a specified hospital in Cairo. Exemptions are made only for those non-Egyptian students who reside in Cairo with their families, or who are provided for by their companies, embassies or sponsoring agencies in Cairo. The medical service fee will be announced by the Office of Student Financial Affairs every year.

Categories of Admission

There are two categories of graduate admission, depending upon the qualifications of the applicant.

1. Full Admission: Full admission may be granted to entering students who have met any of the following requirements:
 

a. A B.A. or B.S. degree with an overall grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 or its equivalent, and 3.0 or its equivalent in the major.

b. An overall average of gayyid giddan on a B.A. or B.S. degree from an Egyptian national university.

c. A graduate degree with a minimum overall average of gayyid giddan or ‘B’ if the degree is closely related to the intended major.

    Additionally, the department of the major may require satisfactory performance on an examination. Full admission may also be attained by fulfilling the conditions specified under the provisional admission category below.

2. Provisional Admission: Provisional admission is granted to those entering students not qualifying for full admission but who have additional attributes that give them a high potential for success in a given graduate program.
Under provisional admission a student may be required to take English courses or a number of specified prerequisite courses. Students are required to achieve a ‘B’ average in these prerequisite courses or their admission at AUC will be discontinued. Students may repeat one of the prerequisite courses to maintain a ‘B’ average, to fulfill admission conditions.

In some instances, students may not be required to fulfill any prerequisites while on provisional status; however, in this case they are considered on probation and must achieve a minimum ‘B’ average in the first three graduate courses or they will be dropped from the program.

Graduate Diploma Programs

The university offers several graduate diploma programs for which the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree and a high grade-point average are normally prerequisites, but for which individual maturity, in-service training, or experience may provide an even more valuable background.

When recommended by program faculty, students may be accepted for diploma programs without commitment or expectation of future admission for a master’s degree.
Diploma applicants follow the same requirements and procedures for admission as MA or MS degree-seeking students.
 

An applicant not seeking an AUC degree but who wishes to take AUC courses for academic credit may be admitted as a non-degree student if he/she meets the minimum criteria for graduate admission. A number of places are set aside each year for such students, most of whom take a year away from their studies at another institution for study and living experience in Egypt. Since AUC is a U.S. accredited institution following an American system, students from U.S. universities are usually able to transfer their AUC credits to their home institutions, but they are advised to check in advance. Non-degree applicants follow the same procedures for admission as degree-seeking students and should enclose transcripts of their undergraduate work and fulfill or meet the English requirements or provide evidence of academic proficiency prior to enrollment in any course.

Upon request, the university may approve a change of status from non-degree to degree student. If a graduate non-degree student should become a degree candidate, the department of major will consider accepting credit for courses taken under non-degree status. All academic regulations applicable to degree students will apply retroactively with such change of status.

Transfer Credit

Upon the recommendation of the student’s department to the school dean in consultation with the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies and the Registrar, a graduate student may normally receive up to six credits for graduate level work completed at a different university. The course work may not have been used previously to earn another degree. Any request for the acceptance of transfer credit towards an AUC degree shall be carefully considered by the department concerned before submitting a recommendation to the school dean for approval. Two major considerations shall be: relevance to the student’s program of study, and time lapse since taking the courses for which transfer credit is requested. Approval of the School Dean must be received for more than six hours of credit.

Summer Admissions

The University does not usually admit degree students during the summer semester, but exceptional cases may be brought to the attention of the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies for consideration.

Readmission

AUC students who withdraw from the University in good standing and subsequently wish to return after an absence of one or more semesters may apply for readmission. Application must be made before the appropriate application deadline, and the applicant must meet all the admission requirements prevailing at the time of readmission. Readmission is offered on a space-available basis and is not guaranteed.

Disqualified or suspended students must petition for readmission in addition to the required readmission application and must meet all the admission requirements prevailing at the time of readmission.
Students who are suspended because they have not passed Intensive English (ELIN 0301  or ELIN 0302  ) in two semesters and a summer (or three semesters if a summer course is not offered) are required to submit a recent International TOEFL with TWE, (iBT) or Academic IELTS and they must demonstrate a level of proficiency for direct admission to Academic English for Graduates (English modules) or higher. Students who are disqualified because they have failed any Academic English module (ENGL 0310 , ENGL 0311  or ENGL 0312 ) three times are required to demonstrate a level of English proficiency for direct admission without any English requirement.
 

English Level atTime of Withdrawal		Lapse of Time		TOEFL /Academic IELTS Required
Completed required		Less than 24 months		No
Academic English modules successfully or satisfied English requirement		More than 24 months		Yes
Enrolled in Intensive English or Academic English		Less than 6 months		No
		Between 6-12 months		Optional
Enrolled in Intensive English or Academic English		More than 12 months		Yes

Auditing

Those who wish to attend individual classes may apply as auditors; however, they may not sit for final examinations, nor receive academic credit or any university certificate of enrollment. Auditors do not have to meet all requirements for regular admission but must apply to the Office of the University Registrar by the deadlines indicated on the inside front cover of this catalog. Since permission to audit is on a space-available basis, applicants are not permitted to register until after the registration of regular students has been completed.