TLDR: The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi has welcomed its first-ever undergraduate class of 115 students as part of its largest Fall 2025 intake, bringing the total student body to over 700. The university saw an overwhelming 8,000 applications, resulting in a highly selective 5% acceptance rate, underscoring the UAE’s commitment to nurturing top-tier AI talent.
Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), a leading institution dedicated solely to AI research and education, has commenced its Fall 2025 academic term with a record intake, including its inaugural undergraduate cohort. The university, which opened its doors in 2020, previously focused exclusively on postgraduate studies.
This semester, MBZUAI welcomed 403 new students, significantly boosting its total student population to over 700, representing more than 47 nationalities. A key highlight of this intake is the first Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence class, comprising 115 students. These pioneering undergraduates hail from over 25 countries, with more than 25 percent being UAE Nationals, reflecting the nation’s strategic focus on developing local AI expertise.
The demand for MBZUAI’s programs was exceptionally high, with the university receiving over 8,000 applications for its undergraduate and graduate courses. This intense competition resulted in a stringent 5 percent acceptance rate, reinforcing MBZUAI’s reputation for attracting and cultivating elite talent in the field of artificial intelligence globally.
The newly launched Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence program offers two specialized streams: ‘AI for Business’ and ‘AI for Engineering’. These curricula are designed to combine rigorous technical training with essential leadership, hands-on entrepreneurship, and practical industry experience. In addition to the undergraduate program, MBZUAI has also introduced new Master’s programs in Statistics & Data Science and Applied Artificial Intelligence, further diversifying its academic offerings.
Professor Timothy Baldwin, MBZUAI Provost and Professor of Natural Language Processing, emphasized the urgency of AI education. ‘Artificial intelligence is transforming the world at a pace that vastly outstrips traditional education models,’ he stated. He added, ‘To realise its full global potential, MBZUAI invests heavily in reviewing and updating our programmes to reflect modern AI research methodology and workflows, based on our bleeding-edge AI research credentials and grounded in societal and industrial needs.’ Professor Baldwin also highlighted the unique learning experience for students, noting, ‘Our extraordinarily talented students don’t just learn about AI, but learn with it, through it, and for it.’ He believes the undergraduate degree ‘sets a new global benchmark in terms of technical depth, real-world relevance, and the high-end AI job-readiness of the students.’
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This expansion aligns seamlessly with the UAE’s National Strategy for AI 2031, which aims to position the country as a global hub for AI development and innovation. The university’s strong industry partnerships, including collaborations with companies like Microsoft, and its emphasis on internships, are designed to provide students with invaluable practical experience and prepare them for the evolving job market.
