Undergraduate Academic Policies

The Academic Policies of NYU Abu Dhabi are summarized below. Unless otherwise noted, students should direct all questions or concerns regarding these policies to their Faculty Mentor, who will liaise with the appropriate members of the university administration as needed.

• Absences

  Guidance on Student Absences Due to Illness:

  Effective fall 2023, NYUAD students will no longer be required to submit a doctor’s or NYUAD Health Center note for missing class on a short-term basis. This decision was made after carefully considering the impact of requiring a doctor's note on students, particularly those needing short-term absences. Other current attendance policies will remain the same and the administration will continue to support the standards established by faculty as outlined in your syllabi. 
  

  We understand that faculty members may have concerns about the impact these guidelines will have on attendance and academic performance. We want to assure you that you should continue to monitor attendance in your class and also encourage you to think about some adaptations you can implement to create lasting pedagogical enhancements that will benefit students who are managing health issues — whether involving physical or mental health — or have other legitimate reasons for missing class.

  Please also take into account these guidelines:

  1. For medical efficacy and equity reasons, we ask that faculty please take students’ reports of illness at face value and excuse short-term absences without requiring a doctor’s note. We hope to help reduce the burden on students that have short-term illnesses that may not require clinical intervention necessary to facilitate their recovery. For this reason, the NYUAD Health Center will not issue doctor’s notes.
  2. It is reasonable to expect students to notify you if they will not be participating in classes due to illness, but you should not ask students to divulge their private health-related information. Starting this term, the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Dean of Students will remind students each semester that they must notify their instructors in the event of an illness-related absence from class. Unexplained absences can be considered “unexcused” and handled in accordance with your class attendance policy.
  3. Up to one calendar week’s absence (modified as appropriate for 7-week and J-Term courses) from class due to illness should be excused. Unless related to chronic conditions, short-term absences typically do not involve formal accommodations via the Moses Center for Student Accessibility. You should direct a student experiencing a short-term illness towards alternative forms of class participation or engagement that you have identified, e.g., reviewing notes or slides posted on NYU Brightspace, getting notes from other students, viewing class recordings (if available), or attending office hours. Please keep in mind, however, that some recovery period may be necessary before the student is able to engage fully with these kinds of course resources.
  4. When a student needs to miss more than one week of class, or has had repeated short-term absences, you should raise an “Excessive Absences” flag in NYU Connect. When you raise this flag, you will have the opportunity to provide comments that will support meaningful student outreach. These comments will not be shared with the student, just with those individuals in the student’s network who can support them. The goal of this action is to ensure that there is a coordinated effort to enable the student’s academic progress in all of their courses. We also remind you that if you become aware of a mental health issue, you should follow the Distressed Student Protocol. You can also raise a flag in NYU Connect, but this will be received by the student’s advisor first. If there is a known time sensitivity, please alert the mental health professionals directly.
• Academic Integrity

  At NYU Abu Dhabi, a commitment to excellence, fairness, honesty, and respect within and outside the classroom is essential to maintaining the integrity of our community. By accepting membership in this community, students, faculty, and staff take responsibility for demonstrating these values in their own conduct and for recognizing and supporting these values in others. In turn, these values create a campus climate that encourages the free exchange of ideas, promotes scholarly excellence through active and creative thought, and allows community members to achieve and be recognized for achieving their highest potential.

  As part of the NYU global network, NYUAD students are also subject to NYU’s all-school policy on Academic Integrity for Students at NYU. Alleged integrity violations are resolved using NYUAD’s Academic Integrity Procedure. View the Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure.
  

• Academic Standing

  The Academic Policies of NYU Abu Dhabi are summarized below. Unless otherwise noted, students should direct all questions or concerns regarding these policies to their Faculty Mentor, who will liaise with the appropriate members of the university administration as needed. Academic Standing is run at a point in time after the semester has concluded (usually two to three weeks). Grade changes and incompletes completed after the academic standing review has been completed do not impact the initial determination of the academic standing and the initial academic standing remains for the semester(s).
  

  I. Good Standing

  NYU Abu Dhabi expects undergraduate students to make satisfactory academic progress toward their undergraduate degree every term and cumulatively to be in good standing. Good academic standing is typically achieved by successfully completing 16 credit hours during each fall and spring semester, and three credit hours during each of two January terms. A student who falls more than four credit hours behind this target, or who has a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of less than 2.00, ceases to be in good academic standing. Additionally, a student who fails to successfully complete at least 12 credits during a regular semester, or who earns a term GPA of less than 2.00, ceases to be in good standing. A term withdraw will result in a student no longer being in good standing until they complete a semester coursework with a full load and meet all other good standing requirements. 

  II. Academic Support

  The university has developed a series of steps designed to help students achieve their academic goals and to communicate with students and their faculty mentors when a student is experiencing difficulty maintaining good academic standing. Typically, coordinating the communication and academic response is handled through the Academic Resource Center (ARC) and the Office of the Dean of Students. Academic support can include such things as tutoring, mentoring, and English Language support. The Office of the Dean of Students can also provide coaching, wellness services and other holistic support.

  NYU Abu Dhabi recognizes that there are situations in which appropriate academic support may include a reduced course load. When a reduced course load has been formally approved by the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education (VPUE), student progress toward the degree is measured against the approved reduced course load rather than against the typical 16 credit hour load. Students who believe that they would benefit from a reduced course load must apply for formal approval through the ARC prior to the end of the add/drop period for that term. Students must discuss their plan with an academic advisor at the ARC and/or their faculty mentor and submit a request co-signed by an advisor or mentor for approval. Approval is at the discretion of the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education.

  III. Definitions

  Committee on Academic Standing
  The Committee on Academic Standing is chaired by the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education and includes the four Divisional Deans or their designees, a member of the standing faculty, and other members as determined by the NYUAD Provost. The Committee meets at the completion of each regular semester.

  Probation
  A student who is not in good standing is considered to be on probation. Students who are on academic probation are expected to refocus their energies on academic success. Unless specifically permitted by the Committee on Academic Standing, students on probation are not eligible for semester study away, course overloads, summer internship or research funding, or extra-curricular travel (including for team sports). Campus employment and membership in student interest groups, while not prohibited, should be strictly limited and not allowed to adversely impact academic progress. Students on probation remain on probation until such time as they return to good academic standing. If a student fails to successfully complete all of his or her course work while on probation, or if after two semesters on probation (consecutive or not) a student has not returned to good standing, s/he will be referred to the Committee on Academic Standing for review.

  Suspension
  Suspension separates a student from NYU Abu Dhabi for a period of at least one semester. It isintended as a time for students to reflect upon the reasons for their academic underperformance and to put in place such measures as will help them to succeed upon their return. Suspended students may opt to pursue university studies at another institution (at their own expense), during their time away from NYU Abu Dhabi. A maximum of 8 credits from such a study may be transferred to NYU Abu Dhabi following the policies and protocols for transferring credit.

  Dismissal
  Dismissal represents the permanent separation of a student from NYU Abu Dhabi. A dismissed student cannot reapply for admission. 

  IV. Academic Review

  If a student ceases to be in good academic standing, s/he will automatically be placed on academic probation. In severe cases, the VPUE may refer such cases to the Committee on Academic Standing to consider enforcing additional support measures such as a reduced course load or mandatory meetings with an academic advisor or mentor.

