FAQs

MBZUAI is based in Abu Dhabi, in a single campus located in Masdar City. Our official workings hours are from 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (UAE time), Sunday to Thursday.

Car parking is provided for all registered students and available for guests.

MBZUAI has a separate legal personality and the full legal capacity to act. It is affiliated to the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

Information about MBZUAI can be obtained through our Contact Us page on the website.

MBZUAI is committed to enriching University campus life by offering students a chance to take initiatives and assume leadership roles through numerous activities and experiences. Students are closely involved in organizing extracurricular activities, major and minor events on campus throughout the academic year.

MBZUAI provides student accommodation on a single occupancy basis with separate male and female student quarters. Living at MBZUAI residences offers students the opportunity to develop their social skills in tandem with their academic potential, while forging lasting friendships and participating in social activities.

All students are given housing accommodation in the Masdar City campus. They will be provided with accommodation containing en-suite facilities, kitchen and living area with TV and internet connection. Facilities on campus for all students include a gym, multi-purpose areas for sports activities, restaurants, coffee shops, and organic food store, plus a canteen that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Masdar City is walkable and pedestrian friendly. It features an integrated and smart network of transportation options to create an accessible, livable community designed to encourage and promote low-carbon public transportation. The transportation options include Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) and in the future, Metro Line and Light Rail Transit (LRT) to Abu Dhabi.

The University is located in Masdar City, a well-situated, thriving area which is home to more than 450 global and local companies. Masdar City features a growing selection of outlets such as banking branches, shopping malls, supermarkets, medical services, pharmacies, restaurants, and cafes. It as an attractive community in which people can live, work, learn and enjoy a variety of recreational activities.

Our campus includes a wide range of services specially customized to meet and accommodate the needs of our students. Students have access to a range of services such as advising, counseling, IT support, health services and insurance, prayer rooms, dining facilities, and student lounges.

A student who meets the admission requirements (refer to https://mbzuai.ac.ae/study/admissions#admission-requirements) may submit an application online at https://mbzuai.ac.ae/register. 

No, there is No age limit.

MBZUAI is commited to promoting diversity, intercultural understanding, and equal opportunity in academic excellence, research, teaching, leadership, administration, and service across the university community MBZUAI does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, religion, sect, or any special needs that students may have. As an institution of higher learning, we welcome a plurality of backgrounds and perspectives.

All students admitted on a full-time basis are granted upon acceptance the privilege to complete their study with a full scholarship including 100% tuition, a monthly stipend and many more benefits. However, and in order to maintain their scholarships, stipends and other benefits, students are expected to maintain high academic standing, comply with the university code of conduct and fulfill certain requirements during their study tenure.

Yes, MBZUAI will accept part-time students provided that they are of high academic standing and have been admitted /approved by the university admission committee. However, they will be subject to paying tuition fees. The tuition fee structure will be published on the website as soon as it’s available.

The list of admission requirements is available on our Admission Requirements Webpage  https://mbzuai.ac.ae/study/admissions#admission-requirements

For applications submitted from Fall 2021 intake onwards: Each applicant has to show proof of English language ability by providing a TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 90 or IELTS Academic with a minimum overall score of 6.5. TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic certificates should be valid during the application process.

Waiver requests from eligible applicants who are citizens (by passport or nationality) of UK, USA, Australia, and New Zealand who completed their studies from K-12 until Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree (if applicable) from those same countries will be processed. They need to submit notarized copies of their documents during the application stage and attested documents upon admission. Waiver decisions will be given within seven days after receiving all requirements.

Please upload a copy of your test score certificates to the online application. You can also have the test score sent directly to MBZUAI using the following institutional codes:  GRE institutional code: 4747 TOEFL institutional code: C582

The University limits the number of transfer credits which may be applied to a specific degree program to 6 Credit Hours for Master’s, and 9 Credit Hours to PhD. Transferred credits need to be offered at the appropriate graduate level, and which have learning outcomes comparable to those of MBZUAI programs from relevant courses with equivalent learning outcomes with grades of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better.

MBZUAI Admission Committee will have the ultimate right to reject/accept the transfer requests for any student.

Students will be allowed to change any information and upload documents prior to the submission of their application. Afterwards, all change and document upload requests have to be sent by email to admission@mbzuai.ac.ae.

Prior to drafting the research proposal, PhD applicants are encouraged to explore the university’s research priorities (https://mbzuai.ac.ae/research) and our faculty’s profiles (https://mbzuai.ac.ae/study#faculty-sec). Research proposal guidelines can be found on the Admissions – Requirements webpage (https://mbzuai.ac.ae/study/admissions#admission-requirements).

During the initial stage of the admission process, applicants are encouraged to select their potential supervisor from the university’s list of faculty members (https://mbzuai.ac.ae/study#faculty-sec). Each admitted student will be assigned a faculty supervisor who will provide guidance in all aspects of his/her graduate studies – academic, research, and administrative.

You are expected to submit your official graduation certificate/s and transcript/s upon securing admission. A degree attestation (for degrees from the UAE) or an equivalency certificate (for degrees acquired outside the UAE) should also be furnished within your first semester at the university. For more details on the attestation and equalization procedures, please visit the UAE MOE website: https://www.moe.gov.ae/en/eservices/pages/servicecatalog.aspx.

We welcome applicants to apply at any time.

Be sure to monitor MBZUAI’s online portal regularly for any updates regarding your application. Pending tasks will delay the processing of your application. Please contact the admission department for an estimated time frame to expect a decision.

Yes, you can still apply, original transcripts and degrees will only be required once an admission offer has been issued.

Students who wish to withdraw should notify the admission office. Applications can be deferred to the following semester or the following academic year, pending approval from the Admission Committee.

It is essential to attend the Orientation program. Please refer to the Orientation dates provided with your admission offer or through contacting Student Affairs. Attendance will significantly ease your transition experience to the University and help in gaining a better understanding of the various academic and administrative services available on campus. The Orientation serves as a platform to get to know your fellow new students, and current students who will be present as volunteers, to assist throughout the program. Please find important dates related to our Academic Calendar on the Study@ page.

MBZUAI will offer three PhD and three MSc programs in three AI specializations: Machine Learning (ML), Computer Vision (CV), and Natural Language Processing (NLP) - open for admission Academic Year 2021-2022.

Applicants can only apply to one program per semester.

The students are required to complete all Master’s programs requirements within 2 years. The minimum degree requirements are 35 Credits. For PhD programs, the requirements need to be completed within 4 years with a minimum degree requirement of 59 Credits.