The American University of Beirut (AUB) was founded by missionaries in 1866 as the Syrian Protestant College for men, whereas LAU's roots go back to the American School for Girls, founded in Beirut in 1835 by American Presbyterian missionaries. It became the American Junior College for Women in 1924; Beirut College for Women in 1948; the coeducational Beirut University College in 1973; and finally, the Lebanese American University in 1994.
Since 1973 LAU has grown from a college of 1,000 students on one campus in Beirut to a university with 5,900 students on campuses in Beirut and Byblos, Lebanon.
The university's student body is 51% male and 49% female. Sixty-eight nationalities are represented, although many have dual Lebanese citizenship. All of Lebanon’s confessional groups are well represented on our campuses.
LAU is a not-for-profit, private American institution governed by a Board of Trustees 25 in number, who derive their authority from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. A majority of the Trustees are American.
The mission of LAU is to serve the educational needs of Lebanon and the Middle East by:
LAU adopted the American system of higher education. The academic calendar is based on two semesters per year: Fall (October-February) and Spring (February-June). Two five-week modules are also offered between late June and early September. Instruction is in English. Undergraduate applicants must have a minimum TOEFL score of 525. In the letter grading system each letter is associated with a certain number of quality points. LAU uses the American credit system. Students are required to complete a minimum of 122 credit hours and receive a minimum cumulative and major GPA of 2.00 out of a possible 4.00. Classroom attendance is mandatory.
LAU has a School of Arts & Sciences, School of Business, School of Engineering and Architecture and a School of Pharmacy. Degrees offered are: A.A., A.A.S., B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., M.B.A., B.Arch., B.E. and Pharm.D. LAU graduates over 1,300 students each year.
LAU has 433 faculty members including 149 full-timers for an FTE of 226. Seventy-one percent of the full-timers have Ph.D.s. The FTE student/faculty ratio is 20:1.
The average undergraduate tuition is $11,200 per year. Annual graduate tuition runs about $8,770.
Yes. The financial aid budget for next year is $9 million. About one-third of our students are receiving some type of aid in the form of work-study grants, soft loans and grants. For the average undergraduate on financial aid the annual tuition is $6,720, and for graduate students receiving aid the average tuition is $5,260. All aid is awarded on the basis of financial need only.
LAU is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. Credits are transferrable to colleges and universities in the United States. All degrees are accepted for graduate study abroad including the United States. LAU’s Doctor of Pharmacy degree is the only such degree offered outside the United States that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.