  The Committee on Academic Standing will review all cases in which a student has been on probation for two or more semesters and still has not achieved good academic standing. The Committee will ordinarily recommend that such students be suspended from the university for a period of one semester. Additionally, the VPUE may bring other students before the Committee for suspension consideration if their performance is particularly problematic—even if they have not had two semesters on probation. The final decision to suspend rests with the NYUAD Provost.
  

  Students who return from suspension will remain on academic probation until they return to good academic standing. Upon return to NYU Abu Dhabi, such students are expected to successfully complete all of their courses with grades of C or better and no withdrawals (W grades). Failure to do so will result in a referral to the Committee on Academic Standing. The Committee on Academic Standing may recommend allowing such students additional time on probation if, upon their return, they are accumulating credits at the normal rate and have a term GPA above 2.0. However, for students who continue to perform poorly upon return, the Committee will ordinarily recommend dismissal from NYU Abu Dhabi. The final decision to dismiss rests with the Vice Chancellor who has sole authority to dismiss students from the University.
  

  V. Non-Academic Review

  The Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education will inform the student of any suspension or dismissal recommendation of the Committee on Academic Standing and enquire as to whether there are non-academic issues so compelling as to suggest an alternate sanction. Students asserting such a claim must document the non-academic issues. In the case of Health and Wellness reasons, this will ordinarily require that the student sign a release granting the Dean of Students (DoS) and the VPUE access to records that would otherwise be protected under privacy regulations. The DoS and the VPUE will review these potentially compelling non-academic issues. In cases where they believe that a significant non-academic reason exists for the academic deficiency AND that there is reason to believe that the significant non-academic reason has been mitigated to an extent that prior academic deficiencies are not likely to be repeated, the DoS and VPUE will produce a formal recommendation suggesting a modification or even complete retraction of the recommendation of the Committee on Academic Standing. When no such non-academic reason exists, the DoS and VPUE will issue a formal statement in support of the recommendation by the Committee on Academic Standing.

  VI. Decision

  The decision to suspend or dismiss a student lies with the NYUAD Provost (for suspension) or Vice Chancellor (for dismissal) based upon the recommendation of the Academic and/or Non-Academic review.

  VII. Appeal

  Suspension and dismissal decisions may be appealed to the NYUAD Provost acting in conjunction with the Vice Chancellor, by delivering (via e-mail, hand delivery, delivery service, or mail) a written notice of appeal that arrives at the Office of the Provost within two weeks of a suspension or dismissal notification being sent to the student. There are only two grounds for appeal: a violation of the procedures outlined in this policy or evidence of factual error. The Provost will advise the student, the Committee on Academic Standing, and the Dean of Students in writing of his/her final determination. The decision of the Provost and Vice Chancellor of NYUAD will be final and binding.

  VII. Reporting

  Academic Standing status will not be recorded on official transcripts or other public documents, or released outside the institution without the student’s knowledge. Academic standing will, however, be part of the student’s internal NYUAD academic record and accessible for advising and mentoring purposes.

   

• Access to Educational Records

  NYU Abu Dhabi is fully committed to the protection of the privacy of student records. To assist with the guarding of this privacy, the university complies with the United States Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This specifically means that any education records maintained by the university and directly related to students, such as grades, transcripts, and test scores, will not be released to others, including parents or guardians, without the student’s consent except as provided by United States federal regulations. Education records refer to any record or document containing information directly related to a student (including computerized and electronic files, audio and videotape, photographic images, film, e-mail, etc.) and are not limited to hard copy documents or to a file with a student’s name on it.
  
  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted by the United States Congress to protect the privacy of students’ education records, to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide students with an opportunity to have information in their records corrected which is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their rights of privacy. FERPA also permits the disclosure by an institution without a student’s prior consent of so-called “directory information” (see definition below), and of other personally identifiable information under certain limited conditions. Students have the right to file complaints with the United States Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office concerning alleged failures by an institution to comply
  with FERPA.
  
  FERPA governs the release of personally identifiable information to both external and internal parties, including other University employees, parents, and government agents. The NYUAD and NYU FERPA Guidelines (accessible as indicated below) describe the circumstances and procedures governing the release of information from a student’s education records to such parties.
  

  Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information
  Among other exceptions authorized by FERPA, prior consent of the student is not needed for disclosure of directory information or for disclosure to school officials with a legitimate educational interest in access to the student’s educational record. School officials having a legitimate educational interest include any University employee acting within the scope of her or his University employment, and any duly appointed agent or representative of the University acting within the scope of his or her appointment. In addition, the University may, at its sole discretion, forward education records to the officials of another institution (a) in which a student seeks or intends to enroll if that institution requests such records, or (b) if the student is enrolled in, or is receiving services from, that institution while she or he is attending NYU Abu Dhabi or NYU New York. Other exceptions are listed in the NYUAD and NYU Guidelines for Compliance with FERPA.

  Additional Information for Students about Records Access: Students may obtain additional information about access to their records from the NYUAD and NYU Guidelines for Compliance with FERPA. The Guidelines may be viewed at  https://www.nyu.edu/students/student-information-and-resources/registration-records-and-graduation/forms-policies-procedures/FERPA.html.
  

  NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU New York have designated the following student information as “directory information:” Name, dates of attendance, NYU school or college, class, previous institution(s) attended, major field of study, full- or part- time status, degree(s) conferred (including dates), honors and awards (including dean’s list), past and present participation in officially recognized activities (including positions held and official statistics related to such participation and performance), email address, and NetID. Email address and NetID are directory information for internal purposes only and will not be made available to the general public except in specified directories from which students may opt out. Under United States federal law, address information, telephone listings, and age are also considered directory information for military recruitment purposes. Address refers to “physical mailing address” but not email address.

   

• Adding and Dropping Courses

  Within the following time frames, a student may add or drop a course (or section) without record on the student’s permanent transcript:

  • The deadline for adding or dropping a 14-week class is the end of the second week of the semester.
  • The deadline for adding or dropping a 7-week course is the end of the first week of the 7-week term. 

  Any student who adds a course after the first day of instruction is fully responsible for all work previously assigned in that course. During the second week of add/drop some courses may be added only with the permission of the instructor. No course or section may be added after the stated deadline. After the stated deadlines, courses may only be dropped in accordance with the NYUAD policy on Withdrawal.
  

  Note that NYUAD students are subject to these add/drop limitations even when studying at another NYU campus, regardless of the deadlines at that campus.

• Advanced Standing

  NYU Abu Dhabi does not award transfer credit for high school coursework or for external assessments, such as AP or IB exams. Advanced level courses, including AP, IB, and A Levels, in some cases, may allow students to place into an advanced course for an introductory course at NYU Abu Dhabi.

  Advanced standing is at the discretion of the Academic Dean of the appropriate divisional area in consultation with the faculty in the discipline. The completion of a placement test may be required. There is no presumption that advanced standing is available in all disciplines. While advanced standing can be used to place into an entry-level course, it does not reduce the total number of courses required in any program and does not transfer into the NYUAD academic record. Students should maintain copies of their AP, IB, A Levels (etc) scores directly from where they took the exam or received the results. NYUAD does not maintain a record of any advanced standing results.

