Scholarships and Financial Aid

Al-Quds Bard College awards a variety of scholarships at the B.A. level each academic year. Some scholarships are based on financial need while others are based on merit. Scholarships range from 10% - 100% depending on a number of factors including demonstrated financial need and the qualifications of students, as well as scholarship funding availability. Priority consideration for scholarships will be given to applicants who submit all application materials and take the AQB English placement exam before the Tawjihi results. Note: The exam schedule will be communicated to applicants via email.
See below for details about the admissions process and the available scholarships.


AQB Undergraduate Admission Overview

Al-Quds Bard College for Arts and Sciences particularly seeks to enroll outstanding students with strong intellectual promise who have the express capacities of mind and character that will empower them to thrive in academic, social, and professional environments. A successful AQB candidate is someone who will embrace the academic freedom and resources provided by our liberal arts curriculum, who will get involved in our local and international networks, and who will be a catalyst within our student population, where a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives fuels the pursuit of education and serves our commitment to civil society. While admission to undergraduate programs takes many factors into consideration, decisions are based on the basic requirements outlined below. The College takes into consideration the educational, political, and economic constraints that confront Palestinian students.
 
AQB General Brochure of Bachelor's Programs (Download)

AQB Admissions Options:

Applicants to Al-Quds Bard College may be accepted into one of three paths to success at AQB:

1) Students with strong academic qualifications AND strong English skills (as demonstrated on the English placement test) will be accepted into the regular track.

2) Students with strong academic qualifications but whose English is not yet strong enough for AQB’s core division courses will be accepted into the Pylon Program. Pylon students are AQB undergraduate students who divide their time in their first year between Intensive English courses and elective courses for AQB college credit.

3) Students with strong academic qualifications but facing significant challenges in English may be accepted into the Al-Quds Bard Academy.  The AQB Academy is a full year preparatory non-credit program that prepares students for rigorous academic work in English. Students in the AQB Academy must meet certain criteria at the end of their preparatory year in order to qualify for acceptance into the full AQB undergraduate program. The AQB Academy provides generous scholarships for the year-long program, as well as the potential eligibility for AQB undergraduate program scholarship.

Instructions to apply for admission to these programs follow.

 

Regular Admission to Undergraduate Programs at Al-Quds Bard College
AQB Applicants are expected to be highly motivated students who have excelled academically and who possess strong written and spoken English language skills. While evidence of high achievement and motivation is essential, the admission process looks closely at each applicant, carefully weighing all facets of the student’s high school experience and other relevant accomplishments. Students may apply for entry in fall or spring semester.

To be considered for regular acceptance into the undergraduate program, students should:

  • Purchase and fill out Al-Quds University application.
  • Obtain a Tawjihi score of 80% or higher, or equivalent SAT, GCSE, GCE, or IB score (for more details check the international accepted degrees web page at AQUor contact AQB admission office)
  • Sit for AMIDEAST’s English Placement Test. (ITP TOEFEL test is a mandatory requirement for all applicants). Those who perform well in the English test and score above 470 are going to be placed in the Regular Track.

If you meet the above criteria, please complete the application linked above. If accepted, we encourage you to come to AQB and meet with our Admissions team to receive your admission letter.

For more questions, please email the admission office at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +970 (2) 2794950.

Note regarding SAT students:

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Education, Article (2) for 2021, for the purpose of equalizing SAT (CLEP/ AP) in the Palestinian Ministry of Education as a General Secondary Certificate, students must achieve the following:

  1. Students must successfully finish secondary education by passing eleventh and twelfth grades in school.
  2. Students must pass SAT 1 and its sections (WRITING, READING, MATH) with a minimum grade of 400 per each section for the purpose of equalization. 
  3. Students must pass the Arabic Language in school, if the school is in an Arabic speaking country.
  4. Students must pass 4 subjects from the (CLEP/ AP) tests, minimum grade being (35) points for CLEP, and (2) points for AP.
  5. Students must have math as one of the four tests mentioned above.
  6. In the case that the student passes more than one test of the same subject under different names or levels, it will count as only one subject when equalized.

The equalization of SAT (CLEP/AP) as “Tawjihi scientific stream” General Secondary Certificate must not conflict with the conditions set forth in the clauses (1-6) in Article (2). Requirements for the equivalency of the secondary school certificate ‘scientific stream’ are the following:

  1. Pass Math Calculus or Pre-calculus from the CLEP exam subjects, or Calculus BC or Calculus AB from the AP exam subjects.
  2. Pass two science subjects from the CLEP subjects or/and AP subjects.
  3. Pass one more subject from the CLEP subjects or/and AP subjects that the college board offers

The Pylon is a year-long course designed for students who need to work on fluency in the English language. The course focuses on intensive reading, writing, and speaking in English, and prepares students for the fluency necessary to engage in all of their classwork in the College. By the end of the year, students are expected to speak comfortably in English, to read all texts with the aid of a dictionary, and to give presentations in English. Enrollment in this program requires submitting an application to the AQB undergraduate (B.A.) programs and sitting for the English placement test. Then, based on the applicant's performance on the test, they may be recommended for acceptance into the Pylon program.

