Undergraduate Program: Frequently Asked Questions

AUA offers the following undergraduate degrees:

» Business (BAB)
» English & Communications (BAEC)
»  Politics & Governance (BAPG) 
» Computer Science (BSCS)
» Engineering Sciences (BSES)
» Data Science (BSDS)

Each is offered as part of a liberal arts education. We recommend you review these programs in detail on our Academic Programs page.

AUA’s undergraduate degrees typically take four years to complete, assuming the typical course load of 5 courses (15 credits) per semester for two semesters per year.

The language of instruction at AUA is English. However, a select number of courses are delivered in Armenian or a foreign language and are noted as such in the course catalog.

Yes. Undergraduate students may petition to change their major during their first two years of study. Petitions will only be considered AFTER the end of the first semester. A change of major is not automatic and depends upon, among other factors, available space in the program applied for and the student’s qualifications and preparedness for the program. Changing majors may require additional coursework and tuition payments and may cause delays in graduation. Please visit link to review the complete Program and Major Change policy.

Typically, 40 courses are required for graduation. Approximately 60% of these courses will be in your chosen major while the remaining 40% will be General Education or elective courses.

No. At this time, AUA’s Bachelor’s Degrees are designed for full-time students. Students are typically expected to take 5 classes each semester, most of which will be offered during the day and which will require approximately 45-60 hours of class time and study per week.

Yes, it is possible. If you are interested in transferring credits to AUA, visit our Transfer page for more information and the policy for detailed information, including general approval guidelines.

Please visit our Deadline Dates page for a listing of our early, regular, and rolling admissions deadline dates.

Yes. All applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee which can be paid online through the online application system, bank transfer, or the Electronic Easy Pay Cash Machine located on the ground floor of AUA's Mail Building. The fees are:

For Armenian citizens and Armenian Special Passport Holders – 15,000AMD

For International Applicants – 30,000AMD

 

All requirements are listed under our Application Requirements page as well as in the instructions of the application. Please make sure to review both in detail. 

Yes. Just remember that if you are in your final year of high school, you should submit your official diploma and final transcript (attestat) after high school graduation to complete the admissions process. If you are offered admission to AUA, it will be contingent upon submission of these documents (generally an attestat for graduates of Armenia based high schools). 

Yes. The American University of Armenia considers the following as proof of high school graduation:

 - Completion of 8 GCSEs passed with grades C or higher - Passing of a minimum of 3 A level exams with a C result or better

AUA practices holistic admissions. Submitted applications are initially screened for technical eligibility. If complete and eligible, the Undergraduate Admissions Committee conducts a thorough review of each application. This process may include an interview. As admission to AUA is competitive, the committee considers numerous factors as outlined on our selection page. 

Applicants who submit complete applications by AUA admission deadline dates will receive notification of their admission status by email, up to twelve weeks after the admission deadline.

A lot of applicants ask us about the difference between the early admissions, regular admissions, and rolling admissions deadline dates. Please visit  this page for more information. 

No. At this time, AUA does not offer spring admission at the undergraduate level.

The application typically launches at im.aua.am in mid-October.

The Office of Admissions holds periodic Application Help Days to assist you in ensuring you are prepared to accurately complete the Application for Admission to Undergraduate Study. For a detailed list of events, including Application Help Days, please check out our list of Admission Events. You may also contact the Office of Admissions to set up your very own personal consultation. 

While individuals and companies may offer you assistance in completing your application for a fee, we highly recommend you work on completing the application yourself and seek guidance (free of charge) only from our office. Regional and international applicants who are unable to visit the AUA campus can send inquiries to [email protected] or request a phone consultation.

You will know your application is complete via email after the Office of Admissions completes a technical eligibility review of your application. This typically takes up to a month after you submit your application. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to our office. 

 

In the extracurricular and volunteer activities section, you should indicate all activities you have participated in the past four years. You are also asked to list awards, fellowships, and/or prizes received and/or leadership positions held within the past four years. If you have any documentation that proves your participation, involvement, or awards received, we advise that you attach them to your online application. However, if you do not have any supporting documents, we encourage you to include these entries in this section, as well.

Tuition rates for AUA’s undergraduate programs are listed here.

Yes. AUA believes in need-blind admissions and that your education comes first. We can help you finance your studies.