• Attendance

  Attendance is expected in all classes. Although the administration of NYU Abu Dhabi does not supervise or record attendance of classes, it supports the standards established by instructors. Students who, in the judgment of the instructor, have not substantially met the requirements of the course or who have been excessively absent may receive a grade deduction, including the possibility of an F, and/or may be considered to have withdrawn unofficially (see the policy on Withdrawal).

  See new guidelines on absences from class due to illness in the Absences tab. 

• Auditing

  Students will be permitted to audit an NYUAD undergraduate course outside their degree required coursework with the permission of the course’s primary instructor and on a space available basis. Audited courses may not be converted to a for-credit basis after the add/drop deadline and will not be reflected on a student’s transcript. Audited courses count towards the total credit load a student can register for in a semester and requests must be submitted before the add/drop deadline for the class. Audit requests are not processed until the first week of the semester or session. 

  Students are not able to audit courses that they have previously taken (including previously taken classes with an incomplete grade). All audit requests will be processed the first week of the semester. Students are not able to audit summer, J-Term classes and courses required for their major.

  Only NYU (NYUAD) degree seeking admitted students are eligible to audit classes.

• Commencement Marching Eligibility

  Students may participate in the NYUAD Commencement Ceremony if:

  • They have met all requirements for graduation and have not previously marched in anticipation of the degree being conferred; or
  • They are registered for all courses necessary to graduate in the spring term immediately preceding Commencement or the summer term immediately following Commencement (no fall or January-Term enrollment needed after the commencement month) - regardless of whether or not all such courses are successfully completed by Commencement.
  • Students who need coursework in the following fall semester (or later) are not eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony until the following year. Students must be on track to complete all degree requirements by the Spring or Summer semester to participate in the commencement ceremony for that year. 

  Notes:

  • Students with expected graduation terms through the following fall are eligible to participate in Ma’a Salama. Students who need a following J-Term session can participate in the Ma'a Salama in the following year.
  • GPA standards for Latin honors and Founder's Day (University Scholars) awards are derived from spring graduating cohorts.
    • Eligible students who complete their degree after the spring semester will be awarded Latin honors at the time of their degree conferral.
    • Eligible students who complete their degree after the spring semester will be awarded the annual NYU Founder's Day Award (University Scholars) in the following award year, published annually on April 21^st, and not for the commencement ceremony.
• Course Load

  NYU Abu Dhabi requires students to complete 128 credit hours to graduate. Students generally take eight four-credit courses per year and two J-Term courses in their first two years. However, as not all courses within the NYU system are four-credit courses, course load is measured in credit hours. Students must average 16 credit hours per regular semester, and may not generally take more than 18 credit hours in any one term. Academic standing may be impacted negatively for students that enroll in less than 16 credits in a semester.
  
  NYU Abu Dhabi believes firmly that four years is the appropriate amount of time for students to take optimal advantage of NYUAD’s unique course structure, global programming, and co-curricular experiences. Students interested in accelerating or extending their degree programs must consult with their faculty mentors and the NYUAD Dean of Students to determine eligibility.
  
  Faculty mentors will work closely with students to ensure a balance in academic workload, particularly as students take advantage of NYUAD’s scheduling system and the availability of 7-week courses.
  
  In exceptional circumstances during the last year of studies, students who wish to take fewer than 16 credit hours per semester must also obtain the permission of their mentor and the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs in order to ensure a course of study that allows the student to make normal progress toward a degree. No student may take fewer than 12 credits per regular semester.

  Withdrawn courses count toward your attempted credits in a semester/session. Since the withdrawn class counts toward the overall enrolled credit total students are not able to replace the credits with another course registration during the same semester/session. Withdrawn classes can impact a student's academic standing negatively. 

  Non-Sanctioned Leave
  Students who are not enrolled for one or more semesters are placed on non-sanctioned leave discontinued/withdrawn from the university and would need to reapply (if they are not on an approved leave of absence). 

  Stipend Impact of Less than 12 Credits
  Enrolling in, dropping below, and/or withdrawing below 12 credits in any semester will impact stipends without prior approval from the Academic Resource Center (ARC). Students should check with nyuad.studentfinances@nyu.edu for additional information on how taking less than 12 credits impacts any stipends.

  See Overloading Policy.
  

• Degree Completion in Residence

  Students normally complete an undergraduate degree within four to five years. Students must be in residence in Abu Dhabi for their final semester of enrollment (immediately prior to graduation) except in rare cases where completion from home in absentia may be considered for students within 8 credits of graduation.

  Undergraduate and graduate students must complete all degree requirements within a period of seven years from the first semester of matriculation. Graduate students may have a shorter period to complete their degree depending on the program (refer to the Graduate Studies Program for additional information). 

  Students who are eligible for readmission after an extended absence from NYU Abu Dhabi will have their records evaluated upon readmission to determine the remaining time permitted to complete the degree. If it the remaining coursework for degree completion would go beyond seven years the student would not be eligible for readmission. Students on approved military leave will have their time to degree completion extended to correspond with their military service years.

• Double Counting

  A course may count toward more than one requirement. For example, the same course may count toward both a major and toward a multi-disciplinary minor or toward two different majors. However, there are limitations to double counting.

  1. For double majors, each major must include a minimum of 30 credits that are not counted toward any other major.
  2. All minors must include a minimum of at least two courses that are not counted toward any other set of major or minor requirements.
  3. With the exception of Course Tags (see point 5) courses counting towards Core requirements cannot count for any other more than one degree requirement.
  4. No individual course may be counted toward the Art, Design, and Technology; Cultural Exploration and Analysis; Data and Discovery; or Structures of Thought and Society Core requirements and simultaneously toward a major or minor.
  5. Courses may satisfy Islamic Studies, Quantitative Reasoning, and Experimental Inquiry and still be utilized to meet other requirements.
  6. Colloquia courses cannot be double counted and can only be used toward the Colloquia core requirement.

  This limited double-counting policy is intended to create flexibility for students and to allow them to highlight the disciplinary and subject matter clusters they have chosen to study.

  Students should choose minors with a sense of academic purpose, not as an accidental result of NYUAD’s extensive cross-listing of courses, which reflects our commitment to work across disciplines.

  Students receive the total credit for class one time - not twice - when a double count is allowed. Example: If a student counts a 4-credit class towards two degree requirements the course will only count as 4-credits (and not 8-credits).
  

• Double Majors, Minors, and Core Requirements

  All final updates to major, minor, core requirements must be submitted by the student no later than the end of add/drop of the final spring or fall semester of enrollment. Students completing their degree requirements in the summer or J-Term must finalize their degree major and minor declaration(s) and core options in the preceding fall or spring semester. Students starting in the Fall 2024 semester and later can only choose the updated core requirements from 2024 and forward. 

  Students may complete a maximum of two majors if both majors can be accommodated during their four years at NYU Abu Dhabi and so long as each major includes at least 30 credits that are not used for the other major. Alternatively, they may complete a minor, which is offered in disciplinary and multidisciplinary areas. The final transcript contains the major and minors awarded (diplomas only indicate if a student receives a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts from the primary capstone - and does not contain the information on the discipline/s in which the student majored). 

