Fall 2020 Admission During COVID-19: Q&A with Associate Provost for Admissions, Financial Support
The global COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly raised questions and concerns surrounding the admission process for next semester. News@AUC spoke to Randa Kamel, associate provost for admissions and financial support and chief enrollment officer, about the Fall 2020 admission procedures and incoming class, and the steps AUC has taken to ensure a smooth process amidst the global changes taking place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. How many students have applied for Fall 2020? How many have been provisionally accepted so far?
The total number of applications we've received for Fall 2020 until now is 3,065, out of which 1,623 applicants have been provisionally accepted.
2. Is there an increase in applications from previous years?
Yes, there is an increase of around 17% compared to the number of applications at the same time last year.
3. How are you dealing with incoming applications, particularly with the cancellation of IGCSE exams and some SAT exams in light of COVID-19?
We are actually lucky as our initial deadline (March 1) was early enough, so we have quite a good number of applicants who have already completed admission requirements from all board exams (.IGCSE, SAT, TOEFL and IELTS) We are well aware of all the updates on the international board examinations, and we are monitoring the situation closely during this critical time. We will definitely do what is best for our applicants while making sure that we maintain the quality of the AUC student body.
4- Are there any changes in the application process in light of COVID-19?
Due to the current situation, the Office of Enrollment, Admissions and Student Service Center is now fully operating remotely. We are accepting application credentials electronically, and we send our immediate feedback to applicants and inquirers as we normally do so that applicants do not feel there is any change in the efficiency of our operations.
5- Are there any changes in the tuition payment process in light of COVID-19? How is AUC facilitating the tuition payment process in light of the current circumstances?
AUC is facilitating the tuition payment procedure by allowing everybody to pay either online through wire transfer or cash at CIB ATM machines, and by extending the payment deadline upon the request of students and applicants.
6-Has the application deadline changed or been extended in light of COVID-19?
Yes, AUC is always on top of the situation and aims to provide maximum support to applicants and students. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty this has caused worldwide, application deadlines were extended immediately, including deadlines for financial aid and scholarship applications. We will be monitoring the situation in case further extension is needed.
7-Have there been any changes in the scholarship application process? How can students identify which scholarships they are eligible for?
The scholarship application process has drastically changed since Fall 2019. Applicants interested in scholarships need to submit an online scholarship interest form and one application for all scholarships. This interest form defines all scholarship opportunities that the applicant is eligible for and may not be aware of. Moreover, a new communication plan is now used to guide applicants step by step until they complete their admission process and receive the final decision..
8-What is the general profile of the Fall 2020 incoming class so far? How many of them have applied for scholarships and financial aid?
So far, Fall 2020 applicants come from around 30 different countries. Until now, we have around 1,690 applicants (55%) who submitted scholarship interest forms and around 646 (21%) who submitted financial aid applications.
