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- American University of Sharjah
American University of Sharjah
| Area: | International Business Exchange |
| Location: | Sharjah |
| Country: | United Arab Emirates |
| Term: | Spring |
***APPLICATIONS WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE SPRING 2025 PLACEMENTS***
The USC exchange program at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) is designed to expose students to Arab life and culture and international business practices. The program is located in the city of Sharjah, the seat of the emirate of Sharjah which has coasts along the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Sharjah is the third largest city in the United Arab Emirates with a population of approximately 900,000 and it was crowned the cultural capital of the Arab world in 1998 by UNESCO.
AUS is located in the University City of Sharjah, which hosts 22,000 students from various institutions of higher education including AUS, the University of Sharjah, and the Higher Colleges of Technology. Although students can expect to be in a diverse, multicultural and modern educational setting, they should be prepared to deal with a more conservative social environment in a culturally-sensitive and appropriate manner. Alcohol is strictly forbidden in the emirate of Sharjah and there is a conservative dress code in Sharjah which is enforced at AUS. UofSC students can expect to be educated on these important cultural differences at the orientation provided by AUS prior to the start of the semester.
Category: 1, no foreign language proficiency requirement, all courses taught in English
Cost: UofSC resident tuition rates + in-country costs
Requirements: junior standing; International Business major
Students on exchange pay in-state tuition directly to USC and do not pay tuition to AUS. All housing, food, and personal expenses are paid by the student in Sharjah. Students' living expenses can differ depending on the individual student’s lifestyle and accomodations. To get an idea of life on site, you will find on the numbeo website indications on the cost of living in the United Arab Emirates compared to other countries in the world.
AUS follows an American credit and grading system. Students are able to take any course for which they meet the prerequisites, given available space. To see courses UofSC students have taken at this university, please reference the Registrar's Course Equivalency Table.
The International Exchange Office at AUS organizes excursions and events throughout the semester for international students, and other departments at AUS also provide regular opportunities to participate in cultural events, excursions, student organizations, sports teams, community service, etc. throughout the academic year. Exchange students at AUS also have the opportunity for individual travel.
Per university policy, all UofSC students will be charged emergency medical, evacuation and repatriation insurance for their time abroad. Contact the Education Abroad Office for more details. With this insurance coverage, exchange students will only be required to purchase the "Plan II" insurance coverage at AUS which will allow them to access the AUS Health Clinic and costs 300 AED/$115 per semester.
Exchange students at AUS are required to live on-campus. There are eight men's and four women's dorms on-campus and exchange students are expected to abide by university regulations regarding curfews and visitors of the opposite sex. Students will be placed in a shared dorm room, but the room can be upgraded if requested. A shared dorm room costs about 9,280 AED ($2500) per semester.
The AUS academic calendar has two semesters, fall and spring. The fall semester starts in August and exams finish in December. The spring semester starts in January and exams finish in May. IB students will attend AUS for the spring semester.
AUS conducts various orientation events during the Week of Welcome prior to the start of each semester, covering gender issues and other cultural differences, practicalities of living in Sharjah and studying at AUS, and local fieldtrips to Sharjah and Dubai. AUS also offers an airport pickup service for all incoming exchange students.
Exchange students who are US citizens are required to apply for a visa in order to enter the UAE. This is a temporary visa which will be sent to all exchange participants via e-mail prior to departure. Upon arrival, participants will have 60 days in which to obtain their final visa with the help of the AUS staff. The visa cost is approximately $200 USD.