Questions and Answers

General Questions 

• How many scholarships were awarded during previous years?
  With a total USAID investment of around $99.5million during the past years, over 890 scholarships were awarded.
   
• How many students from our school were granted the scholarship during previous years?
  We can look this information if needed, but note that the scholarship to-date has covered the country nationally from all regions and areas.
   
• Why are such scholarships awarded for free, is there any expected return upon graduation?
  No return is expected upon graduation by any means and applicants may check with their peers from the same school or other villages. The University Scholarship Program is funded awarded by the people of America through USAID in order to give an opportunity to academically qualified and very needy students to receive high quality education at a first class university, and, accordingly be effective members of their communities. Such quality employment is intended to help Lebanon improve its economic situation.
   
• Can’t the program/university offer more scholarships?
  This is highly dependent on the available budget for the program which sets the total number of scholarships.

Questions on the Eligibility and the Application 

• Are non-Lebanese eligible to receive the USP IX scholarship (Syrian, Palestinian or other)?
  No. Only Lebanese students from private and public high schools are eligible to apply for the USP IX scholarship. However, there is another different scholarship program dedicated for non-Lebanese students who hold an official refugee status and who are enrolled in public, private or UNRWA high schools in Lebanon for the past three years. 

• Should the student submit the application personally or there are other alternatives?
  Submissions should be done online on the hes.lau.edu.lb website. After uploading all the supporting documents, you need to send the documents that are required as “original copy” via Liban Post or by hand to LAU Admissions Office to the Beirut or Byblos Campus.  

• Should the applicant pay any fees for the application?
  No, the USP application is for free.
   
• Does the scholarship cover post-graduate studies?
  No. The scholarship covers only undergraduate studies, specifically the program you’re admitted to. If additional internships, trainings or post-graduate studies are required for a particular degree, such as nutrition, then these internships are not covered by the program.
   
• When is the deadline to apply?
  The application deadline is February 15, 2024 COB. This deadline means that applications must be filled online by that date and must be complete including all supportive documents. Applications filled in after that date will not be received logistically by the admissions office and hence will be disqualified.
   
• Can the application be accepted after the deadline has passed?
  No application will be accepted after the deadline. All applications must be complete and filled in by the deadline. Incomplete applications, even received prior to the deadline, will most likely be rejected.
   
• What are the required documents?
  For Lebanese applying for the USP IX scholarship:
  As Admission requirements:

• For Lebanese students applying from public high schools, please check the detailed checklist of required documents on this website. Illustratively, students need to upload clear photocopies of the identity card or individual civil record, a recent passport-size colored photo taken within the past six months, official high school grades for the last three years (cumulative of 13.5/20), certified copy of the official Lebanese Baccalaureate when available, all financial aid required documents.
• For Lebanese students applying from private high schools please check the detailed checklist of required documents on this website. Illustratively, students need to upload clear photocopies of the identity card or individual civil record, a recent passport-size colored photo taken within the past six months, official high school grades for the last three years, certified copy of the official Lebanese Baccalaureate when available, all financial aid required documents. Students must have earned at least a cumulative combined average of 16/20.

For non-Lebanese applying for the RSS (refugee) program:
As Admission requirements: For non-Lebanese students applying from public, private or UNRWA high schools, please check the detailed checklist of required documents on this website. Illustratively, students need to upload clear photocopies of a valid residency permit, the identity card or individual civil record, a recent passport-size colored photo taken within the past six months, official high school grades for the last three years (cumulative of 13.5/20), certified copy of the official Lebanese Baccalaureate when available, all financial aid required documents.

• If a student is considering applying to both universities, what is the process? Should the student file one or two separate applications?
  Students must fill one complete online application including uploading a scanned copy of supporting documents by the deadline to each university. So, students applying to both universities will require two separate applications. An original application means the application that is filled online for each university separately.

Questions on Financial Aid 

• How financial need is determined and what are the required documents?
  Financial need is determined on a case by case basis using the supportive documents required in the application form and interviews. Financial need relies on a number of factors including family size, assets versus loans…. Factors that are all detailed in the financial aid application. Moreover, parents/legal guardians must not be receiving an educational university subsidy of US $5000 or more. The above information applies for all students whether applying for the USP IX or RSS scholarship
   
• We heard that a brilliant student from our school was turned down last year while a lesser qualified student was accepted instead from the neighboring village. Why is that?
  We cannot confirm what you have heard since we do not have the data of the particular case, nonetheless, academic performance is not the sole determining criterion, nor is financial need. There is a combination of factors that are weighed and scored including academic performance at school, University exams and baccalaureate, leadership potential, and financial need.
  Candidates whose parents receive substantial financial subsidies for university tuition for him/her or siblings are not eligible to join the program.

