Frequently Asked Questions

AUA offers the following graduate degrees:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Science in Management (MSM)
• Master of Science in Economics (MSE)
• Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management (MEIESM)
• Master of Science in Computer and Information Science (MSCIS)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Master of Laws (LL.M.)
• Master of International Relations and Diplomacy (MIRD) (New, pending MOESCS license)
• Master of Public Affairs (MPA) (New, pending MOESCS license)
• Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice (MA HRSJ)
• Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (MA TEFL)

We recommend you review these programs in detail on our Graduate Academic Programs page.

AUA offers the following graduate certificate programs:

• Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (CTEFL)
• Graduate Certificate in Translation (CTRA)
• Graduate Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management (CHHM)
• Graduate Executive Certificate in Management (ECM) 
• Graduate Certificate in Finance (CF) (not offered for Spring & Fall 2023)
• Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics (CDA) (not offered for Spring & Fall 2023)

You can find detailed information regarding these programs here.

Yes, AUA invites students who are interested in AUA to sample our courses on an individual basis prior to applying or enrolling in our graduate programs. Such individuals are defined as non-degree students. For more information regarding non-degree studies, visit here, and read AUA Non-Degree Status policy.

The language of instruction at AUA is English.

Yes. Currently, the Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Economics, Master of Science in Management, Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice, and Master of Laws programs offer evening classes that typically start at 6:30pm. Classes within the Master of Public Health typically commence at 3:30pm. The Master of International Relations and Diplomacy (New, pending MOESCS license) commence classes in the late afternoons and/or early evenings.

Most graduate programs at AUA require two academic years of full-time study to complete. The only exceptions are the MAHRSJ, MSM, MSE, and MBA programs. Students enrolled in these programs typically complete their studies in 18 months for MAHRSJ, MSM, and MSE, and 2.5 years for MBA.

In rare cases, upon prior approval of the corresponding program chair, students may study part-time and graduate within three academic years. Talk to the Program Chair of your preferred program to discuss this option.

No, AUA does not offer any online programs (distance learning) unless otherwise declared by the Government of Armenia in case States of Emergency.

Yes, AUA typically offers Open Classes at the Graduate level. These are actual classes that prospective students can attend one time, at no cost. Email the program of your interest to find information on class schedule, registration process, a list of courses available, and.

No. To change your program of study, you must permanently withdraw from the program and reapply for admission, indicating your preferred program of study, and follow all admissions requirements and deadlines. Visit our Program and Major Change policy for more information.

Graduate tuition rates are listed here.

AUA is committed to providing the best possible education for its students. For citizens of the Republic of Armenia and holders of Armenian special passports for special residency status, AUA provides an automatic 2,000,000 AMD subsidy off the total cost of their education. The University also offers need-based tuition assistance to citizens of Armenia with demonstrated financial need that may discount the cost of education further by up to 90%. There are also a limited number of scholarships available for academically gifted students. Last but not least, international students are eligible for merit-based scholarships that may cover up to 50% of tuition.

Visit this page to learn more 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.

No! If you plan on applying for tuition assistance (available to citizens of Armenia only), you must submit a separate application to the Office of Financial Aid at the same time that you apply for admission. So if you plan on applying for our early admission deadline, you must apply for the tuition assistance by the Financial Aid’s first (early) deadline. For more information about financial aid, visit finaid.aua.am. For a list of their deadlines, visit finaid.aua.am/deadlines.

If you plan on applying for an international scholarship, you must submit a separate Application for International Scholarship to the Office of Financial Aid according to the deadline set by the Financial Aid office here. However, we encourage you to submit the application as soon as possible, when submitting your application for admission.

You may apply to AUA even if you do not have your 10 year special residency status yet. If admitted and enrolled, you will need to sign a contract with AUA. Until you receive your special residency status, you will be considered as an international student.

Therefore, immediately when you receive your special residency status, make sure to email its scanned copy to the Office of Admissions at [email protected]. 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.

Anyone who meets Application Requirements as listed here may apply for graduate programs at AUA.

You can find information regarding the requirements here.

You may receive a waiver to the English Language Proficiency requirement if you studied at least two consecutive of the previous five years of full-time study at a recognized high school, college, or university where the primary language of instruction is English. Applicants applying for a graduate or graduate certificate program may also apply for a waiver if they have completed one year full-time study of the previous five years at a recognized university where the primary language of instruction is English and can demonstrate proficiency in English through other accomplishments. Such cases will be reviewed on a case by case basis For more information, please refer to the English Language proficiency waiver policy at policies.aua.am/policy/154.

For information regarding the target scores and automatic denial thresholds, visit here.

For AUA to receive your official TOEFL iBT test score(s), you must indicate AUA’s institution code (4151) at the time of registration. For the IELTS Academic test, you must indicate AUA’s institution code (40 Baghramyan Ave, Yerevan) during your exam. If you take the home test of either exam, you will need to include the institution codes as well. For more information, refer to the TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic flyers on the “Preparing for My Exams” section here.

For information regarding the target scores visit here.