Citizens of the Republic of Armenia receive an automatic 2,000,000AMD annual subsidy off the total cost of their tuition. In addition, the University offers need-based and merit-based tuition assistance for Armenian citizens that may discount the cost of education by up to 90%. International students are eligible for merit-based scholarships and, in some cases, need-based scholarships.

If you have concerns about the cost of education, visit this page to learn about the various tools available to help support you in financing your education. We also encourage you to visit finaid.aua.am for more information and to contact a Financial Aid Counselor at [email protected] to set up your own personal consultation.

Yes, you may apply to AUA even if you do not yet have your 10 year special residency status. Please note that you will be charged the international application fee. If you are accepted to AUA, your tuition will be reassessed during the execution of your education contract as long as you have already obtained the 10 year residency status. Please make sure to contact the Office of Admissions with a scan of your special residency status as soon as you receive it. If for some reason there is a delay in receiving your 10 year residency status, please contact the Office of the Registrar to inquire about the possibility of reassessing your tuition.

Yes. The American University of Armenia is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001.

A U.S. accredited undergraduate degree may improve a graduate’s chances of acceptance to an AUA graduate program or a graduate program abroad.

Transferring credits from AUA to another university is no different than transferring credits from any American-accredited university to another university. Students will need to check the other university’s transfer policy.

Applicants must submit proof of English proficiency and math proficiency. For English proficiency, this is typically through the TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic exams. Native and near native speakers are eligible for a waiver.  To apply for the waiver, please visit im.aua.am/TestWaiver/GridView. For math proficiency, applicants should present official results typically from the the SAT or ACT exams. If you previously took the AUA Math test, we will consider valid test scores as proof of math proficiency for the Fall 2020 admissions cycle. 

For AUA to receive your official test scores, you must ensure you indicate AUA’s institution code either at the time of registration or during the exam. These codes are as follows:

     TOEFL iBT – 4151      SAT – 7257      ACT – 6982

IELTS Academic exam results must be sent to AUA directly from the British Council. If you took the AUA Math test previously, your score should have automatically transferred to the Office of Admissions.

You should confer with the Office of Admissions, and/or AUA Extension to get advice on the amount of time typically required to improve your English language skills depending on your level of proficiency. If you are interested in taking courses to improve your English, AUA Extension offers such courses and can be reached at +37460 61-27-06, +37460 61-27-07, or +37460 61-27-03 or via email at [email protected].

You should confer with the Office of Admissions and/or AUA Extension to get advice on the amount of time typically required to improve your math skills depending on your level of proficiency. If you are interested in taking courses to improve your math skills, AUA Extension may offer such courses and can be reached at +37460 61-27-06, +37460 61-27-07, or +37460 61-27-03 or via email at [email protected].

You can work on improving your English skills independently or through AUA Extension which has courses designed to help applicants prepare for the English exams. For more information about AUA Extension, please visit page of AUA Extension. The internet also offers various online preparation materials such as www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/prepare.

No. However, English language proficiency is an important factor for succeeding in your studies at AUA. Applicants with TOEFL iBT scores below the target of 79 or IELTS Academic scores below the target of 6.5 may be offered conditional admission. Applicants with a TOEFL iBT score of 67 or lower or an IELTS Academic score of 5.5 and lower will not be considered for admission.

Prior to enrollment, such applicants will need to take and successfully complete AUA Extension’s English Enhancement Course or study the English language independently and retake the TOEFL iBT (or IELTS Academic) exams by July 15 and score at least 79 (or 6.5 on the IELTS Academic).

Finally, make sure to check out our 2019 entering class profile. Of all students admitted during the Fall 2019 undergraduate admissions cycle, the chart lists their mean test scores. As you’ll see, these scores are higher than the target scores. As admission to AUA is competitive, study hard and score as best you can on your entrance exams.

 

AUA practices holistic admissions and as such, all decisions are based on a number of factors. If you have the time and inclination to improve your score, it is up to you. Note, however, that the test scores are not the only decisive factors for admission to AUA. You should not decide against applying simply because of a score. However, if you do receive a score of 78 or lower, you may be offered conditional admission and must meet the conditions stipulated in your Admission Status Letter prior to enrollment. Conditions may include successfully completing AUA Extension’s English Enhancement Course or studying the English language independently and retaking the TOEFL iBT (or IELTS Academic) exams by July 15 and scoring at least 79 (or 6.5 on the IELTS Academic).

