American University of Ras Al Khaimah
American University of Ras Al Khaimah
The American University of Ras Al Khaimah is a public, non-profit, coeducational university teaching an American-style, credit-hour curriculum entirely in English. It was established in 2009 by decree of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, then Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah, on the site of the former George Mason University Ras Al Khaimah campus, and has been licensed by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research since 1 August 2009. AURAK teaches 23 CAA-accredited programmes - 18 undergraduate and 5 graduate - across three schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business and the School of Engineering and Computing. The portfolio runs from engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence to business administration with six majors, architecture, biotechnology, psychology, and media and communication, with master's degrees in business, education and engineering. Undergraduates complete a mandatory internship before they graduate. The university reports more than 1,500 students from over 60 nationalities on a 1.3 million square foot campus in Seih Al Araibi, with more than 50 laboratories, six residential halls and the 35,000 square foot Saqr Library. Free daily buses run to campus from Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, with a weekend service to Abu Dhabi.
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
5 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
4 years · Undergraduate
Figures are the published 2026-2027 rates from AURAK's tuition page, last updated 20 June 2026. AURAK reserves the right to increase tuition fees and other charges by up to a maximum of 10% per annum.
New undergraduate students with a high school average of at least 99% and Academic IELTS 7.0 or equivalent. A CGPA of 3.75 must be maintained to keep it.
New undergraduate students with a high school average of at least 97%. A CGPA of 3.60 must be maintained to keep it.
New undergraduate students with a high school average of at least 94%. A CGPA of 3.40 must be maintained to keep it.
New undergraduate students with a high school average of at least 90%. A CGPA of 3.25 must be maintained to keep it.
Granted upon review for new undergraduate students. A CGPA of 2.75 must be maintained.
New graduate students with a bachelor's CGPA of at least 3.25. A CGPA of 3.50 must be maintained to keep it.
AURAK admits to Fall (August/September) and Spring (January) for every degree, with an optional Summer session for undergraduates. Entry is set by high school percentage, which varies by school: 65% for Media and Communication, 70% for all business programmes, Biotechnology and Psychology, and 75-80% for engineering and computing depending on the UAE curriculum track. English is evidenced by IELTS 5.0, TOEFL 500 paper-based or 61 internet-based, Duolingo 80, or a pass in the Oxford Online Placement Test taken on campus. AURAK recognises non-UAE curricula and converts grades to an equivalent. International applicants are advised to start at least two months ahead.
Submit an application through AURAK's online application form for the Fall or Spring intake. AURAK advises international applicants to begin at least two months before the intake.
Undergraduate applicants are assessed on their high school percentage against the threshold for the school they are applying to. Graduate applicants need a bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and the EMBA additionally requires five years of managerial experience and an interview.
Provide IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo, or take the Oxford Online Placement Test at AURAK. Engineering, computing and biotechnology applicants must meet subject thresholds in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Biology, or pass the Accuplacer test in those subjects.
Send the personal and academic documents listed with the application, then pay the AED 4,000 seat reservation fee, which is credited against first-semester tuition.
Admitted students submit officially attested education certificates and transcripts by the deadline in their admission letter. Certificates obtained outside the UAE may be given an extension to the end of the first semester. Bachelor's applicants need a high school Certificate of Equivalency from the Ministry of Education; master's applicants need equivalency of the bachelor's degree from the Ministry of Higher Education.
The Office of Administration arranges student visas under the university's sponsorship. Visas are renewed every year.
First day of class. New student orientation ran 26-27 August 2026.
First day of class. New student orientation is on 30 December 2026.
Summer 2027 (undergraduate, optional): Six-week regular summer session; an eight-week internship session runs alongside it.
Fall 2026 admissions application deadline
Fall 2026 last day to add or drop
Fall 2026 last date to withdraw with a grade of W
Spring 2027 admissions application deadline
Spring 2027 last day to add or drop
Spring 2027 last date to withdraw with a grade of W
The Office of Administration arranges student residence visas under AURAK's sponsorship, and visas must be renewed every year. The application needs eight passport photographs, a passport copy, a copy of the secondary school certificate, and payment of the visa fee and security deposit. AURAK publishes a visa fee of AED 2,000 (non-refundable), a visa security deposit of AED 2,000 (refundable after cancellation) and a visa change-of-status fee of AED 900. All applicants for a residence visa undergo medical tests run by the RAK government preventive health department, including a blood test and an X-ray, plus police fingerprinting; failing either medical test leads to deportation to the country of origin. Once the visa is issued the student pays the full semester fee and other mandatory fees, and the visa is collected at the airport on arrival. Students who discontinue or transfer must submit their passports for visa cancellation before departure. AURAK also runs an airport welcome service for new international students.
