MBZUAI is based in Abu Dhabi, in a single campus located in Masdar City. Our official workings hours are from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 7.30am to 12pm on Friday.

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

MBZUAI campus is located in the newly developed sustainable area of Masdar City, just five kilometers from Abu Dhabi International Airport. The city is reachable by car in 30 minutes. Taxis are readily available or the Careem car-on-demand application is widely used in Abu Dhabi. View map.

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

The MBZUAI campus provides a new model for sustainable living and working. Covering a wide range of purpose-built facilities, it includes student accommodation, laboratories, a knowledge center, an auditorium, a multipurpose hall, gym, canteen, cafes, and retail outlets.

The campus is located in Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, which is a thriving destination where students, visitors and residents can live, work and conduct various recreational activities. Just like United Arab Emirates (UAE), MBZUAI’s student body, staff and faculty are representative of all corners of the globe. Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate in the UAE. It is the federal capital of the UAE.

Emiratis are renowned for their generosity and hospitable nature. They take great pride in their history and are as welcoming of foreign visitors today as their merchant ancestors were in the past. Everyday life in the UAE is also defined by religion and tradition; Islam plays a major role in all aspects of life, including business etiquette.

Abu Dhabi is a safe, clean and dynamic city with many leading attractions including Louvre Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros., Ferrari World, the Abu Dhabi aquarium, and the soon-to-be-opened Sea World Abu Dhabi. There are many accessible beach and park areas, world-class restaurants, shopping malls, and entertainment venues such as Etihad Arena.

It is one of the most open and progressive communities in the Gulf region, with a modern cosmopolitain lifestyle, modern health and higher educational sectors. It is a terrific place to work, live and study. It offers abundant postgraduate opportunities and a high standard of living.

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. See the campus facilities web page for more information.

All students are given housing accommodation in the Masdar City campus. They will be provided with accommodation containing ensuite 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, an organic food store, plus a canteen that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. See the campus facilities web page for more information.

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 golf carts, the Navya electric bus and Personal Rapid Transit (PRT). In the future, a Metro Line and Light Rail Transit (LRT) to Abu Dhabi are planned.

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. See Office of Student Affairs.

Applicants can only apply to one program per semester.

Students are required to complete all master’s program requirements within two years. The minimum degree requirements are 36 credits. For Ph.D. programs, the requirements need to be completed within four years with a minimum degree requirement of 60 credits.

A student who meets the admission requirements may submit an application online. Visit admission process to find out more.

No, there is no age limit.

MBZUAI is committed 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, the university welcomes a plurality of backgrounds and perspectives.

All students admitted 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. See the admission process webpage for more information.

The list of admission requirements is available on our admission process webpage. There are different requirements for master’s programs and Ph.D. programs.

Each applicant must show proof of English language ability by providing valid certificate copies of either of the following:

• TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 90
• IELTS Academic with a minimum overall score of 6.5
• EmSAT English with a minimum score of 1550

TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic certificates are valid for two (2) years from the date of the exam while EmSAT results are valid for eighteen (18) months. Only standard versions (i.e. conducted at physical test centers) of the accepted English language proficiency exams will be considered.

Waiver requests from eligible applicants who are citizens (by passport or nationality) of the U.K., U.S.A., 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. The MBZUAI Academic Committee will have the ultimate right to reject/accept 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 statement, Ph.D. applicants are encouraged to explore the university’s research priorities and our faculty directory. See the Ph.D. programs webpage for more detailed information on the research statement 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. 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.

Keep checking the application deadlines.

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 timeframe 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 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.

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.

To register for classes, you must complete all your admission and enrolment requirements. Check the online portal to make sure you don’t have any holds and make an appointment with your academic supervisor who can help you register for classes.

MBZUAI believes in creating a close student-faculty relationship from the first class all the way to graduation. For this reason, class size is generally limited to a maximum of 20 students but in most cases would be significantly less.

Students who fail in any course must retake it but will be responsible to cover the costs of the credit hours of that course.

Each student will be assigned to a faculty member who will take responsibility for providing academic advice and monitoring progress of the student in the degree. The faculty will provide academic and professional advice to all students and assist with their course selection in accordance with the student’s academic progress. Faculty will post regular consultation hours when they are available to meet with students.