To During their first year, students in the Pylon program enroll in Intensive English courses which do not count towards the AQB degree, as well as elective courses that do count towards the B.A. degree. Students in the Pylon can complete their B.A. in 4 years, 4.5 years, or 5 years, depending on their commitment and success in summer semesters.

The Al-Quds Bard Academy (AQBA) is an intensive one-year, English-preparatory program supported with a full tuition scholarship. AQBA has been made possible by a new strategic academic partnership with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, based in Kuwait. It launched its pilot version in Spring 2021, and Fall 2021 saw enrollment of the first cohort to study in the full year of programming.

Enrollment in AQBA is for Palestinian high school graduates (Tawjihi students) who:

  1. Have a GPA of 85% and above
  2. Demonstrate limited financial means
  3. Have limited English skills
  4. Pass the AQB Academy’s admission interview

Upon the successful completion of the Academy, AQBA graduates may be granted a 50% scholarship towards any B.A. program at AQB for which they are eligible based on their Tawjihi credentials. Specifically, the 50% scholarship covers up to 130 credits for any B.A. program at the College, AQBAstudents may choose taking summer courses in order to finish their academic journey in less than 5 years.

The AQBA academic program consists principally of English language immersion, using a variety of teaching methods to provide rigor, excitement, and engagement in ideas and activities that stimulate students’ imaginations and prepare them to succeed as undergraduates in AQB’s English-taught, liberal arts education. The AQBA curriculum offers a new education model incorporating innovative teaching methods designed to support and address basic grammar and speaking skills, as well as content-driven classes that will emphasize critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills. AQBA also offers extra-curricular activities designed to promote civic engagement and leadership skills.

Note: Matriculation in AQBA does not guarantee that the applicant will be automatically accepted as a university student. AQBA students become Al-Quds Bard College students once they successfully complete their AQBA graduation requirements, meet established admissions criteria and officially enroll in AQB College.

All AQB courses are taught in English. The College holds English placement tests in order to assess the English proficiency level of its applicants. The test determines your English level; thus, it helps us to select which track best aligns with your English capacities. AQB offers two main tracks for first-year undergraduate students: the regular track and the Pylon track. This system is applicable to all admitted students to AQB and is not exclusive for applicants who are coming from the SAT or IB programs.

Students who are interested in applying to AQB as transfer students should first be familiar with our admission requirements, eligibility, our deadlines, and our approach to reviewing and evaluating applications for admission.

Transfer applicants may apply for enrollment starting in either the fall or spring semester.

  • Transfer applications for fall enrollment may be submitted for consideration from July through early September, while spring enrollment applications may be submitted from December until late January. Specific dates are determined by Al-Quds University Admission Office on an annual basis.
  • Transfer applicants can apply only in the following cases:
  1. A current and regularly enrolled student at Al-Quds University, who has completed at least one full academic year with a 70% GPA or above. The applicant must meet with the AQB Admissions team to evaluate their case. The student should have successfully completed 30 credits hours before transferring to AQB
    • If approved, they need to submit a conversion form to AQB through the Al-Quds University portal.
  2. If the applicant is a student currently enrolled at another local university, they need to contact the AQB Admissions office to complete the process of equalizing their non-AQU credits into an AQB transcript.

In either case of transfer, the applicants must respond to AQB’s offer immediately upon receipt of the admission offer in order to proceed with their case.

Moderation

Admittance to AQB does not automatically place a student into one of the academic programs offered at the College. First, a student earns admission as a general student of AQB. Once admitted to the College, then they take steps towards declaring their intended major specialization and minor, if any.

The process to declare a major and minor is called “Moderation.” This is a very special and significant process that enrolled students undergo during their second year of study. Most students who have finished the required general education and Core program courses, and who have passed between 48-65 credit hours, ideally complete moderation towards the end of their sophomore year by passing the moderation board. The moderation process is an important milestone toward achieving students’ academic plans and professional goals.

All AQB students are advised to contact their academic adviser at the beginning of their second year to see if they are eligible to finish the moderation process according to their academic plan schedule and in keeping with the moderation guidelines. To know more about the moderation, please read the moderation guidelines.