Applicants must ensure that valid test scores are reported electronically to AUA directly by the testing service on or by the published deadline date to which they are applying. To do so, please make sure to include AUA’s institution codes as follows:

• GRE code 0676
• GMAT code 0284 

LSAT test takers should provide us with their LSAT account number. We will then get the official score report from the LSAC.

You should request an additional score report through your test account and indicate AUA as a score report recipient by putting our institution codes as listed under 2a and 2b in our Application Requirements page. However, note that this will cost you an additional fee and take more time. 

You should submit a complete Application for Admission to Graduate Study online at admissions.aua.am/apply by the published admission deadline dates.

Yes. In your application, you can mention a first and second choice program of interest. While you will only need to submit one application, note that you must write a separate statement of purpose for each program.

Yes. Refer to our Deadline Dates for detailed information.

It is your responsibility to submit a complete application. If you forgot to send a required document, please immediately contact the Office of Admissions and make sure to send those missing documents by email to [email protected].

Note that only eligible and complete applications are considered for admission. Incomplete applications will not be considered not moved to the next available deadline. Hence, you will have to complete a new application for the following deadline.

If you take an official entrance exam after the deadline to which you submitted your application and want us to consider your score, note that it will result in moving your application to the next deadline (if available) for consideration. No new information will be considered after the Rolling Admissions deadline (Regular Admissions for MSM applicants). Please make sure you notify us of this change by emailing [email protected]. Make sure to also send us your official test score. 

Your application fee may be paid online, through bank transfer. You should pay the application fee immediately after you submit your application. We strongly encourage applicants to make payments online as it may take up to 10 business days for your account to reflect Bank Transfer. Detailed instructions are available on the payment page in admissions.aua.am/apply once you have submitted your application.

Your application for admission must include two recommendation letters. Your application will not be considered complete without the submission of both recommendation letters. If you are applying to more than one program, you still should submit only two recommendation letters.

Yes. You may download the form directly from your online application or from our Applications Requirements page under step 3. Hard copies of recommendation letters are no longer accepted.

The best recommenders are those who know you well and can fully assess your ability to perform and succeed in your graduate level studies. Recommendations typically come from current or former professors and/or supervisors from a job or internship.  The recommender cannot be a friend or family member.

While AUA prefers recommendation letters in English, we also accept them in Armenian and in rare cases, Russian. However, please note that your recommender must complete your recommendation using the AUA template, which is only available in English and Armenian.

Recommendation letters should be submitted online or sent via email directly by your recommender. In rare cases, you may bring a recommendation letter in hard copy* enclosed in a sealed envelope, to the Office of Admissions on behalf of your recommender. Hard copies of recommendation letters are not accepted.

If you choose the online recommendation, there is no need for you to complete this information. If you choose the email option, we recommend you complete this information and then send the form to your recommender to complete. Once they complete the file, they should email it to [email protected] directly.

No. AUA will not consider any recommendation letter attached to your online application. Since recommendation letters are confidential, they must be submitted by your recommenders either online or via email. 

In order for your application to be considered complete, you must ensure that you meet all requirements by the deadline date to which you plan on applying, including the submission of your recommendation letters. If your recommender delays the submission of your letter, then please note that your application will be marked incomplete and ineligible.

An important note: If you choose the online recommendation letter option – you cannot submit your application until your recommender submits your recommendation letter.

Yes, you may use a recommendation letter previously submitted with your AUA application as long as it is valid. Recommendation letters are valid for one year. If you plan to use a valid recommendation letter(s) from a previous AUA application, send an email to [email protected] detailing which recommendation letter you would like to be considered by the application submission deadline.

Since recommendation letters must be submitted on the AUA template, you cannot use recommendations provided to you for other purposes.

Applicants who submit complete applications will receive notification of their admission status via email, up to twelve weeks after the deadline to which they applied.

No. Decisions made by the Graduate Admissions Committee cannot be appealed.

Once admitted to an AUA graduate program, you may not change to another degree program. If you are certain that you want to change your degree program, you must first withdraw from the graduate program to which you have been admitted.  Once you have done so, you will have to reapply to your desired program. If application deadlines have passed, you must wait for the next round of admission. Please visit our Program and Major Change policy for more information.

No. AUA practices holistic admissions. We select students who have the skills and ability to succeed at AUA and to assure that AUA is well suited to their educational and career goals. 

As admission to AUA is also competitive, both the Academic Program Admissions and the Graduate Admissions Committees consider your academic and personal information, including academic credentials, professional experience, graduate entrance exam scores, the statement of purpose, recommendation letters, and the interview, if you are invited to one.

Most foreign nationals need valid travel documents to enter Armenia. If required, 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 (evisa.mfa.am).

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 certain countries do not need to obtain an entry visa to travel to Armenia. They can stay in the Republic of Armenia for up to 180 days per year. A list of these countries 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 at mfa.am/en/visa.

Yes. Please visit our Housing page for detailed information.

Yes. The American University of Armenia is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, 1001 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 402, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001, www.wscuc.org.

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.

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, Science, Culture and Sports for spots allocated to students who have considerable achievements in the fields of education, science, arts, sports, and/or culture.