Yes. You can choose to skip the English portion of the SAT exam if you already have a TOEFL iBT score and do not intend to use your SAT score for any other university. AUA requires applicants to demonstrate English and Math proficiency. This is normally done through the TOEFL for English and AUA Math Exam for Math. Applicants who choose to take both the TOEFL iBT and SAT may skip the English portion of the SAT exam – however, this is not recommended. Please also note that by skipping the English portion of the SAT exam, applicants will not be able to use their scores for applications to other universities.

AUA will use the highest valid and official test scores.

No. At this time, it is our understanding that students who graduate high school in Armenia in Spring/Summer 2020 will not be required to take the Armenian Language University Entrance Exam as an application requirement to AUA. Should the Law on Higher Education of the Republic of Armenia change, then our applications requirements may be amended.

Yes. IB graduates whose studies are in the English language are eligible for an English Language Proficiency Test waiver. If your IB studies were in English and you are approved for a waiver, you will be exempt from taking either the TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic exams.

In addition, you may receive credit for courses you have taken during your IB studies. To do so, you must complete the relevant section in the undergraduate application. For more information on general approval guidelines, transfer specifics, minimum grade requirements, and more, visit our Transfer Credit policy at policies.aua.am/policy/126.   

Yes. AUA offers limited affordable student housing in a secure, gated area a very short distance away from the University. Located at Sose 36, the dormitory has two floors for male and female students. Each floor is newly renovated offering furnished double rooms ranging from 12 to 16 square meters and shared bathrooms and showers. The dorms come equipped with a small kitchenette on each floor and laundry service is available on site for a small fee. The dormitory also offers high speed WiFi access. Priority consideration is given to international and non-Yerevan based students.

Starting Summer 2020, AUA will offer a newly built student residence in Dzoragyugh, a short 20 minute walk from the University. The five story building will house up to 61 students in double and triple occupancy rooms, each furnished with beds, side tables, desks, wardrobes, and a bathroom. The first floor will house a hall for communal activities, a shared kitchen, and a study area. The Dzoragyugh residence will be fully accessible for disabled students.

For more information, please visit our Housing page.

AUA’s faculty brings world-class education, teaching, and professional experience to the classrooms and students of the University. They hold advanced degrees from renowned universities including Cambridge, Columbia, Harvard, McGill, MIT, Moscow State, Stanford, Yerevan State, and others. They represent a range of professional experiences including CEOs of leading local companies, entrepreneurs, technology consultants, IT visionaries, media professionals, published authors, government advisors, partners at major global accounting firms, bankers, and more.

Yes. Foreign nationals need valid travel documents to enter Armenia. Individuals must ensure that they apply for and obtain a passport in time to obtain the necessary visas for Armenia. Some countries require that passports have a minimum of six months validity for travel purposes.

Most foreign nationals will be able to obtain a visa at the airport in Yerevan upon arrival for a cost of 15,000 AMD. This single-entry visa is valid for 120 days from your date of entry. You may also obtain a visa from your local Armenian embassy or consulate or via Armenia’s e-visa system.

Notes: AUA issues a letter of invitation for admitted nationals of certain countries to apply for and receive an entry visa to Armenia from Armenia’s diplomatic posts abroad. A list of these countries is posted here.  Nationals of some countries are exempt from the requirement of obtaining an entry visa to Armenia. A list of these counties is posted here. Once you are in Armenia, AUA will assist you in renewing your visa.

For more information about the requirements for your country of citizenship please visit Armenia’s Foreign Ministry website's visa page.

AUA will offer deferred admissions for the length of service to male students who have been admitted to AUA and are then called to serve in the military. Admitted male students who sign a contract with AUA at the time of admissions can ensure that their annual tuition is fixed at the contract rate. This ensures that tuition does not increase during their studies.

According to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Military Service and the Status of Military Serviceman, universities do not provide military deferment to admitted students. If you are interested in obtaining military deferment, please check with the Ministry of Education and Science for spots allocated to students who have considerable achievements in the fields of education, science, arts, sports, and/or culture and the Ministry of Defense for more information about “Es em” and “Pativ Unem” programs.