Policy Overview- Graduate Admissions Policy

Definitions and abbreviations:

Admission Regulations

Admission Regulations 

The following admission regulations are followed: 

1. Admission and acceptance of students to UD is valid for only one term. Students who fail to register will lose their admission status and must resubmit their application as a new applicant. The university will only keep the files in its records for two terms after their submission. 

2. Applicants should make sure that all documents required for finalizing their admission are submitted to the Registration Department before registration begins. 

3. The names of UD students on all university documents are spelled in English exactly as they appear on their passports or identity cards. If a name on a passport or an identity card does not appear in English, it will be spelled according to the applicant’s preference. 

4. Applicants, who were denied admission to UD, may file a petition for admission on a conditional basis. These applicants will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for approval by the respective Dean and UD President.  

5. Students granted conditional admission will be considered At-Risk and accordingly, will be closely monitored by the Graduate Program Director.  

Administrative Procedures/ Handling Admissions 

1. Collect all the required admission/transfer documents from each student. 

2. Enter the student data according to passport details in the CAMS. 

3. Issue an ID number for the student.

4. Ask the student to pay the admission fees as per the current fee structure.

5. Complete the student file once all documents and entrance exams are finalized and submitted to the registration department for course booking.

Admission Standards

Admission Standards  

Admissions policies are clearly articulated so that they can be understood by applicants and implemented consistently by decision makers. Applicant information used for admission decisions should be gathered systematically and used consistently. Admission policies provide all requirements considered in entry decisions and should be accessed and communicated through website and brochures to all during the application process. Admission policies should result in:

1. Providing clear and specific requirements based on accrediting body’s standards.

2. Providing established deadlines.

3. Explaining the process and responsibilities of the admission department.

Admission Requirements

The Admission Department accepts applications during the following timeframes:

1. MBA: October, January, March and June

2. LLM: September, January and April 

3. Other graduate programs: August and January 

An applicant must provide the following documents for masters programs:

1. Completed application form.

2. Original bachelor’s degree certificate, official transcript and certified equivalency letter from UAE Ministry of Higher Education. 

3. Copy of valid passport, Emirates ID and visa.

4. Copy of family book for UAE nationals.

5. Four recent passport-size photographs (in color) or in JPEG format file.

6. IELTS, TOEFL or EmSAT scores as stated under the admission requirements.

7. Statement of professional plans and career objectives (250 words).

8. Employment letter for working students.

9. Military service letter for male UAE nationals.

10. Pay admission fee per current fee structure (non-refundable, includes student ID card).

11. Pay a one-time technology fee per current fee structure. 

PhD candidates must provide the following documents:

1. A certified copy of the last two degrees (Bachelor’s and Master’s degree).

2. An original copy of Master and Bachelor Certificates with the corresponding transcripts that will be submitted must be attested.

3. A valid passport copy. 

4. Four recent passport-size colored photographs with a white background in JPEG file format. 

5. IELTS, TOEFL or EmSAT scores as stated under the admission requirements.

6. Two satisfactory reference letters from academicians and/or employers. 

7. An updated CV. 

8. A statement of professional plans/career objectives. 

9. A research proposal.

10. An interview with the PhD Program Committee. 

11. Pay the application fees of AED 3,150 (non-refundable). 

Note: An applicant enrolled in a doctoral program at other UAE-recognized universities who wishes to transfer to the UD-PhD program should fulfill the above admission requirements. Please see S6.3 Transfer Admission Policy for more information. 

Admission Criteria

Admission for LLM Non-Degree Applicants

Admission for LLM Non-Degree Applicants

Students who do not have a bachelor in law admitted to the LLM program are required to demonstrate the potential for sustainable success in their selected graduate program. In addition to the regular admission process for admission to the LLM program, candidates must:

1. Provide two satisfactory reference letters from academicians or employers.

2. State professional plans and career objectives as required in the application form.

3. Attend an interview with the LLM Program Director to evaluate his or her suitability for the LLM Program. 

4. The candidate will be advised on the outcome of his or her application within seven days of the application deadline. 

5. Once the decision for eligibility has been made, the LLM Program Director transfers the file of the admitted candidate to the UD Admissions & Registration Department, to register in the pre-LLM (preparatory courses). The candidate must pass all the pre-LLM courses before starting the LLM program. 

