The University Transfer Option is one of our most popular offerings at the American College of Dubai, we place great importance on the University Transfer Option because it enables UAE-based students to complete much of the basic coursework required by all universities abroad in almost every academic area of choice in Dubai before physically transferring to a university overseas or in the UAE from which they intend to earn a degree. At the heart of the University Transfer Option is the US university system which requires all students to be exposed to a wide range of general subjects before deciding to specialize in any one area. Studying at Colleges and Universities in the USA is growing in popularity, and the University Transfer Option provides an additional route to this destination.

START IN DUBAI
Begin your studies at ACD in Dubai, completing the initial credit requirements.
TRANSFER
Apply for your transfer with the assistance of our faculty and staff to one of more than 50 partner institutions.
GRADUATE
Complete your studies and graduate from one of our partner institutions in the USA & Canada.
We understand that some students may wish to begin their university studies in the UAE with the goal of transferring to universities overseas in countries like the US, UK or Canada to complete their degrees.


This journey starts with the American College of Dubai, where most students in the University Transfer Option undertake classes for one or two years, before transferring credits earned to degree-granting institutions in the USA and other countries, including the UAE if they wish to remain closer to home.
The University Transfer Option is specifically recommended for students who wish to obtain a degree in an area of study not available at the American College of Dubai or in the UAE.
The American system of higher education is uniquely designed for this type of transfer since the General Education Requirements are taken during the first and second year of university and are a standard part of all university curriculums in the USA. This can enable students to earn up to 60 credits (approximately two years of university study) before transferring to the USA and other countries to obtain their degrees.
English Composition I and II | 6 |
Sciences and Mathematics (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physical Science, College Algebra) | 9 |
Pre Calculus, Calculus, Finite Math, Statistics Social Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, History) |
12 |
Arts and Humanities (Art, Literature, Philosophy, Music, Creative Writing etc) | 9 |
Electives | 24 |
Total Credits | 60 |
Note: These elective courses must be selected according to the student’s area of concentration. A business student will select general education courses as well as introductory economics and accounting subjects while a student hoping to earn a degree in Engineering will choose subjects such as Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, and Engineering, etc.
Students planning their academic schedules with transfer in mind are assigned a counselor who will help them make the right selection of courses in the proper sequence. For those who decide to change their “major” or degree concentration during their stay at ACD, the counselor will facilitate the change by assigning the necessary courses in line with a student’s new degree requirements.
The American College of Dubai, with its US curriculum, offers its specific combination of the General Education Requirements listed above with each bearing its own course code reflecting its course/subject content. The ACD curriculum is wide enough to provide the transfer requirements for many areas of concentration apart from Business and Engineering/Technology. Students desiring degrees in Agriculture, Geology, Law, Medicine, Communications, Education, or Architecture, for example, are all able to complete a part of their degree at ACD before transferring.
Transfer to USA & Canada
Many ACD students transfer to four-year degree granting institutions to obtain their degree, which makes the transfer process crucial to their academic career. These specialized requirements must be completed at a four year university that offers a degree in that particular field. The transfer process works in the following way:
Credits earned at one institution are transferred and accepted as credits towards the degree at another institution. Colleges and universities in the United States will generally accept credits from other institutions if the student has earned a “C” grade or higher in the subject and the institution to which a student transfers has equivalent coursework. It should be noted, however, that transferring from one institution to another is a complicated process, since each institution has different requirements for its degree that graduating students must meet. In general the specialized requirements for a degree program should be completed at the university from which the student intends to graduate.
Students enrolled at the College receive its official transcript that lists the subjects, grades, and credits of all work undertaken in any and every semester. Students normally receive credits for the subjects taken at the College from almost any university that accepts transfer students and that is willing to accept the applicant. Since most universities do accept transfer students, students at the College have a vast choice of universities from which to choose. It should be remembered, however, that applicants must demonstrate superior academic ability to be accepted at many universities and that the transfer process is always subject to the restrictions noted above.
It should be emphasized that the College does not necessarily recommend specific institutions for its transferring students. The provided list indicates the range and the quality of the institutions available. The choosing of a university is a highly personal matter and much of the decision depends upon the aim, objectives and abilities of the individual applicant. Moreover, many of the well known universities, often major research institutions, are not necessarily the best choices for international students looking for excellence in teaching or a personalized environment. The choice of a university depends upon the needs of the student and the requirements of the university.
Students wishing to apply to degree-granting institutions outside the UAE must meet the respective entry requirements. The College provides guidance and direction for all transferring students and helps them with the paperwork involved. Students are advised to seek the advice of the College counsellors when making their decision as to where to transfer. Such concerns as cost, entry requirements, degree available and international student facilities at U.S. universities are specialized areas of knowledge that are best obtained from the College.
Over the years, students from the College have transferred to an impressive list of U.S. and Canadian universities, among them are some of the most distinguished in North America. A representative, but not exhaustive list, includes:
1 | University of Texas at Arlington | 29 | Michigan State University |
2 | Northern Michigan University, Marquette | 30 | New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark |
3 | Mississippi State University | 31 | De Paul University, USA |
4 | Purdue University, West Lafayette | 32 | University of Missouri, Columbia |
5 | Indiana University at Bloomington | 33 | Baylor University |
6 | University of Kentucky, Lexington | 34 | Rutgers The State University of New Jersey |
7 | West Virginia University | 35 | University of North Texas |
8 | Florida State University, Tallahassee | 36 | Suffolk University |
9 | University of South Florida, Tampa | 37 | South East Missouri State University |
10 | Florida Atlantic University | 38 | University of Nebraska at Lincoln |
11 | San Francisco State University | 39 | Louisiana Tech University |
12 | Texas A&M University, College Station | 40 | University of Oregon, Eugene |
13 | Virginia Polytech Institute & State University | 41 | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities |
14 | James Madison University, Virginia | 42 | Iowa State University, Ames |
15 | Ohio State University, Columbus | 43 | Bentley College, Waltham |
16 | SUNY Buffalo | 44 | University of Alabama at Birmingham |
17 | Georgia Technology | 45 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University |
18 | University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma | 46 | Eastern Connecticut State University |
19 | Arkansas State University | 47 | University of Georgia, Athens |
20 | Northern Illinois University, DeKalb | 48 | Babson College, Babson Park |
21 | State University of New York – Plattsburgh | 49 | Southern New Hampshire University |
22 | University of Oklahoma | 50 | York University, Canada |
23 | University of Toledo, USA | 51 | Concordia University, Canada |
24 | University of Houston, Houston | 52 | McGill Univeristy, Canada |
25 | Boston University | 53 | Guelph University, Canada |
26 | California State University, Northridge | 54 | University of New Brunswick, Canada |
27 | University of Toronto | 55 | Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada |
28 | University of The Fraser Valley, Canada | ||
The above is an illustrative list only. Please check with your Counselor if the university of your choice does not appear above.
AFFORDABLE UNIVERSITIES


