NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has welcomed its eleventh class of 490 students from 82 countries and six continents who speak more than 75 languages.
With the incoming Class of 2024, the undergraduate student population now stands at over 1,600 from over 115 countries.
More than 14,400 prospective students from across the world applied to join NYUAD’s Class of 2024. The yield for the incoming class – the percentage of students who choose to attend NYUAD after being admitted – was 78 percent, making the University one of the most highly selective of any in the world, and particularly significant given the ongoing global pandemic.
Nineteen percent of students are first-generation university students, meaning that, from their immediate family, they are the first to attend university.
Emirati and American citizens make up the largest groups of students by nationality, with 20 percent UAE Nationals and eight percent from the US. The next largest cohorts include students from India, South Korea, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, China, Nepal, and Taiwan. For the first time, students from Antigua and Barbuda, Myanmar, and Nicaragua are attending the university.
NYU President Andrew Hamilton welcomed the new class, saying: “On behalf of the entire NYU community, I’m pleased to welcome the NYU Abu Dhabi Class of 2024! You have joined an extraordinary, curious, purpose-driven, and passionate community both at NYUAD and across NYU’s broader global network. Although you may be starting your college experience remotely, I urge you to cultivate that community and help it thrive. Together, your class will forge bonds of resilience and strength through shared experience that will help you to succeed and grow throughout your time at NYUAD and far beyond.”
NYUAD Vice Chancellor MariëtWestermann said: “I am delighted to welcome our eleventh class – our largest and most diverse yet – to NYU Abu Dhabi. Now entering its second decade, our university was founded on the belief that engaging with people who are different from us is a valuable and necessary part of education. We see this across our campus community as our students – some 1,600 undergraduates from over 115 countries and speaking more than 115 languages – encounter new perspectives and convictions with openness, engagement, and respect. Whether they want to pursue computer science, biotechnology, behavioral economics, developmental psychology, interactive media, poetry, or any number of diverse fields, collectively, the Class of 2024 are poised to flourish as they deepen their understanding of the world and chart their own paths towards making a meaningful difference
Class of 2024 student KejiAdedayo, from Nigeria, commented on joining NYUAD, “When I started my university search, I had a preliminary list of criteria I was looking for. I wanted a university where students are encouraged to pursue their interests in a broad range of subjects and where intercultural understanding and respect are celebrated. I also wanted an institution that offers advanced writing programs, encouraged undergraduate research and community involvement, and had a bicycle-friendly campus. NYUAD matched all these criteria, so I applied.”
Class of 2024 student Elvira Selivanova, from Russia, commented, “I chose NYUAD because of the strong academic program, absolutely unique global student network, and huge interest in the culture of the Arab region. Currently, I am highly interested in Economics as I understand that there are no standard solutions to overcoming economics problems and this obscurity especially fascinates me.”
Class of 2024 student Maya Muwanga, from the US, said, “I think the global emphasis of NYUAD will serve me well in my educational and professional endeavors. The exposure to a variety of perspectives, pedagogies, lifestyles, and disciplines will allow me to perform the type of syncretism necessary for approaching big and complex problems.”
Students at NYUAD undergo a rigorous application process and need to showcase notable academic results.
In addition to its undergraduate program, NYUAD also has over 95 Global PhD students in Science and Engineering and eight students enrolled in its first Master’s program.
This year, in light of the ongoing global pandemic, the University is prioritizing its academic and research mission, accommodating robust health and safety protocols, limiting density on campus, and ensuring that this fall will be truly worthwhile for all community members. First-year students are spending the fall semester studying via remote instruction with a range of opportunities to engage with both Campus Life and peers in the Class of 2024 and across NYUAD. Students were welcomed to NYUAD in a virtual Marhaba orientation at the beginning of the semester.
NYU ranks 26th globally in Times Higher Education World University rankings for 2021. The University ranks 11th in the QS World University Rankings for 2020. Rankings are premised on enrollment and programs throughout all campuses of NYU, including NYUAD.
Established in partnership between NYU and the emirate of Abu Dhabi, NYUAD has assembled over the past decade a remarkable community of scholars, students, researchers, artists, inventors, and others who have contributed to the growth of the UAE’s capital as a global hub of knowledge and culture, while establishing a new model of higher education for today’s complex world.