Questions on Academics and Majors

• Can we choose a major that is not available on the application form?
  Only majors listed in the application form, or as amended on the USP website are allowable. Students may not apply to majors not offered under the program, nor change later during enrollment to majors that were not offered initially under the program.
  Students who do not find their desired majors amongst those offered under USP are advised to carefully think about their choice of major before applying.
   
• Are there any specific entrance exams?
  Some university testing will be required including at least an English Entrance Exam. 
   
• Should High School Grades in the last three years of High School be above 12 to be eligible for the program?
  To be competitive, Lebanese students who are applying for the USP IX scholarship from public high schools should have an aggregate cumulative average for grades 10 and 11 above 13.5/20. The program is highly competitive and even 13.5/20 averages at times are disqualified in future steps of shortlisting.
  
  While Lebanese students applying for the USP IX scholarship from private high schools should have an aggregate cumulative average for grades 10 and 11 above 16/20
  
  The same conditions apply for non-Lebanese applying for the Refugee (RSS) scholarship:
  Non-Lebanese students who are applying from public, private, or UNRWA high schools should have an aggregate cumulative average for grades 10 and 11 above 13.5/20. The program is highly competitive and even 13.5/20 averages at times are disqualified in future steps of shortlisting.
   
• What is the minimum Bacc-II score?
  The minimum required on the Bacc-II exam, irrespective of the division (sciences, humanities…) is 13.5/20. Students with averages less than 13.5/20, even if initially shortlisted, will be disqualified. Having a 13.5/20 on the baccalaureate for shortlisted students does not mean that students are automatically selected for the scholarship. Other factors come to play including the final Bacc-II result, choice of major and at times the specific score on the Bacc-II in certain disciplines such as math, or physics…
   
• How do the different Baccalaureate branches affect the shortlisting, choice of major and admissions?
  Science students can join any major; however, SE /Literary applicants cannot apply to majors needing heavy scientific background. Moreover, Technical Bacc students can only apply to a field of study similar or relevant to their technical studies as listed in the admission application. All candidates from all branches must have at least 13.5/20 in the baccalaureate.
   
• So humanities and literary students do not have a chance of being accepted in the program since grades are usually around 13.5/20?
  Humanities students will not have a chance being accepted if applying to engineering for instance or science related majors. However, these chances increase in liberal arts majors such as education, or English for instance. This is more related to the choice of major first and foremost.
   
• How much does English Language play a role in admission?
  A minimum level of English proficiency is needed based on the results of the English Entrance Exam offered for free by the university. If two students are competing for the same place, with all other factors being approximately equal, the one with better English will be considered for admission. Moreover, if an applicant falls within an acceptable range of English Proficiency but still needs more language skills, then, the applicant will be placed in the one or two preparatory semesters to improve the English proficiency prior to enrollment in the specific major. The preparatory semesters are covered by the program and are allowable only for three-year academic programs, i.e. engineering is excluded.
  
  Students applying for both scholarships, USP IX or RSS, from private or UNRWA high schools are required to have earned at least a cumulative combined average of 16/20.
   
• If a student completed the EEE at LAU, can the result tests be used by AUB to review my application as well or vice versa?
  No, students must sit for the specific entrance exam at each university when applying to both universities.
   
• Does the interview affect the final shortlisting?
  There are different interviews including financial need assessment and personal interview to assess leadership potential.  The personal interview accounts for instance to 25% of the total score an applicant gets. The interview will tackle various matters including academic, personal interests and ambitions.
   
• Does the choice of major affect shortlisting and final selection?
  The choice of major does affect the final selection since a large number of students are applying to very few majors such as engineering. Applicants are highly encouraged to diversify their choice of major as long as they feel the requested majors fulfill their desires and ambitions. Students must note that getting accepted for instance in computer science, and changing after acceptance to engineering is not allowable. Therefore, students must be sincere in their choice of majors.
   
• Are the students required to maintain a certain academic average to remain eligible for the scholarship post enrollment?
  Students, depending on the university and its applicable academic policies, must not fall under repeated probation (typically average of 70%) or fail their major courses at the risk of being expelled from the program.
   
• In general terms, what are the conditions to maintain the scholarship?
  Students are required to maintain good academic standing, must participate in leadership activities and workshops during their entire duration of studies, complete a community service project, participate in career preparation activities and attend USP planned training sessions for the duration of the program.
   
• How we can apply online?
  View this short tutorial video explaining step by step how to apply online.