GRADUATE ADMISSIONS POLICY
1.0 Definitions
1.1 The following words and expressions shall have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
1.1.1 Academic Calendar: A representation of the periods associated with the University’s operations, containing the teaching periods, exam and holiday dates, and key deadlines, which is approved by the University’s Board of Trustees.
1.1.2 Academically Dismissed: A decision of the University to revoke the enrollment status of a Student from a Program based on their Academic Standing.
1.1.3 Academic Standing: The standard set by the University to determine a Student’s eligibility to remain and/or progress in a Program.
1.1.4 Academic Year: Means the 12-month period defined in the University's Academic Calendar, as approved by the Board.
1.1.5 Accessibility Services: Additional support required by persons with learning, physical, and behavioral disabilities and/or challenges to enable them to pursue a specific activity.
1.1.6 Admission: The process in which Applicants are evaluated for entry into a University Program.
1.1.7 Admission Cycle: Period of time during which applications are accepted for entry to a University Program.
1.1.8 Admission Priority Category: The order in which qualified Applicants are admitted to seats available within Programs.
1.1.9 Admission Requirements: The requirements for eligibility into a University Program.
1.1.10 Applicant: An individual who has submitted and completed an application to be admitted into a Program.
1.1.11 Clear Standing: The Academic Standing of a Student who has achieved the minimum Cumulative GPA required by the Program.
1.1.12 Competitive Entry (with regard to Admission): Admission where the number of qualified Applicants regularly exceeds the number of seats available.
1.1.13 Conditional Admission: Instances when Admission is offered before one or more of Admission Requirements are met and is conditional on the outstanding requirements being met by a specified time.
1.1.14 Course: A set of Learning Sessions in a particular subject, with a defined scope and duration, and specific learning outcomes.
1.1.15 Credit: A unit of measurement assigned to a Course based on the total amount of learning time that counts toward a Program or credential completion, at a particular level of the Qatar National Qualification Framework.
1.1.16 Cumulative GPA: The overall cumulative grade point average across multiple Semesters in a Student’s Program.
1.1.17 Discontinued Student: A Student who was enrolled in a Program and has either not registered for a subsequent Semester, registered in a current Semester but not attended any classes, has withdrawn voluntarily or involuntarily, or has been suspended.
1.1.18 Eligible Applicant: An Applicant who satisfies the minimum requirements for Admission.
1.1.19 Foundation Program: A series of University Courses designed to prepare Students for their Program.
1.1.20 Learning Session: Classes, labs, placements or work term prescribed by the Course.
1.1.21 Placement Test: An assessment to determine the Student’s level of competency in English and/or Mathematics.
1.1.22 Program: A prescribed set of Courses leading to a qualification, including a Certificate, Diploma (2 years), Advanced Diploma (3 years), Bachelor, Master, or Doctorate, according to the Qatar National Qualifications Framework.
1.1.23 Re-admission: The process in which an Applicant is admitted (or denied) into a University Program, when an Applicant has previously been admitted as a Student but has been Dismissed or has become a Discontinued Student.
1.1.24 Semester: A division of an Academic Year where a Student is enrolled in a Course(s) followed by an examination period.
1.1.25 Student: A person who is presently enrolled at the University in a Credit Course or who is designated by the University as a Student.
1.1.26 Transcript: An official document of the University summarizing the entire academic records of a Student including essential information pertaining to the Student's courses, grades, academic standing and credential attainment.
1.1.27 Transfer Admission: The process in which Applicants moving from another higher education institution are evaluated for entry into a University Program.
1.1.28 Transfer Student: A Student who moves from one higher education institution to another.
1.1.29 Visiting Student: A Student permitted to take Courses at the University for transfer of Credit to another higher education institution.
1.1.30 University: University of Doha for Science and Technology established by Emiri Resolution No. 13 of 2022.
1.2 Where the context requires, words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice-versa.
1.3 Where a word or phrase is given a particular meaning, other parts of speech and grammatical forms of that word or phrase have corresponding meanings.
2.0 Policy Purpose
2.1 The University is committed to promoting access to higher education in the State of Qatar and to maintaining an objective Admission process. The policy aims to ensure that the University’s Graduate Program Admission Requirements are transparent and consistently applied.
3.0 Policy Scope
3.1 The policy applies to all Applicants seeking Graduate Admission to the University.
3.2 This policy applies to all Graduate Programs.
4.0 Policy Statements
4.1 Graduate Application Requirements
4.1.1 Applicants must submit an official copy of the following documentation to complete their Graduate Admission application:
4.1.1.1 All Graduate Applicants must submit an official Bachelor’s degree or equivalent transcript from a recognized higher education institution;
4.1.1.1.1 If the attended higher education institution is in the State of Qatar, it must be recognized by the Qatar Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
4.1.1.1.2 If the attended higher education institution is outside of the State of Qatar, the higher education institution must be accredited by an international accrediting association or recognized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education or equivalent authority in that country. The transcript must be attested by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education or equivalent authority in that country, and also be attested by the Embassy of the State of Qatar in that country.