Non-law graduates will be required to undertake three Pre-LLM courses as shown in Table 2 to meet the normal requirement for a student to have a bachelor’s degree in law before entry to an LLM program. The pre-LLM courses are completely redesigned so that they would provide non-law degree holders with the needed knowledge and law background to join the LLM program. The students are required to attend 45 contact hours and pass the courses with no less than 3 out of 4 CGPA.

Table 2: Pre-LLM Foundation Courses

The pre-LLM courses are also recognized as remedial courses for law or non-law graduates, whose cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is between 2.0 and less than 2.5. Law graduates may attend a maximum of nine credit hours (three pre-LLM courses) as remedial preparation for the graduate program. This is based on the discretion of the Program Director. However, non-law graduates will be required to undertake all three pre-LLM courses. The student must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in these nine credits of remedial courses in order to progress to the graduate program or be subject to dismissal.

Regular Admission

1. Completion of a recognized baccalaureate degree in a discipline appropriate for the master degree. A Higher Diploma is not equivalent to a baccalaureate degree and does not qualify an applicant for admission to the masters programs.

2. A minimum cumulative CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent, in the applicant’s baccalaureate degree program in the related area.

3. A minimum score of 1400 on the English language portion of the EmSAT examination, or TOEFL (213 CBT or 79 IBT or 550 PBT or Academic IELTS 6.0 overall. The test scores submitted must be valid (must not be more than two years old). 

4. If the applicant is applying for micro-credentials within the graduate program and the micro-credential is:

   • Offered  directly by UD the applicant must meet the admission requirement of the graduate program.
     

• With any  partnership university or external entities, the student must meet the admission requirement of the program and provide written consent to share their data, personal (passport, visa etc.) and related academic documents (transcripts, grades, certificates etc.) with the external entity (and vice versa) in order to meet any necessary requirements to complete the program.

Conditional Admission

Conditional Admission 

1. A student is considered a conditional student if they do not meet the Regular Admission criteria. The duration for conditional admission is one term, during which the student must sign a declaration stating they will provide the missing requirements. A hold will be placed on the student’s account, and they will be dismissed from the program unless they meet the admission conditions.

2. The student can submit the missing requirements at any time during the permitted period. Once the student submits the requirements  and meets the admission conditions, the hold will be voided by the registration department, and the student will be considered as a student who has fully met admission requirements.

3. A student with a recognized bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 or above on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent and an EmSAT score of 1250 or its equivalent on another standardized test approved by the CAA such as TOEFL score of (530 PBT, 197 CBT, 71 iBT), or 5.5 IELTS academic  must meet the following requirements during the period of conditional admission or be subject to dismissal: 

• Must achieve an EmSAT score of 1400 or equivalent, by the end of the student's first semester/term of study; 

• May take a maximum of six credit hours in the first semester of study, not including intensive English courses; 

• Must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in the first six credit hours of credit-bearing courses studied for the graduate program; 

1. A student with a recognized bachelor’s degree and a minimum CGPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent may take a maximum of nine credit hours of courses studied for the graduate program during the period of conditional admission and must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in the courses studied for the graduate program or be subject to dismissal. 

2. A student with a recognized bachelor’s degree and a minimum CGPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent to a maximum of three graduate-level courses as remedial preparation for the graduate programs . These remedial courses are not for credit within the degree program. The student must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in these 3 remedial courses in order to progress to the graduate program or be subject to dismissal.

Admission for Non-Degree Applicants

Admission for Non-Business/Non-IT Degree Applicants

Students who do not have a bachelor degree from a related or similar program  are required to demonstrate the potential for sustainable success in their selected graduate program. In addition to the regular admission process for admission to the Graduate program, candidates must:

1. Provide two satisfactory reference letters from academicians or employers.

2. State professional plans and career objectives as required in the application form.

3. Attend an interview with the  Program Director to evaluate his or her suitability. 

4. The candidate will be advised on the outcome of his or her application within seven days of the application deadline. 

5. Once the decision for eligibility has been made, the Program Director transfers the file of the admitted candidate to the UD Admissions Department, to register in the remedial courses.  The candidate must pass all the remedial courses before starting the  program. 

Non- degree graduates will be required to undertake three remedial courses  to meet the normal requirement  before entry to the program. The remedial courses are completely redesigned so that they would provide non- degree holders with the needed knowledge and background to join the  program. The students are required to attend 45 contact hours and pass the courses with no less than 3 out of 4 CGPA.