  Minors generally require four or five courses. So that students may take full advantage of the breadth of the curriculum and not focus too narrowly on just one or two areas, students are encouraged to explore the option of completing a minor rather than a full second major. Students may complete up to two minors if both minors and the major can be completed within eight semesters and are on track to complete their major coursework. Students studying beyond eight semesters would need to drop any non-required minors that are not part of the major requirements. 

  Students with double majors are required to complete only one Capstone Project in what is recognized as their primary major. In lieu of a second Capstone, students must complete two additional courses in their non-primary major. A student’s degree, Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc), is determined by the student’s primary major and do not graduate with both a BA and BSc.

  Funding is not available after eight semesters of study for students pursuing a dual degree. Furthermore, students are not able to pursue any non-required minors and are dropped from them once additional semester funding is approved.

  NYUAD does not permit students to pursue more than two majors according to guidance and regulations of the accrediting bodies. 

• Exemptions

  All exemptions related to the completion of degree requirements are by application to the appropriate Academic Dean.

• Final Semester Assessments

  Scheduling Final Assessments

  Scheduled class periods should generally be used for course instruction and not for final, comprehensive summative course assessment. Comprehensive in-class final assessments such as final exams should be scheduled during the official final examination period at the date and time assigned by the Registrar. The sole exception to this is for courses with multiple graded components such as Foundations of Science. In these cases, final exams in the lab or studio portion of the course may be held during the final regular lab or studio period

  Comprehensive out-of-class final assessments may be scheduled for submission during the last week of the semester or during finals week at the discretion of the instructor and as indicated in the syllabus. However, instructors should remain cognizant of other student responsibilities during this busy period and may not schedule due dates any later than the official end of the final exam period.

  Summative assessments that are not comprehensive and are intended to assess only the final portion of the course, maybe scheduled during the last week of classes. Instructors, though, are encouraged to use the official final exam period for this type of assessment as well, unless the course also includes a comprehensive final assessment during the official exam period.

  No assignment of any kind may be due on scheduled exam reading days nor later than 8:00 pm on the final day of the exam period.

  Weighting of Final Assessments

  Other than Capstone Projects, no single in-class or final exam period assignment may constitute more than 40% of the overall grade for a course. Take-home assignments without time constraints may be weighted more heavily if appropriate for a particular course but should be considered an exception to general institutional practice.

  Proctoring of Assessments

  Faculty members and/or assigned course instructors are expected to be physically present during the administration of the final examination in order to answer any questions and ensure high standards of academic integrity. When they are unable to do so, the division dean must be informed and see that appropriate proctors (instructional staff) are provided for each examination. Any unusual circumstances or instances of possible academic integrity violations should be brought to the attention of the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs within 24 hours.

  Missing a Final Exam

  If a student anticipates being unable to attend a final exam, s/he should reach out to the instructor as far in advance as possible. Instructors have broad latitude to determine what qualifies as sufficient advanced notice and may, in exceptional cases, allow for notice even after an exam has begun.

  Consistent with NYU policies concerning absence for religious reasons, faculty are required to accommodate students who provide advanced notice of their inability to be present for a scheduled exam due to religious reasons. Although faculty are not obligated to make accommodations for any reason other than religious observance, faculty are encouraged to accommodate students who miss an exam for a legitimate reason—as determined by the faculty member.

  When an accommodation is made, there is no requirement that the accommodation be an alternative exam, but could instead include an assessment of a different format and/or a reweighting of other assignments.

  Instructor permission is required before a student can leave the room during a final exam. Failure to secure such permission may result in the exam being disallowed.

  Final Examination Conflicts

  The Office of the Registrar will endeavor to ensure that students do not have conflicting final examinations and will set the final exam schedule in such a way that limits the number of students having more than three exams in any one day. In the exceptional case where a student does have more than three exams and/or an exam conflict, the student should consult with the involved faculty are encouraged to work cooperatively to accommodate a time change, with assistance from the Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE) when required. When students are scheduled for more than three exams on one day, they are welcome to seek accommodation at the discretion of the faculty involved. Faculty members are permitted to reschedule a student’s final under these circumstances, but are not required to do so. 

• First-Year Writing Seminar

  Statement of Principle: The First-Year Writing Seminar (FYWS) is an integral part of all students’ first-year experience, preparing them to express their ideas in writing in courses across their four-year education, regardless of their intended or declared major. This policy is designed to ensure that students prioritize enrolling in this course during their first year of enrollment.

  Policy:

  1. All students are expected to successfully complete a first-year writing seminar (FYWS) in their first year of study at NYUAD. Successful completion is defined as earning a grade of C or better in the course.

  2. Students who have not successfully completed a FYWS during fall of their first year must enroll during the spring semester of their first year. Students who have not registered for a FYWS by the end of the registration period for the spring term of their first year (typically in late November/early December) will be reviewed by the Registrar’s Office and the ARC, and the ARC will contact such students to advise them of the requirement and support them in changing their spring enrollment.
  

  a. Students who have not registered for a first-year writing seminar by the end of the first week of the spring semester will be administratively enrolled in an available space for the beginning of the second week of the spring semester.  

  b. All reasonable efforts will be made to enroll students in available seats that do not conflict with other courses in which they are enrolled. However, in some cases, students will be administratively dropped from one or more other classes as necessary to assure that they enroll in a FYWS.

  c. When students can be enrolled in a non-conflicting FYWS, they will be added to that course without being immediately dropped from any of their other spring courses. Such students will be contacted by the Registrar to determine a plan to resolve the overload.

  3. Any student who has not successfully completed a FYWS by the end of the spring semester of their first year must be enrolled in a fall semester FYWS by June 1 of their first year.
  

  a. Failure to enroll by this date will result in the Registrar dropping all courses in which the student is registered and placing a registration hold on student’s registration until such time as the student is enrolled in a FYWS for fall.

  4. The Academic Enrichment Program (AEP), in consultation with the Program Head of the Writing Program and the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, may at their discretion allow individual students an additional semester beyond what is described in numbers 2 and 3 above to complete their FYWS.
  

  5. First-Year Writing Seminars are not repeatable after successful completion. Students who have successfully completed a FYWS may not take another FYWS, even though FYWS courses have different course numbers. If the FYWS is not completed successfully, the Seminar is still subject to the repeat rule: students may not take FYWS courses more than twice regardless of whether or not the courses have the same course number. 
  

  a. Students who have submitted a substantial portion of their work for their second FYWS but do not earn a grade of at least C on their second attempt may be offered an opportunity to complete “FYWS 3.0” under the direction of the Writing Program, granting the opportunity to have their grade for their second attempt changed to a C.¹

  b. A student who withdraws from or fails to earn a grade of C or better in their second attempt at a FYWS (including Writing 3.0 where applicable) will ordinarily be dismissed from NYUAD.

  6. Second-Year Students in FYWS: The maximum number of returning students in any given section of FYWS will be strictly limited so as to allocate these students as evenly as possible across all available sections of FYWS. For example, if there are 20 sophomore students required to take a FYWS and 10 sections of FYWS are open, enrollment by sophomores will be limited to no more than two sophomores per section.

