Transfer Students

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Undergraduate Transfer

Undergraduate students may apply for a credit transfer for courses taken at federal or licensed institutions in the UAE, or at recognized foreign institutions of higher education, prior to joining Abu Dhabi University only when they first apply for admission to Abu Dhabi University.

Credits cannot be counted twice toward awards. This means that credits cannot be transferred from a BA/BSc/ BBA degree that the student has already been awarded to the one they are planning to pursue. This is different from a student transferring partial credits taken during their studies and bringing them into a new award. However, credit transfer from a diploma or an A level qualification to a Bachelor degree is acceptable.

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Student Transfer Conditions

All participants need to provide the following documents four months before the expected date of enrollment

  • The student can demonstrate good academic standing (CGPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent)
  • Students who are not in good academic standing may transfer to an Abu Dhabi University undergraduate program in a field different to the one from which the student is transferring
  • Transfer credits for students whose CGPA is less than 2.0 is possible if they are transferring to a major different from the one they are transferring from only if their GPA in that course is C and above and if the learning outcomes are equivalent. This applies to University College credit courses and any other courses taken as electives
  • The transfer of credits may be accepted provided they are deemed equivalent, relevant and at the appropriate level of study to a specific program. The Dean of the appropriate College will decide what credits can be transferred
  • The applicant should have completed successfully at least one full semester in an accredited institution of higher education with a minimum CGPA of 2.0 before an application may be considered for credit transfer
  • The maximum approved transfer credits must not exceed 50% of the total credits toward the program
  • Courses completed at another institution more than five years prior to registration at Abu Dhabi University in the UAE may not be transferable. This will be dependent on the program of study and the recommendation of the relevant Dean
  • Credits to be transferred must be at least at C grade or equivalent at Abu Dhabi University
  • The course credit hours to be transferred must be equal to or higher than the credit hours of Abu Dhabi University courses
  • Courses completed outside Abu Dhabi University with a lower number of credit hours than three can be transferred providing students can successfully pass a challenge exam. A challenge exam, developed by the respective Department/College, will cover the learning outcomes of the course for which the credit is being transferred. The minimum passing grade for the course will be a C for undergraduate level
  • Transfer credits may be given for equivalent Abu Dhabi University courses when, in the opinion of the appropriate Dean, the outcomes of the proposed transfer courses and the level of study are deemed equivalent to that of Abu Dhabi University’s courses
  • The Abu Dhabi University residency requirement for the completion of a Bachelor degree is a minimum of three (3) regular semesters where at least two of these are at the senior level (final year of the program)
  • Advanced Placement Credits (APCs) may be granted after a special review of the applicant’s achievements in the Advanced Placement examinations and the subject syllabus by the appropriate College Dean. Only grades four (4) and five (5) will be considered
  • A credit transfer may be granted from British ‘A’ Levels after a special review of the applicant’s achievements and the subject syllabus by the appropriate College Dean. Only grades of A and B will be considered and credits may only be transferred toward 100 level courses
  • A maximum of 15 AP or A level credits can be transferred
  • All APCs, A levels and other credit transfers will appear on the student’s transcript with a ‘T’ grade and will not be included in the calculation of the GPA
  • Diploma and senior level courses may be transferred based on the College Dean’s recommendations
  • Courses from other institutions with grades of Passed (P), Exempted (EX), Challenged Passed (CX) or Transferred (T) are not transferable. Only courses with the grades of A, B and C, or their equivalents are eligible for evaluation
  • Students may request a re-evaluation of credit transfers if the program they are transferring to was not offered at the time of the admission

Official transcripts as well as official copies of the course outline or syllabi from the previous institution’s catalog are required to be sent to the Admissions, Enrollment & International Relations Department in order to process requests for the transfer of credits. The Admissions, Enrollment & International Relations Department will send the courses for review by the evaluation committees in the Colleges. The process of credit transfer takes up to three (3) weeks from receiving the request.

If credit transfers are rejected, students may appeal for re-evaluation by submitting more documentation relating to the course, or additional course work as proof of equivalency.

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