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 Frequently Asked Questions

1) -Why is the university called non-profit organization?

It means that the main goal of the university is not to make profit. In non-profit organizations, any generated profits are re-invested in the organization to serve its purposes.

2) - Do I have to pay the fees all at once, or can I pay in installments? And when are the fees due?

The fees for each semester are payable in advance or in two installments. Exact dates for paying in installments can be obtained from the university’s finance department.

3) - Are the fees different for non-Egyptian students?

No, AOU fees are the same for all students.

4) - Does the university offer academic scholarships to students who score highest GPA?

AOU offers scholarships for outstanding students with high scores.

 

5) - What are the admission requirements for Egyptian holders of Thanaweya Amma & its equivalents?

Programme

Old Graduates

 (more than 5 years ago)

Recent Graduates

(Less than 5 years ago)

- Information Technology and Computing

  with any Score

 with minimum score 60%

- English Language and its Literature

- Business Administration

6) - What are the admission requirements for Egyptian holders of technical diplomas (three years after the Preparatory certificate)?

- Fresh graduates are accepted with 60%.

- Accepted with no condition 5 years after obtaining the diploma.

7) - What are the admission requirements for Non-Egyptian holders of High School Education Certificate?

- Fresh graduates are accepted with 60%.

- Accepted with no condition  5 years after obtaining the certificate.

8) - What are the documents required for applying to the university?

 

 - Original copy of high school education certificate. This includes "Thanaweya Amma"    
   and its equivalents, such as American Diploma, I.G.C.S.E, and others.

- Original or official copy of birth certificate.

- 6 photos for the applicant.

- A photocopy of personal or family ID card for Egyptians.

- A photocopy of passport for non-Egyptians.

- Any other certificate obtained after "Thanaweya Amma" or its equivalent.

 

9) - What if I do not have the original documents at the moment?

The Admission Office accepts copies of documents, but students should submit the originals during the first semester.

10) - Are there any exams to be taken for admission?

Students will sit for both Arabic and English Proficiency Tests to determine which Arabic and English language courses they need to study.

Arabic:

Proficiency Level

Score

Requirements

Level I

0 - 49%

 AR111 , AR112

Level II

50% - 79%

AR112

Expert

80% and above

Exempted

 

English:

Proficiency Level

Score

Requirements

Basic

0 - 34%

EL100 (English Orientation Programme)

Intermediate

35% - 49%

EL111

Advanced

50% - 79%

EL112

Expert

80% and above

Exempted

 

11) - Can I re-sit for the language proficiency tests if I want to improve my grade?

Yes, but students have to pay for it.

12) - Can I apply here and transfer to another  AOU branch?

Yes, through arranging with both university branches.

13) - Can I choose the courses to take?

Yes, you can, but under the supervision of your academic advisor.

14) - How many credit hours does it take to graduate?

You will need from 128 to 131 credit hours depending on your specialization.

15) - How long does it take to graduate and obtain the bachelor’s degree?

Normally 4 years, assuming that you take about 16 credit hours each semester. Naturally, if you take fewer courses per semester, then it will take you longer time to graduate.

 

16) - How are the passing grades in a course determined?

There is no set scale that applies to all courses; instead,  a curve is applied. All students in one course are graded according to the same curve, regardless of the section or tutor.

 

 

 


 

17) - How is the GPA calculated?

The following seven standard grade scale is used to calculate Course result.

Letter Grade

Numerical Grade

A

4

B+

3.5

B

3

C+

2.5

C

2

D

1.5

F

0

18) - What is meant by "credit hours" system?

The credit hour is a unit for measuring educational credit usually based on the number of classroom hours per week throughout a term.

Credit Hours

Teaching hours

3

1 hour / week

8

2 hours / week

16

3 hours / week

 

19) -  How are the semester and cumulative averages calculated?

The semester and cumulative are calculated as follows:

Point Grade

Merit

4.00 - 3.67

Excellent

3.00 - 3.66

Very Good

2.33 - 2.99

Good

2.00 - 2.32

Fair

Less than 2.00

Poor

20) - Is the Bachelors degree certified ?

AOU is a fully accredited university that is officially recognized by all Arab countries, and  internationally recognized by the UK. 

21) - Where will the classes be held?

In Nasr City (intersection of Makram Ebeid St. and Abdel Razek El Sanhoury St).

 

 

22) - What is accreditation?

Accreditation is the process through which an institution, which does not itself have powers to offer higher education awards, is judged by a group of external peers to be able to meet the University’s Principles for Institutional Accreditation, and to provide a satisfactory environment for the conduct of programmes leading to Open University validated awards.

23) - What is validation?

Validation is the process whereby a programme of study designed to lead to an Open University validated award is judged by a group of external peers to have met the principles and requirements for that award. Open University validated awards must be consistent and comparable in standard with awards throughout higher education in the UK, and the peer review system employed by OUVS is designed to ensure this. Accreditation of an institution and validation of one or more programmes of study are separate processes, although the two may occur in parallel.

24) - What is the benefit of having learning programmes validated?

Students receive nationally recognised higher education awards. These qualifications are valuable in their own right, or may be used to gain credit towards further awards within the University system. Open University accredited institutions become part of a wide network of information and expertise, at regional, national and international levels, and secure access to the advisory services offered by the Open University with regard to distance learning materials and techniques.