  ¹ Students enrolled in the "FYWS-3.0" should expect to work intensively on a significant revision of written work commenced in one of the prevision FYWS in which the student was enrolled. This full-semester course will focus on the rigorous revision and resubmission of a research paper and writing portfolio. Students will work closely with a lead Instructor under the supervision of the Writing Program. In addition to the course goals outlined for all FYWS, work submitted for grade in an “FYWS 3” must demonstrate the capacity to sustain a motivated argument across multiple pages, must draw upon evidence and source material in the service of that argument, and must ethically and correctly cite borrowed materials. In order to pass the course, students must produce and deliver B-level work. Upon successful completion of the course, the prior failing FYWS will be converted to a “C.”

• Grading

  A = 4.0
  A- = 3.667
  B+ = 3.333
  B = 3.0
  B- = 2.667
  C+ = 2.333
  C = 2.0
  C- = 1.667
  D+ = 1.333
  D = 1.0
  F = 0.0
  W = Withdrawal (see Withdrawal Policy)
  P = Pass (see Pass/Fail Policy)
  I = Incomplete (see Incompletes Policy)

  The grade point average (GPA) is computed by determining the total number of quality points earned (quality points multiplied by credit hours) and dividing by total graded credit hours. Quality points are earned in letter-graded NYU courses taken after a student’s first year of enrollment (see Transcripts Policy). Total graded credit hours include the credit hours associated with all such courses as well as the credit hours associated with any Pass/Fail course that is failed (see the policy on Pass/Fail).

  When a course is repeated, both grades remain on the transcript (see Repeating Courses Policy).

  Final grades from courses from faculty/instructors are due no later than 72-hours after the last class session for most classes.

  The GPA at NYUAD is calculated using the following:

  • Official GPA - all courses taken during their undergraduate studies except any courses not successfully completed in the first year.
  • Final GPA - calculated once all degree requirements are completed the degree is conferred - the final GPA removes the GPA from the first year of studies. 
• Grade Appeal

  Revised Policy as of November 25, 2024

  A student may appeal an assigned final course grade within ten (10) business days (excluding, in all cases, official holidays and break times in the academic calendar) of when the grade was posted. To appeal an assigned grade, the student must contact the faculty member who assigned the grade in writing (email) to request a discussion of the requirements for the course and how the grade was determined. The faculty member will decide whether to change the grade, or not, based on the appeal. If the faculty member does not respond to the student within ten (10) business days of the written date of the appeal, the student may advance the appeal to the next step. The student should maintain any documents related to the meeting and timelines related to the conversation(s) of the grade appeal.

  If the appeal is not resolved with the faculty member, or the faculty member does not respond in the allotted time frame, the student may submit a formal written appeal (which can sent by email) to the Divisional Designee where the course is offered (typically an Associate Dean or Program Head as determined by the Dean of the Division) within ten (10) business days of the last communication (whether it was in person or in writing) with the course professor related to the grade appeal request. The student must include a statement explaining: 1) the grounds for the appeal; and 2) information or evidence as to why the grade provided by the faculty member should be reassessed. The Divisional Designee will undertake a review of the grade and may collect additional relevant information in making a decision on the appeal.

  Any appeal of the Divisional Designee’s decision to the Dean must be based on: 1) new, additional, relevant information that was not available at the time of the decision made by the Divisional Designee and thus was not considered; and/or 2) a material violation in procedure. The student may appeal the Divisional Designee’s decision to the Divisional Dean within ten (10) business days of the last communication with the Divisional Designee related to the grade appeal request. The student will provide all documentation gathered throughout the entire appeal process for the Divisional Dean to review, including the relevant information which would bring about a review at this level. The Academic Division’s decision in matters related to an assigned grade is final.

  Divisional Designees for Academic Year 2024-2025

  Arts & Humanities: Camilla Boisen, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Student Success

  Engineering: Bioengineering: Yong-Ak (Rafael) Song; Civil: Tarek Abdoun, Computer: Michail (Mihalis) Maniatakos; Electrical: Antonios (Anthony) Tzes; Mechanical: Sunil Kumar and Raed Hashaikeh (Temp cover for Fall 2024 only); General: Margaret Julias

  Science: Hisham Sati, Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs and Student Success

  Social Science: Olivier Bochet (fall 2024) / Adam Ramey (spring 2025),  Associate Deans of Curricular Affairs

  Contingencies

  In the event that the grade appeal is for a course taught by the Divisional Designee, the appeal will be reviewed by an appropriate faculty member in the same Division to be designated by the Divisional Dean. 

  In the event that the grade appeal is for a course taught by a Divisional Dean, the appeal will be reviewed by a Full Professor in the same Division, to be designated by the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education in consultation with the Provost. 

  In the event of a grade appeal in a Core Course, the Executive Director of the Core Curriculum will serve as the Designee, and the Divisional Dean of the faculty member who taught the course will be the Divisional Dean, with the same provisions for designees as outlined above.

  In the event of a course taught at an NYU Study Away site, the Global Programs Grade Appeal Policy will be followed.

  In the event of a course taught at an NYU Study Away site, the Global Programs Grade Appeal Policy will be followed. 

  In the event of a course taught at NYU New York or NYU Shanghai, the policy of the Department/School that offers the course will be followed. 

  In the event of a J-term course taught by a non-NYUAD faculty member, the Executive Director of the Core will serve in the role of Designee and the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education will serve in the role of Divisional Dean. 

  In cases involving allegations of bias, misconduct, or procedural irregularities, the Office of the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education will be involved to ensure consultation with the appropriate faculty and University offices to guide the process.

• Graduation Honors

  NYU Abu Dhabi has Latin honors at the time of graduation. Latin honors are determined by cumulative official GPA. Summa cum laude is limited to the top five percent of the graduating class in each division, magna cum laude to the next ten percent of the graduating class in each division, and cum laude to the next 15 percent of the graduating class in each division. The final transcript contains the major(s)/minors with any Latin honors awarded (diplomas only indicate if a student receives a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts with any Latin honors - and does not contain the information on the discipline/s in which the student majored). 

  • GPA standards for Latin honors and Founder's Day (University Scholars) awards are derived from spring graduating cohorts.
    • Eligible students who complete their degree after the spring semester will be awarded Latin honors at the time of their degree conferral.
    • Eligible students who complete their degree after the spring semester will be awarded the annual NYU Founder's Day Award (University Scholars) in the following award year, published annually on April 21^st, and not for the commencement ceremony.
• Incompletes

  An incomplete grade of “I” will be permitted only in extraordinary circumstances that prevent a student from completing required course work by the end of the semester. Students must approach the instructor of the course about whether a grade of “Incomplete” is possible and should be aware that simply leaving a course unfinished may result in a failing grade. A student should have completed a minimum of 60% of the coursework in order to request an incomplete. 

  When an instructor believes that an Incomplete may be appropriate, the student and the instructor submit an Incomplete Request Form to the Office of Academic Affairs for review (email the form to nyuad.registrar@nyu.edu). The form includes the specific outstanding work, a submission deadline (if no submission deadline is stated then the last week of the following semester is used as the deadline with no possible extensions beyond that time), and a default grade to be assigned if the additional work is not submitted on time. Incomplete coursework is to be completed outside the classroom and the student is not able to audit (or sit in) a future offering of the course. The application is subject to review and must be approved by the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs before a grade of “I” is recorded. Adjustments to the approved deadline are allowed only in exceptional circumstances upon written agreement from the instructor. Incompletes that have not been resolved according to the terms of the Incomplete Request Form will be assigned the default grade at the end of the first regular semester following the semester in which the course was taken. Students requesting a Leave of Absence during a given semester will generally be considered for an Incomplete only if the Leave of Absence is approved within the last three weeks from the end of the term.