AURAK draws students from more than 60 nationalities onto a single campus in Seih Al Araibi. Student life runs through the AURAK Student Government Association together with on-campus departments and community organisations, and the calendar includes Global Day, UAE National Day, study abroad, exhibition and museum trips, movie nights and barbecues. Six residential halls sit on campus, and free daily buses connect the campus to Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain.
AURAK has six residential halls on campus, run by the Student Residential Life Department under the Office of Student Affairs. Rooms are single or sharing, in large and small sizes, and single rooms are available on a limited basis each semester; residents who take a single room may still be assigned a roommate if occupancy requires it. Every floor has a common lounge and every building a laundry room with coin-operated washers and dryers at AED 5 a load. Full-time professional staff are on call in the evenings and at weekends, student Resident Assistants run events and connect residents to campus resources, and security personnel are present 24/7 in each hall. Housing contracts run per semester (Fall, Spring and Summer) and rooms are assigned first-come, first-served on payment and registration.
The Alumni and Career Services Department supports students and graduates with one-to-one career counselling, internship and job placements through partnerships with employers, tailored placement matching, and workshops on resume writing, interview technique and networking. It also provides online resources, webinars and industry events, and keeps alumni connected to a global professional network with continuing career-advancement support. Every undergraduate degree carries a mandatory internship before graduation; most programmes run two, one in the junior year and a project-based one in the senior year.
AURAK occupies a single 1.3 million square foot campus in Seih Al Araibi. The university reports more than 50 laboratories and interactive classrooms fitted with smart boards, audio/video systems and campus-wide wifi. The Saqr Library sits in Building J across three floors and 35,000 square feet, holding 26,000 printed books and 300,000 e-books and e-journals with seating for 456. Sports provision includes a multipurpose hall, separate male and female gymnasiums, a walking track and outdoor fields. Six residential halls sit on campus under the Student Residential Life Department, and a Wellness and Mental Health Education Center runs in Building D in collaboration with RAK Hospital. Restaurants and cafes are adjacent to campus rather than inside it. The School of Engineering and Computing also has a new Engineering Lab Building and hosts the Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence Center.
A 35,000 square foot library over three floors in Building J, holding 26,000 printed books and 300,000 e-books and e-journals, with seating for 456. It contains 11 group study rooms, 8 faculty reserved rooms, an 84-seat auditorium, a training room seating 36, four meeting and seminar rooms, a conference room for 16, a computer laboratory with 30 workstations, a special collections room and a technical processing room. The library is open to students, faculty and staff, and to RAK nationals and the RAK business community.
AURAK reports more than 50 laboratories across the university, equipped with advanced instruments and technology so students can put theory into practice.
Six residential halls on campus, managed by the Student Residential Life Department, with single and sharing rooms, a common lounge on each floor, a laundry room in each building, 24/7 security and Resident Assistants on hand in the evenings and at weekends.
A new building housing most of the School of Engineering and Computing's laboratories, with access to advanced tools and technologies for both teaching and research.
A well-equipped gymnasium with a variety of workout machines and separate male and female provision. AURAK lists gymnasium use as free.
Free daily buses to campus for students living in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, plus a weekend service to Abu Dhabi. RAKTA also runs a dedicated bus between campus and RAK City Centre.
A research centre hosted by the School of Engineering and Computing, working on AI and emerging technologies and open to student involvement.
Located in Building D on the first floor and run with RAK Hospital, staffed by a qualified registered nurse. It provides wellness education, daily preventative health care, first aid, treatment for minor health emergencies and medical referrals, and is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
President
Appointed by the AURAK Board of Trustees on 26 August 2025. He was previously President of Gulf University for Science and Technology in Kuwait, having held roles there as Director of Graduate Studies and Research and Vice President for Academic Affairs; he oversaw the establishment of its College of Engineering and Architecture and its QAA, AACSB and ABET accreditations. He is Principal Investigator of the Functional Materials Group, working on carbon capture, gas separation, hydrogen storage and environmental remediation, with more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and conference contributions. He previously held positions at Columbia University, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, EPFL and the University of Fribourg. He holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Fribourg, a Master's in Materials Science Engineering from ENSIACET Toulouse and a postgraduate certificate in Senior Leadership from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Provost / Professor of Systems Engineering
Vice President, Operational Excellence and Financial Management
Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation / Professor of Computer Science
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Building 75, Street Sheikh Humaid Bin Mohamed, Seih Al Araibi, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (postal code 72603)
