What Is the American University of Beirut (AUB) and What Should Prospective Students Know?

Updated

AUB is a private, teaching-centered research university in Beirut, Lebanon, founded in 1866 and modeled on the American liberal arts approach to higher education. It is accredited in the US by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, enrolls more than 8,000 students, and teaches mainly in English. It fits students who want a US-style degree in the Middle East across six faculties, from arts and sciences to medicine, engineering, agriculture, health sciences, and business. The sections below cover what is offered, who gets in, and what to check before applying.

What AUB offers academically

AUB's academics are organized into six faculties:

  • Arts and Sciences
  • Medicine
  • Engineering and Architecture
  • Agricultural and Food Sciences
  • Health Sciences
  • Business

Across these faculties, the university offers more than 130 programs leading to bachelor's, master's, MD, and PhD degrees. The main language of instruction is English, so applicants should expect to demonstrate English proficiency as part of admissions. The university describes itself as encouraging freedom of thought and expression and aims to graduate students committed to critical thinking, lifelong learning, personal integrity, civic responsibility, and leadership.

If you are comparing AUB with other options, the useful dimensions are: degree level and field availability, language of instruction, accreditation recognized in the US, and the liberal arts model that requires breadth alongside a major. AUB's own materials do not publish per-program admission statistics, so treat any specific selectivity claim as something to verify with the relevant faculty or admissions office.

Admissions: what AUB says it looks for

AUB states that it seeks applicants with a proven record of academic excellence, intellectual vitality, and civic responsibility. Its equal opportunity policy means students are admitted regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, or nationality.

The admissions section of the site links to the practical pieces you will need:

  • Financial Aid — for applicants who need support
  • Tuition and Fees Calculator — to estimate costs before committing
  • Scholarships, including LEAD scholarship opportunities
  • Visiting Student options — useful if you want to try a term before applying to a full program
  • Majors and Programs — to confirm a specific field exists at the level you want

A realistic first step: identify the faculty that houses your intended program, then check that faculty's page for degree-level requirements, deadlines, and any program-specific tests. AUB's overview pages describe the admissions philosophy but not the detailed requirements, so the faculty pages and the Registrar are the places to confirm specifics.

Planning costs and aid

The site provides a Tuition and Fees Calculator and a Financial Aid section, which together are the right starting point for budgeting. The available material does not list current tuition figures or state whether the calculator requires a login, so do not assume a number or assume free access — open the calculator and financial aid pages directly and confirm what applies to your program and nationality. Scholarship options, including the LEAD scholarship, are listed under admissions; eligibility details should be read on those pages rather than inferred.

AUB and its medical center

AUB's keywords and public identity connect the university with AUBMC (the American University of Beirut Medical Center, also referred to as AUH). The Faculty of Medicine sits within the six-faculty structure, and the medical center is the clinical partner associated with that faculty. For prospective students, the practical implication is that medicine and health sciences applicants should look at both the faculty's academic requirements and the medical center's role in clinical training. The overview material does not detail the admission path for the MD program, so confirm it with the Faculty of Medicine.

Research and beyond the classroom

AUB describes a "vibrant and dynamic research environment" that serves local and global communities. Its research pages point to the Office of Research, interfaculty research centers, research integrity resources, the University Research Board, and volunteer research programs for medical and undergraduate students. For students who want research experience alongside coursework, those volunteer programs are the concrete entry points to check.

How to decide whether AUB fits

Use these conditions to make the call:

  • Choose AUB if you want a US-accredited, English-language degree in Beirut with a liberal arts foundation, and your field is among the six faculties.
  • Check further if cost is decisive — run the Tuition and Fees Calculator and read the Financial Aid and scholarship pages before applying.
  • Confirm directly if you are targeting medicine, a PhD, or a specialized master's — program-level requirements are not spelled out in the university overview.
  • Consider the visiting student route if you want to test the fit before a full application.

The next step is to open the Majors and Programs search, locate your intended degree, and follow that faculty's admissions page for deadlines and requirements.