  Students are encouraged to discuss incompletes with their advisors/mentors to seek guidance and advice on how to stay on track with coursework.

  Incomplete grades can impact future registration appointment times as appointment times are based on successfully completed credit hours. Courses that have a prerequisite in which a student has a current incomplete grade can be impacted and the academic department may recommend that any course needing the prerequisite be dropped until the incomplete has been successfully finished. Incompletes can also impact future overload requests as incomplete grades are counted toward future study load reviews. 

  Incompletes will also impact academic standing as students need to complete a minimum number of credits each semester - and incompletes are not completed credits. Academic standing for the semester is not changed after the incomplete is finished since academic standing is calculated at one point in time. 

  Incomplete grades do not extend funding or allow for housing or housing eligibility.

  Incompletes will also delay any awarding of a diploma and processes for students who are scheduled to graduate. Enrollment verifications are not available to students who are taking an incomplete and not enrolled in any other coursework - this is primarily for students who take an incomplete during their final semester of their degree work or on leave. 

• Leave of Absence

  NYU Abu Dhabi expects its students to maintain continuous registration in an academic program with the exception of summer breaks. However, it is sometimes necessary or desirable for a student to take a leave from enrollment for a period of time. Such leaves may be voluntary or involuntary, and will be handled in accordance with the NYU-wide Student Leave Policy and Procedure (http://nyu.edu/about/policies-guidelines-compliance/policies-and-guidelines/student-leave-policy.html). As it applies to NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU policy references to the Dean of the School and the Provost refer to the NYUAD Dean of Students and NYUAD Provost. Questions about references to specific offices within this policy should be referred to the NYUAD Dean of Students. The paragraphs below briefly summarize the NYU Policy, but individuals considering a leave are encouraged to review the full policy referenced above before making any final decisions. Term withdraws follow a slightly different process and are included in a student's attempted credit and funded semesters. First year students who are approved for a term withdraw in their first year will be eligible to return two semesters after their term withdraw and upon Dean of Students approval. First year students on a term withdraw may need to reapply for admissions for a review of their record while on leave/term withdraw. 
  

  Voluntary Leave
  NYU recognizes that situations may arise when a student may want to voluntarily interrupt his or her academic studies. The University is committed to handling reasonable requests for leaves in a responsible manner. This policy may not be used in lieu of disciplinary action to address any violations of University rules, regulations, policies, or practices. A student who is granted a voluntary leave while on academic and/or disciplinary status will return to that same status. Students who take a leave in the first year will have the semester(s) grades covered from their admit semester to the first summer after their admit semester. Final and official GPA is calculated from the fall semester of the student's return (for first year leaves that are two semester or less).  

  Non-Sanctioned Leave
  Students who are not enrolled for one or more semesters are placed on non-sanctioned leave discontinued/withdrawn from the university and would need to reapply (if they are not on an approved leave of absence). 

  Involuntary Leave
  NYU may place a student on an involuntary leave of absence from that student’s academic program when that student: (1) poses a direct threat to health and safety of self or others; and (2) is not able or not willing to take a voluntary leave of absence. This policy may not be used in lieu of disciplinary actions to address any violations of University rules, regulations, policies, or practices. A student who is placed on an involuntary leave while on academic and/or disciplinary status will return to that same status.
  

  Returning from a Leave of Absence
  Students returning from a leave of absence are expected to successfully complete one academic semester (Fall or Spring) of full-time coursework in Abu Dhabi before being eligible to enroll in an NYUAD study away program.

  Students need to reach out to the Dean of Student's Office in a timely manner to declare their intent to return in a future semester (no later than June 1 to return in the Fall and October 15 to return in the Spring, students are not able to return in a summer or J-Term session).

• Midterm Assessment

  
  Faculty must organize their courses in a manner that makes individual student progress in the class clear with at least one meaningful means of assessment not later than the middle of the term. In addition to providing each student with ongoing information on their progress in a timely manner, faculty are required to submit an holistic midterm report of Strong Progress, Satisfactory Progress, or Concerns about Progress for each of their students in using NYU Connect. Midterm Progress reporting will be open during weeks six through eight for 14-week courses and weeks three through five for 7-week courses. These reports are not part of a student’s formal academic record and do not appear on transcripts. Because these reports are intended to be holistic, faculty members may factor in student attendance, participation, and general level of engagement rather than rely solely on formally graded material. Faculty are also encouraged to bring particularly concerning performances to the attention of the Academic Resource Center, Student Success and Well-being, and/or Vice Provost Undergraduate Education Offices at any time.

• Minimum Grades

  All successfully completed courses may be counted toward the 128-credit-hour graduation requirement. However, only those courses in which grades of C or higher are earned may be counted toward major, any portion of the Core curriculum, minor, or prerequisite requirements.

  Please note that as part of the first-year grading policy, classes taken during the first year of studies that earn a grade of C- or lower are not included in the overall 128-credit-hour total and must be replaced with additional coursework. 

• NYUAD Community's Commitment to Integrity

  At NYU Abu Dhabi, a commitment to excellence, fairness, honesty, and respect within and outside the classroom is essential to maintaining the integrity of our community. By accepting membership in this community, students, faculty, and staff take responsibility for demonstrating these values in their own conduct and for recognizing and supporting these values in others. In turn, these values create a campus climate that encourages the free exchange of ideas, promotes scholarly excellence through active and creative thought, and allows community members to achieve and be recognized for achieving their highest potential.
  
  As part of the NYU global network, NYUAD students are also subject to NYU’s all-school policy on Academic Integrity for Students at NYU. Alleged integrity violations are resolved using NYUAD’s Academic Integrity Procedure.

• Overloading

  Mentors will work closely with students to ensure a balance in academic workload, particularly as students take advantage of NYUAD’s scheduling system and the availability of 7-week courses. While mentors can assist on advising if overloads would work with the overall academic plan, students still must meet the GPA requirement. Overloads are not possible in the J-Terms and summer sessions due to the condensed nature of the coursework.

  Course loads of 19 or 20 credit hours are approved only for students when their previous academic work is so strong that an overload constitutes little academic risk. In particular, students will not be approved for more than 18 credits unless they have cumulative internal grade point averages as specified below:

  • First-year Students (starting in their second semester) ≥ 3.7
  • Second-year Students ≥ 3.6
  • Third- and Fourth-Year students ≥ 3.5

  In all cases academic risk will be weighed against the need for academic credit in granting approval. 

  Overload requests will not be processed until after the first week of the registration cycle.

  No student is permitted to take more than 20 credit hours in a semester. 

  Class(es) that are withdrawn from in a semester count toward the overall credit load and cannot be replaced with another course offering if the enrollment would be over 20 attempted credits in the semester. 

