Starting Fall 2023, Khalifa University will be offering Bachelor's to PhD direct admission for all its doctoral programs (requirements are listed below).
How to apply

Step 1 : Select the program you want to study at ku

Step 2 : Know the application deadline
  • Admissions for all graduate programs in the College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences are open from Monday, 14 November 2022, until Sunday, 30 April 2023. 

    Fall 2023 Notification of Admission Decisions will be released mid-May 2023.

    All applicants are strongly encouraged to submit the completed application form and all the required documents as soon as possible. 

  • Applicants can apply to only one program per semester. Applicants denied admission in one round cannot re-apply in another round.

 

  • Fall 2023 Admissions for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program is now open until 30 April 2023. For more information, click here.

Step 3 : Review the admission requirements
Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to a graduate program at Khalifa University of Science and Technology must meet the following minimum criteria:


Master’s Degree Program Applicants
  • Completion of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0, or equivalent (e.g. an upper second-class honors in a UK-style degree, from a reputable accredited institution).
  • A minimum level of English proficiency in the form of either:
    • iBT TOEFL (internet-based test) score of 91 or equivalent, or
    • Overall academic IELTS score of 6.5, or
    • 1550 EmSAT English score
  • A minimum quantitative score of 150 in the General Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for admission to all Master of Science programs. Applicants must attempt all three sections of the GRE.
  • A minimum of two referee recommendations (provided via online form).
  • Statement of purpose (500-1,000 words).
  • Admission interview.

Doctorate Degree Program Applicants
  • NEW REQUIREMENT: Completion of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.5 out of 4.0 or equivalent from a reputable accredited institution (for Bachelor’s to PhD direct admission), or
  • Completion of a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline with a minimum CGPA of 3.25 out of 4.0 or equivalent from a reputable accredited institution.
  • A minimum level of English proficiency in the form of either:
    • iBT TOEFL (internet-based test) score of 91 or equivalent, or
    • Overall academic IELTS score of 6.5, or
    • 1550 EmSAT English score
  • A minimum quantitative score of 150 in the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  Applicants must attempt all three sections of the GRE.
  • A minimum of two referee recommendations (provided via online form).
  • Statement of purpose (500-1,000 words).
  • Research statement (500-1,000 words).
  • Admission interview.

 

Doctor of medicine Program Applicants
  • Bachelor’s degree (STEM discipline preferred) from an accredited college or university
  • Cumulative GPA ¬ 3.0; Science GPA ¬ 3.0 (A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for Bachelor’s degrees and a minimum of 3.0 is required for Master’s degrees if the student has post-graduate degrees.)
  • MCAT: Official score must be provided. Scores of 500 and above are preferred
  • English Proficiency as evidenced by:
    • a. iBT TOEFL (internet-based test) score of 91 or greater, or
    • b. Overall academic IELTS score of 6.5 or greater, or
    • c. 1550 or greater EmSAT English score. * Exemption for this requirement may be possible for native English speakers who have completed a degree at an English-speaking university.
  • Pre-requisite courses:
    • a. General Biology with laboratory – 2 semesters
    • b. General Chemistry with laboratory – 2 semesters
    • c. Organic Chemistry with laboratory – 2 semesters, or Organic Chemistry with laboratory – 1 semester plus Biochemistry – 1 semester
    • d. Physics with laboratory – 2 semesters
    • e. Mathematics (College Algebra or higher) – 2 semesters, In addition, it is recommended that applicants have completed at least two courses in one or more of the following: bioethics, business, economics, epidemiology/statistics, cell biology, foreign/additional language, genetics, humanities, immunology, microbiology, physiology, psychology, social sciences, and sociology.
  • Student can meet Technical Standards with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • Three letters of support from professional and personal references. At least one reference must be from a faculty member from the candidate’s conferring university.
  • Non-Academic Experience (Preferred)
    • a. Healthcare
    • b. Research
    • c. Organizational leadership
    • d. Community service/volunteerism
    • e. Design experience demonstrated innovation/entrepreneurship


English Language Test Exemptions
  • Subject to review and approval, the English test score requirement (TOEFL, IELTS or EmSAT) may be waived for an applicant who is:

    • A native English speaker who has completed his/her Bachelor’s/Master’s degree qualification in an English-medium institution, or
    • A graduate from an English-medium institution who can provide evidence of acquiring a minimum overall academic IELTS score of 6.0, or a minimum TOEFL score of 79 iBT (or equivalent), or a minimum EmSAT English score of 1400 at the time of admission to the completed Bachelor’s/Master’s degree program.

    All applicants must provide evidence of meeting the English language requirement by uploading the relevant document with their application, even if he/she may be eligible for an exemption.

Statement of Purpose Guidelines

The Statement of Purpose should clearly outline the applicant’s motivations for wishing to pursue graduate studies at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, as well as any prior achievements that will demonstrate promise for success in their degree. It is recommended that prospective students include the following information in their Statement of Purpose:

  • An introduction about yourself, your interests and your motivations.
  • The reasons for applying to your chosen graduate program at Khalifa University of Science and Technology.
  • What you hope to gain during your studies and any specific issues you wish to address.
  • Your professional aspirations and how you think this qualification will help you achieve them.
  • How your previous studies and work experience, where applicable, relate to the program you have chosen.
  • Other matters you consider important and relevant to your application.
Research Statement Guidelines

The statement should focus on the contribution you would like to make to your chosen field of research. PhD applicants are advised to refer to the Khalifa University of Science and Technology Institutional Research Priorities before drafting their Research Statement.