Admission for PhD Applicants

Admission for PhD Applicants

To be eligible for admission into the PhD program, the candidate must satisfy the following conditions:

1. The applicant must hold a Master's degree in a business discipline from a UAE-recognized university. An applicant who pursued their Master's degree in a field other than business administration will be required to take one management and one finance remedial or foundation courses within the current MBA program. There will be no extra cost for these courses. The applicant must have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 in the Master's degree. 

2. It is desirable for the applicant to have at least three years of teaching and/or working experience. 

3. The applicant must satisfy the English language requirement, holding a minimum score on one of the following tests: TOEFL PBT 550, TOEFL IBT 79, IELTS 6.0,  or a standardized equivalent test. 

4. The program does not offer any conditional admission due to either low CGPA or English scores. 

5. An applicant enrolled in a doctoral program at other UAE-recognized universities who wishes to transfer to the UD-PhD program should fulfill the above admission requirements. Up to 25% of equivalent credit hours may be transferred into UD’s program. An applicant dismissed from his/her program at the original institution for any reason, will not be accepted into UD. (See UD Policy S 6.3 on Transfer Policy).

Admission Guidelines for Visiting Students Audit Students Transfer Students

Admission Guidelines for Visiting Students/Audit Students/Transfer Students 

1. Visiting Students 

   • Students must have passed all the prerequisites for the required subjects (original transcripts from the university in which the student is currently studying are to be provided). 

   • Students must provide a copy of the passport and four recent photos (JPEG format file).  

   • Students must fully adhere to UD regulations and rules, including attendance. 

   • The cumulative number of credit hours allowed for the registration of visiting students should not exceed 9 credit hours and such students cannot register for more than two consecutive terms. 

   • A visiting student may apply for a regular student status after complying with the admission requirements of the desired program. 

   • A visiting student may register at any time during the registration period. 

2. Audit Students 

   UD allows individuals interested in a particular course to attend classes as audit students.  The following conditions apply: 

   • The candidate must show some evidence of prerequisite knowledge required for auditing the course (meet the course instructor/Graduate Program Director to clarify this point and state the purpose for auditing the course). 

   • Provide passport copy and four recent photographs (JPEG format file). 

   • Pay the regular course fee as applicable for Visiting/Short course students. 

   • Attendance policy is not mandatory. 

   • Homework assignments/examinations are not mandatory. 

3. Transfer Students

Transfer students must submit original transcripts from the university/college they are transferring from. In addition, transfer students must submit the course syllabus and course description for each course they seek to transfer for credit. Transfer students into a Graduate Program must have received at least a “B” or equivalent for any course they wish to transfer. Students will be informed of the course(s) eligible for transfer within 48 hours by the Admissions Department. For more information see S 6.3 Transfer Admission Policy.

Readmission

Readmission 

All students who have officially withdrawn from the university or have canceled their registration at UD, but who wish to be readmitted, must submit a formal request to the Registration Department. If the student gets readmitted within the allowed period, the same ID will be used. A graduate student can hold his/her registration for up to one (1) year (refer to policy EP 3.22 Academic Progress Policy).  However, a dismissed student will not be readmitted to the university, even as a new student. 

1. A student who has withdrawn or has canceled his/her registration at UD, may be considered for readmission upon submitting a formal request to the Registration Department.

2. A student dismissed from UD on academic grounds may be re-admitted into a different program in a field different from the one from which the student is transferring.

3. A student dismissed from UD on disciplinary grounds will not be re-admitted into the university, even as a new student. 

4. Applications for graduate readmission may be considered if the period of study interruption does not exceed 3 years (6 regular semesters) from the last registered semester. In such a case, the same ID number will be used.

5. Applicants for graduate readmission after longer study interruption periods (i.e. >3 years) will need to meet the current program enrollment requirements as well as ensure exams such as the IELTS and English EmSAT tests are still valid. (EmSAT validity lasts 18 months and IELTS and TOEFL in 2 years) and will be treated as new students (with new ID’s) provided that dismissal from previous study was not based on disciplinary grounds. Courses taken previously are not counted towards graduation and must be retaken.

6. The deadline to receive applications for re-admission is one month prior to the beginning of the intended semester/term.