ABU DHABI // Applications for New York University Abu Dhabi's (NYUAD) second intake are almost a quarter up on last year.
The campus, which took its first batch of students in September, has received 1,184 applications for 150 places, a 24 per cent rise on last year's 900, the university revealed.
However, fewer of NYU's US applicants this year said they wanted to be considered for a place in Abu Dhabi. The US application form lets students tick a box to be considered by both campuses.
This year, 4,670 took that option, compared with 8,091 last year. However, the university said this year's dual-campus applicants had better scores on their admissions tests than those who did the same last year.
Linda Mills, who oversees NYUAD's admissions, said a vigorous marketing campaign had helped the university gain momentum in its second year.
She said: "We knew that last year we had set the bar high when close to 900 students applied to NYU Abu Dhabi, which at that time hadn't yet even opened its doors."
Since 2009, the university has been marketing itself in hundreds of the world's elite secondary schools.
It promises that no gifted student will be denied a place because of financial hardship, offering scholarships to help with the US$40,000 (Dh147,000) annual tuition fees. In total, fees, accommodation and food cost about $62,000 a year.
Kevin Dunseath, the executive director of the Dubai campus of Michigan State University, said: "The quality of NYU education is recognised globally and having that combined with the experience of living abroad is very appealing to students.
"NYU suits the UAE environment very well as there is a great emphasis on inter-cultural understanding."
James Devaney, the director of global education at Huron Consulting Group, said the rise was mirrored at other US branch universities in the region, such as those in Doha's Education City.
NYU's success in particular, he said, "suggests there is strong demand for comprehensive liberal arts education and access to American-style research universities".
Last year's intake hailed from 39 countries and embarked on 19 different majors. NYUAD focuses on the arts and humanities, areas where other UAE universities have traditionally been weak.
Overall, NYU had 42,242 applications - 7,625 of those from outside the US, a 35 per cent rise from last year.