It is recommended that the Research Statement addresses the following points:

  • An explanation of your research interests and what you hope to achieve through your research.
  • An outline of your experience in this field to date (study, research, project work, publications, etc.).
  • An example of a research project you would like to be involved in (either one you would conduct, or one you have read about).
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Guidelines

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a graduate-level admissions test that has two types: subject and general. A minimum quantitative score of 150 in the general GRE is required for admission to all programs, with the exception of Master of Engineering in Health, Safety and Environment Engineering and the Master of Arts in International and Civil Security, where a minimum threshold is not set. Applicants for all programs should attempt all three sections of the GRE. For more details about the GRE exam please visit: www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about

Required Documents Needed When Applying Online

The following required documents should be scanned in a clear and legible form and be uploaded to the online application:

  • Certified copy of Bachelor’s/Master’s degree certificate (as applicable) 
  • Equivalency certificate issued by the UAE Ministry of Education for applicants that have graduated from institutions outside of the UAE. To apply for your Equivalency Certificate, visit the UAE Ministry of Education Equivalency Certificate page and start the process as soon as possible as it is a lengthy process.  
  • Official school transcript showing the grading scale. 
  • English language proficiency score certificate (IELTS, TOEFL, or EmSAT).
    • Official TOEFL score reports can be sent directly by your institution to Khalifa University of Science and Technology using the institutional TOEFL code 0960.
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score report. Official score reports can be sent directly to Khalifa University of Science and Technology using the institutional GRE code 0822.
  • Detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV).
  • Statement of Purpose (500 to 1,000 words).
  • Passport-style photograph on a white background. 
  • Copy of valid passport. International applicants who reside in the UAE should also upload a clear copy of their valid UAE visa. 
  • Copy of Family Book (Khulasat Al Qaid). This is required for UAE National applicants only. 
  • Valid UAE national ID card (for national and international applicants currently residing in the UAE). 
  • Statement of Purpose (500-1,000 words). 
  • Research Statement (500 to 1,000 words). This is for PhD applicants only. 

Accepted applicants must submit all of their official documents before they register for classes. 

Please note the following:

  • Incomplete applications will not be considered.
  • All documents received by the University are the property of Khalifa University of Science and Technology and will not be returned.
  • Accepted applicants must submit all of their official documents before they register for their first semester classes at KU. Failure to submit all the required official documents in a timely manner will result in canceling your class registration. 
UAE Certificate of Equivalency Requirement for Applicants who hold Degrees from Universities outside the UAE
  • To be eligible for admission to a graduate program, applicants must hold a Bachelor/Master’s degree from an accredited institution, as approved by the UAE Ministry of Education. Applicants holding a qualification obtained outside the UAE must submit a Certificate of Equivalency issued by the UAE Ministry of Education. Please refer to the Ministry of Education website for information on how to apply for a Certificate of Equivalency:
  • Please note that Khalifa University is not involved in the equivalency process. The UAE Ministry of Education’s Higher Education Affairs Division is responsible for assessing applications and issuing the Certificate of Equivalency. 
  • Applicants are advised to begin the equivalency process as soon as possible and prepare all the required documents, including completion of attestation, notarisation, translation or any other processes, before travelling to the UAE.
Modes of Study

Students can be admitted on a full-time or part-time basis, depending on the program of study.

Full-time: Students are required to register for 3-4 courses each semester (9-12 credit hours or equivalent).

Part-time: Students are required to register for 2 courses each semester (6 credit hours or equivalent).

Direct Bachelor’s to PhD applicants must study on a full-time basis.

Enrollment in credits below/above these standard limits for full- or part-time students requires advance written approval.

Employers are encouraged to allow part-time students to attend the University at least one day per week. This is particularly important during the research/project part of the program, as students are required to attend weekly meetings with their supervisor.

Registration during the Summer Term is limited to a maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours or equivalent).


Step 4 : Review the Scholarships for Postgraduate Students

Step 5 : Submit your application
  • The required documents must be scanned and uploaded to the online application in the specified format (i.e. max 4MB PDF for documents, max. 2MB JPEG for photograph). Hard copies submitted in person or by post, or soft copies sent by email, will not be accepted.
  • Each applicant must provide the contact e-mail address of at least two referees, who will be invited to complete an online reference form once the completed application has been submitted.


Tuition Fees
MASTERS
AED 5,000 per credit hour
DOCTORAL
AED 6,666 per credit hour

FAQs

Can I add or change my references after I have submitted my online application?

You may add or delete  references by emailing the Office of Admissions at pgadmission@ku.ac.ae. 

How many letters of recommendation are required and who should write them?

Two letters of recommendation from people who know your academic qualifications are required. 

When does the notification email reach my references asking them to send a recommendation letter

Once you have submitted your application, an automatic email will be sent to your referees requesting them to send a recommendation letter. 

What is the schedule of full-time and part-time study?

The schedule varies from one semester to the other. 

What is the eligibility for the University residences for postgraduate students?

Student housing is available for registered full-time Khalifa University postgraduate students. A rental fee applies per semester and will be deducted from the monthly stipend. Please contact the Student Service Department via email pgr.life@ku.ac.ae for assistance.


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Contact Us
Office of Student Recruitment and Admission
Khalifa University of Science and Technology

P.O Box :
127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
T: 02 3123333
Call Center Working hours :
7:30:AM – 5:00:PM


For Admission inquiries, please email us at: pgadmission@ku.ac.ae

For technical issues regarding the online applications please email us at: servicedesk@ku.ac.ae