4.1.1.2 Valid Passport/Travel Document;
4.1.1.3 Valid Qatar National Identification card (except International Applicants who can submit this after arrival into Qatar);
4.1.1.4 Documentation to support the Admission Priority Category outlined in 4.4.2;
4.1.1.5 Copy of National Service Certificate/Letter for all male Qatari Applicants;
4.1.1.6 Official Placement Test result, or acceptable waivers as specified in 4.3;
4.1.1.7 Confirmation of payment of the Admission application fee.
4.2 Fees
4.2.1 A non-refundable Admission application fee is applicable to all prospective Students applying to the University.
4.2.2 The cost of the first Placement Test is included in the Admission application fee. The Applicant will be charged for any subsequent Placement Tests.
4.3 Placement Test
4.3.1 Placement Testing is required for all Applicants seeking Graduate Admission to the University.
4.3.2 In lieu of the Placement Test, the University may accept valid test scores from other internationally recognized English language proficiency tests.
4.3.3 Applicants, who are transferring from or have graduated from a higher education institution where English is the medium of instruction, can request to have the Placement Test waived. Waivers are granted at the sole discretion of the University, in accordance with the pertinent procedure. The deadline for a Student to request a waiver is the first day of classes for the Semester of Admission.
4.3.4 The University accepts an Applicant’s highest, non-expired Placement Test scores taken within two years of the application date.
4.3.5 The minimum required Placement Test scores for each Program will be set in accordance with the pertinent procedure, and published accordingly by the Admissions and Registration Directorate.
4.3.6 Applicants who do not meet the required Placement Test scores are ineligible for placement into the Foundation Program.
4.4 Graduate Admission Priority
4.4.1 Admission to the University is based on a competitive assessment of an Applicant’s application using approved and published Admission Requirements and available Program capacity, in accordance with the pertinent procedures.
4.4.2 Meeting the Admission criteria does not guarantee Admission, and the University will select the most qualified Applicants, subject to the following Admission Priority, and according to the pertinent procedures:
4.4.2.1 Priority A: Qatari Applicants/Holders of Qatari Travel Documents;
4.4.2.2 Priority B: Applicants born to Qatari mothers living in Qatar/non-Qatari female spouses of Qatari nationals;
4.4.2.3 Priority C: Children of Diplomats;
4.4.2.4 Priority D: Children of University Employees;
4.4.2.5 Priority E: Applicants born in Qatar;
4.4.2.6 Priority F: Residents in Qatar;
4.4.2.7 Priority G: Applicants residing outside the State of Qatar.
4.5 Admission Application Categories
The University admits Applicants based on the following application categories, in accordance with the requirements of this policy and as per the provisions of the pertinent procedure(s):
4.5.1 Bachelor’s Degree graduates of the College or University and other higher education institutions.
4.5.2 Transfer Students.
4.5.3 Visiting Students.
4.6 Graduate Program Admission Requirements
Application requirements (mentioned under 4.1 above) must be satisfied, alongside the admission requirements stipulated below:
4.6.1 Bachelor’s Degree Graduates
Graduate Applicants who have earned a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with the following minimum requirements will be considered for Admission to a Graduate Program:
4.6.1.1 Academic Requirements
4.6.1.1.1 Earned a University Bachelor’s degree in a related field of study; or
4.6.1.1.2 Earned a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum Cumulative GPA of 3.00 from a recognized higher education institution as specified in 4.1.1.1.
4.6.1.1.3 Satisfied Program-specific Admission Requirements, if any, defined in the pertinent Comprehensive Program Proposal, and published on the University website.
4.6.1.2 Placement Requirements
4.6.1.2.1 Placement Testing, or waiver as specified in 4.3, is required for all Applicants seeking Graduate Admission.
4.6.2 Transfer Student Admission Requirements
Applicants transferring from a Graduate Program at another higher education institution must satisfy the following minimum requirements to be considered for Admission as a Transfer Student:
4.6.2.1 Academic Requirements
4.6.2.1.1 Earned a Bachelor’s degree in a related field of study with a minimum Cumulative GPA of 3.00 from a recognized higher education institution as specified in 4.1.1.1; and
4.6.2.1.2 Are in Clear Standing or equivalent at their home institution; and
4.6.2.1.3 Satisfy Program-specific Admission requirements, if any, prepared and published in accordance with the pertinent Comprehensive Program Proposal.