• Pass/Fail

  A pass grade is recorded for all Pass/Fail courses in which a letter grade of D or higher is earned. Beginning in the second year of study, NYUAD allows students to take one course per semester (up to a total of three courses overall) Pass/Fail during fall or spring semester. Courses taken during the J-terms and summers may not be taken Pass/Fail. This option is designed to encourage students to continue to explore areas of interest and to optimize their focus on learning unfamiliar methods and materials while minimizing concerns about formal outcomes. The Pass/Fail option is therefore especially appropriate in the second year before students invest in a major. Students studying at other NYU global network sites may be further restricted by site policies related to Pass/Fail grading. Class that are required for the major, minor, and/or Core classes (including E, Q, X, and Colloquium classes) cannot be taken pass/fail.

  Courses taken Pass/Fail will not be counted for credit toward the completion of any portion of the core curriculum, of a major electives or minor electives. First core attempts in any core area (even if taken to meet a degree requirement in another area) must be taken for a letter grade and not pass/fail. A course taken Pass/Fail cannot be used to satisfy a prerequisite requirement. Courses taken as co-requisites cannot be taken as Pass/Fail and must be letter graded.

  Students considering the Pass/Fail option in their area of study or in pre-professional courses should consult with their mentor about the effect of such grades on admission to graduate and professional schools.

  Students who change their majors (other than from undeclared; ie: from a declared major to another declared major) may be able to use courses previously taken under the Pass/Fail option only with the support of their mentors and the appropriate program head, and with the approval of the Vice Provost for Academic Administration. Such exceptions may additionally require completion of an additional elective course in the major. Students who were undeclared, and elected to take a course pass/fail after their first year, would need to repeat the course for a letter grade in order to use it toward a degree requirement (including a major, minor, and/or Core). 

  Classes that receive a Pass are counted for credit toward the degree, but are not calculated in the GPA. Classes that are failed are registered as an F for purposes of GPA calculation.

  For applicable courses, a student may opt to change to or from Pass/Fail grading only during the withdrawal period associated with that particular course. Students need to carefully consider when requesting a course to be graded as pass/fail as it cannot be changed back to letter graded once it has been approved.
  

• Religious Holidays

  NYU Abu Dhabi, as a nonsectarian institution, adheres to the general policy of including in its official calendar only certain legal holidays. However, it is also University policy that members of any religious group may, without penalty, absent themselves from classes when compliance with their religious obligations requires it:
  

  • Students who anticipate being absent because of any religious observance should notify faculty in advance of such anticipated absence.
    
  • Faculty should make a reasonable effort not to schedule examinations and assignments with deadlines on religious holidays. Any student absent from class because of religious beliefs shall not be penalized for any class, examination, or assignment deadline missed on that day or days.
    
  • If examinations or assignment deadlines are scheduled, any student who is unable to attend class because of religious beliefs shall be given the opportunity to make up that day or days. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student who avails him/herself of the above provisions.
    
  • Class sessions will not be repeated for individual students.
    
    
• Repeating Undergraduate Courses

  Revised Policy as of November 25, 2024

  Students may repeat courses under certain conditions as defined in this policy. In this policy, a course means the same course and its equivalents as defined by the Faculty and so designated with the Registrar.

  Students may not take a course more than twice. When a student repeats a course, no additional credit will be awarded. Both grades will be recorded and computed in the grade point average. If the new grade is lower than a C, the student will not be able to count that course toward any requirement or use it as a prerequisite for other courses.

  Students may not repeat a course in which they earn a grade of C or higher, nor repeat a course in which they received a grade of Pass (for Pass/Fail courses).

  Note: Students should be aware that repeating courses can impact academic standing and delay graduation because credits are only earned once when a course is successfully repeated. Academic standing is based on GPA and the total percentage of attempted credits that are earned. See more under “Academic Standing.”

  Withdrawals: Students who withdraw (take a grade of W) in their first attempt at completing a course may enroll in that course two more times at most. When a student withdraws while enrolled in a course for the second time, any letter grade (including a failing grade) earned during the first attempt will still be considered in GPA calculations and the student will retain any credits earned from the first attempt. A student who withdraws from a course on their second attempt must submit a petition through the Academic Resource Center to be allowed a third attempt.
  

  Incompletes: Students may not repeat courses in which they currently have a grade of Incomplete.

  Courses in sequence: Students may not repeat a course in a designated sequence while or after taking more advanced courses. Similarly, prerequisite courses may not be retaken if a student has successfully completed any course which requires that prerequisite course. For example, a student who takes Multivariable Calculus may not repeat Calculus with Applications nor may a student who takes Intermediate Arabic repeat Beginning Arabic.

  First-Year Writing Seminars: Although each First-Year Writing Seminar (FYWS) carries a different course number, all FYWS are considered to be the same course for the purposes of this policy (see the policy on First-Year Writing Seminars for details).

  Repeatable Courses: Certain courses may be repeated for credit as designated in the Bulletin. For these courses, all instances are considered in GPA and credit-hour calculations.

  Unapproved repeats: (e.g., third attempts without prior approval): Students will be dropped from the course. Unapproved repeats will not be counted toward degree requirements but will be counted in the GPA and attempted credits.

  Exceptions: Exceptions to this policy may only be granted through a petition submitted to the Academic Resource Center for consideration by the Vice Provost’s Academic Review Committee.

  First-Year Transcript Policy Implications: When one or both of the attempts to complete a course occur during a student’s first year, the NYUAD Transcript Policy influences how the repeated courses impact the student’s official transcript and official grade point average. In particular, when both occurrences are during the first year, neither letter grade will appear on the official transcript nor impact the official grade point average. When the first occurrence is during the first year and the second is after the first year, the letter grade of the second occurrence, and only that letter grade, will appear on the official transcript showing that the course has been repeated and will be factored into the official grade point average.

   

• Student Financial Aid Eligibility

  Effective for students entering fall 2024.
  

  To receive need-based financial aid, students must meet minimum academic standards and graduation requirements within a standard timeframe as determined at the outset of the student’s attendance in their program of study. NYUAD adheres to these standards to ensure appropriate stewardship of NYUAD funding. To ensure compliance, the Office of Financial Aid performs annual reviews of each student’s quantitative progress toward successful degree completion at the conclusion of the summer term.

  Enrolled students are eligible to receive financial aid for a total of four years or until they are eligible to graduate. If an additional term (or terms) is required beyond the four years to complete a student’s program of study, the student must file an Aid Eligibility Extension (AEE) request form with the Office of Undergraduate Education. Upon approval of the AEE, a student may continue to receive financial aid for a maximum of five years or 125% of the required credits for their program of study.

  In order to maintain eligibility to receive financial aid from New York University Abu Dhabi, enrolled students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, defined as:

  • Earn academic credit in a minimum of 75 percent of the cumulative attempted credit hours.
  • Maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.

  While student aid is not normally extended beyond the prescribed program/degree, there are limited circumstances where authority can be granted to continue additional semesters of aid within policy guidelines.
  

• Transcripts

  NYU Abu Dhabi official transcripts do not report grades for courses taken during a student’s first year of study (the first year of study includes any term withdraws and/or leave of absences). However, these grades do become a part of the student’s academic record to be used for internal purposes such as mentoring students and fulfillment of prerequisites. Official transcripts indicate successful completion (“SC”) of those courses taken in the first year for which a grade of C- or better is received. Courses from which a student has withdrawn or in which the student received a grade of lower than a C- do not appear on the official transcript nor do they contribute toward satisfying graduation requirements. In addition, students may refer to their unofficial transcript in Albert for first year grades.