4.6.2.2 Placement Requirements
4.6.2.2.1 Placement Testing, or waiver as specified in 4.3, is required for all Applicants seeking Graduate Admission.
4.6.2.3 Transferability
4.6.2.3.1 Graduate Applicants granted Transfer Admission to the University can request to transfer Course Credit from prior higher education institutions to their Program. All transfer of Credit policies and regulations apply.
4.6.3 Visiting Student Admission Requirements
Applicants visiting from a Graduate Program at another higher education institution must satisfy the following minimum requirements to be considered for Admission as a Visiting Student:
4.6.3.1 Academic Requirements
4.6.3.1.1 Are in Clear Standing or equivalent at a recognized higher education institution as specified in 4.1.1.1; and
4.6.3.1.2 Satisfy Program-specific Admission requirements, if any, prepared and published in accordance with the pertinent procedure Individual Programs may have more stringent Admissions Requirements.
4.6.3.2 Placement Requirements
4.6.3.2.1 Placement Test, or waiver as specified in 4.3, is required for all Applicants seeking Graduate Admission.
4.6.3.3 Course Load Requirements
4.6.3.3.1 Visiting Students may register up to a maximum of 6 Credits. If the Visiting Student is subsequently admitted to the University as a Student of the University, any Courses passed in Visiting Student status may be considered towards a University credential.
4.6.3.4 Transferability
4.6.3.4.1 Visiting Students are eligible to apply for Transfer Admission to the University.
4.6.3.4.2 Visiting Students granted Transfer Admission to the University can request to transfer Course Credit from prior higher education institutions to their Program. All transfer of Credit policies and regulations apply.
4.7 Conditional Admission
4.7.1 Applicants may be considered for Conditional Admission based on the following if all other Admission Requirements have been met:
4.7.1.1 Awaiting letter of equivalency from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Qatar;
4.7.1.2 Awaiting original documents where copies were submitted to the University’s Admission office.
4.7.2 Applicants who have received a Conditional Admission are required to produce the documentation satisfying Admission Requirements before the first day of classes for the Semester of Admission.
4.7.3 Conditional Admission is revoked when Applicants do not satisfy the conditions in their Conditional Admission, or fail to provide required documentation, or to satisfy Admission Requirements.
4.8 Competitive Entry and Applicant Ranking
4.8.1 Admission to all Programs is competitive and attaining the minimum Admission Requirements does not guarantee admission to the University. In addition to Program capacity, applications are evaluated on the following criteria:
4.8.1.1 Eligible Applicants are ranked on the individual Program ranking criteria including but not limited to the Bachelor’s degree GPA and by their Admission Priority Category outlined in 4.4.2.
4.9 Admission Deferral
4.9.1 Students admitted to the University can defer their Semester of Admission by up to 1 Academic Year based on Program capacity, in accordance with the pertinent procedure.
4.10 Admission No Show
4.10.1 New, or readmitted Students who are not registered in classes by the Last Day to Add are considered to have cancelled their Admission and their Admission will be revoked.
No Show Students must re-apply to be considered for future Admission to the University.
No refund of Admission fees will be provided, and any subsequent Admission applications will be subject to new fees.
4.11 Re-Admission
4.11.1 Re-Admission Applicants may apply to their prior Academic Program or to any other Academic Program for which they are eligible.
4.11.2 Students who have been Academically Dismissed are not eligible for Re-admission to the same Program.
Academically Dismissed Students may apply for Admission to another Program for the subsequent Semester.
4.11.3 Discontinued, and Academically Dismissed Students, who have not been enrolled for at least two years are required to re-take the English Placement Test.
4.12 Additional Information
4.12.1 Only one application per Applicant is considered per Admission Cycle.
4.12.2 Applicants requesting Accessibility Services are required to identify their needs and provide documentation from a licensed medical or counseling professional. The University will endeavor to accommodate Applicants requiring Accessibility Services.
4.13 Restrictions
4.13.1 The University reserves the right to revoke offers of Admission due to any action that could be considered contrary to the approved Student Conduct Policy (PL-ST-01) or applicable Qatari laws.
5.0 Procedures
5.1 The Vice-President, Student Affairs will ensure that procedures are developed for the execution of this policy, and are implemented accordingly.
6.0 Related Documents
6.1 PL-ST-01: Student Conduct Policy
6.2 PL-ST-06: Transfer Policy
6.3 PL-ST-09: Registration Policy
6.4 PL-ST-18: Graduate Academic Standing Policy
6.5 PR-ST-17: Graduate Admissions Procedure