  Students’ first-year grades will not be included in cumulative grade point average calculations upon completion of the degree.

  The GPA at NYUAD is calculated using the following:

  • Official GPA - all courses taken during their undergraduate studies except any courses not successfully completed in the first year.
  • Final GPA - calculated once all degree requirements are completed the degree is conferred - the final GPA removes the GPA from the first year of studies. 

  Students should order official transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse (NYU's official transcript provider). Students should search for “New York University” for their school record as NYUAD is part of the NYU system. Students can attach documents, such as their unofficial transcript, to their transcript request.

  An official transcript provides a complete record of your academic progress as a student at New York University Abu Dhabi. We can provide you with an eTranscript or printed transcript. Request an Official Transcript (printed or electronic).

  An unofficial transcript through the Student Albert account download allows you to verify your degree and graduation date, but can’t be used for official purposes. Confirming your information, such as final grades or degree conferred on an unofficial transcript is useful before requesting an official transcript. The final transcript contains the major(s)/minors (diplomas only indicate if a student receives a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts - and does not contain the information on the discipline/s in which the student majored). 

  You can view your unofficial transcript through NYU Albert under the Grades and Transcripts section of the Student Center. Select “View my unofficial transcription” with your pop-up blocker off in your browser to view.

  Tip: Request an unofficial transcript to verify your degree and conferral date before you submit a request for an official transcript.

  Please note: The Registrar’s Office does not issue unofficial transcripts. You must print them through NYU Albert.

  During the official transcript order process: 

  • You will be asked for your first name, last name and middle name (optional). You will also be asked to confirm your date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy), Campus ID (N number) or Social Security Number (if you have one)
    • You will be prompted to correct this information if the system fails to identify a student record based on the details provided.    
  • If an active hold is identified in your record, a message will display indicating the type of hold and how to resolve it. You may proceed with the order, but note that your transcript will not be sent until the identified hold is lifted by the office that issued the hold.
  • You should have the official transcript sent directly to your graduate school/employer and not to yourself. You can have the transcript mailed or emailed anywhere that is needed when ordering.
  • Students can attach documents, such as their unofficial transcript, to their transcript request.

  After you place an order for an eTranscript:

  • You will receive two confirmation emails from NSC confirming the receipt of the order and consent form.
  • Another email will be sent once your transcript has been submitted to you or an authorized recipient.
  • If you are not part of NSC’s ETX service, you will receive two emails that provide the user name and password needed to retrieve the secure PDF transcript.
  • You will receive a notification email once you have downloaded your transcripts.
  • You have 30 days to retrieve transcripts and will receive periodic reminder notifications.
• Transfer Credit

  On an exceptional basis, NYU Abu Dhabi will consider awarding undergraduate credit for courses taken at other universities. Transfer credit, however, is awarded on a limited basis and only for courses taken after matriculation at NYU Abu Dhabi. Students may earn up to 8 credits per semester while on approved leaves of absence and/or up to 8 credits in any summer up to a total limit of not more than 20 credits. While a student may be awarded transfer credit, these credits cannot be used to reduce the total number of required semesters of enrollment. Transfer credit is not possible for graduate degrees. Students on leave of absence and/or considering enrolling at another institutional for transfer credit to be used toward their NYU/NYUAD degree, must request approval for a transfer credit evaluation BEFORE enrolling in any external coursework. If a review from NYUAD is not completed before the start of the external courses, transfer credit will not be approved. Students should allow 4-6 weeks for the university to review any transfer credit requests. 
  
  Transfer credit for courses previously taken at NYU/NYUAD is not allowed. Courses need to be repeated at NYU/NYUAD if they were not successfully completed.

  Students need to complete a Transfer Pre-approval Form prior to enrolling in another institution to assure that courses will be counted toward graduation requirements. Students should reach out to the Registrar’s Office at nyuad.registrar@nyu.edu for a link to the form. Final approval is conditional upon the student submitting an official transcript documenting a grade which is the equivalent of a C or better and submitting a final course syllabus that is essentially the same as that submitted for pre-approval. Students cannot be enrolled in NYU coursework and transfer coursework in the same semester(s). 
  
  Transfer Credit Final Approval Form must be filed with the Registrar and are evaluated by an appropriate subcommittee of the Transfer Credit Review Committee based on academic merit, appropriateness to the NYUAD curriculum, and the degree to which the courses are distinct from other coursework that the student has completed or will complete at NYU Abu Dhabi. The Transfer Review Committee consists of the Program heads of each major program, the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs (VPAA), and the Associate Registrar. Individual review subcommittees are convened by the VPAA and will consist of the VPAA, the Associate Registrar, and such program heads or other subject matter experts as the VPAA deems appropriate for the particular course(s) under consideration.

  Please note the following: 

  Undergraduates must complete this request BEFORE taking courses at a college or university other than NYU (this request should be submitted no later than two months before the start of the course as it can take several weeks for coursework to be reviewed by the academic departments). This form needs to be submitted before the student enrolls in the course in order for the transfer work to be considered for credit. The NYUAD academic committee made up of representatives from the Provost Office, Office of the Registrar, and Academic Divisions, will review all transfer requests for approval - so please complete this information as earlier as possible. Funding for transfer work is at the cost to the student as NYUAD financial aid does not cover coursework taken at other institutions. Students are not able to take a course at another institution while enrolled in the same NYU semester/term and the transfer coursework must be done while not enrolled at NYU. The university does not provide letters of support for transfer credit and the student must navigate any visa, admissions requirements, financial payments, etc on their own.  

• Withdrawal from a Course

  After consulting with the faculty mentor and within the following deadlines,
  a student may discontinue a course and receive a grade of W:

  • For 14- week courses, the deadline for withdrawing is the end of the 9th week of the term.
    
  • For 7-week courses, the deadline for withdrawing is midway through the 5th week of the term.
    
  • For Summer School courses, the deadline for withdrawing is the end of the second week of the term.
  • For January Term and June Term courses, the deadline for withdrawing is the end of the third day of the term.

  After the final date in each of the above, no student may withdraw from a course without a direct appeal to the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs.
  All relevant circumstances will be taken into consideration, but there is no guarantee that a late withdrawal will be allowed.

  Consistent with the Transcript Policy, courses from which a student has withdrawn during the first year of student are not recorded on the transcript. Courses from which a student withdraws in subsequent years will appear on the transcript with the accompany grade of W.

  What's a W?

  A withdrawal from a class (W) is GPA-neutral: instead of a final grade, you receive a “W” notation on your transcript which does not affect your GPA; you also don’t earn credits for the course. The class and W remain on your schedule and transcript and is included in the number of attempts a student can enroll in a course (two attempts maximum). A withdrawn class can affect your anticipated graduation date by putting you behind for your completed credits. Dropping below a total of 12 completed credits can impact financial aid/stipends. Please reach out to NYUAD Student Finance with any questions about dropping below the minimum number of completed credits in a semester.
  

  Withdrawn courses count toward your attempted credits in a semester/session. Since the withdrawn class counts toward the overall enrolled credit total students are not able to replace the credits with another course registration during the same semester/session.