Welcome Note and Information

Dear New Student,

Addis Ababa University welcomes the nearly six thousand new students that will be joining it for 2011/12 academic year. The university has made extensive preparations for your smooth transition and integration into the university community.  As a new student, the first days at the University may seem new and confusing. We have had experience in receiving thousands of new students over the past six decades and we have made preparations for you as well. There are dozens of volunteer university students on the ready to receive and help you during your first days on campus.

Arrival at AAU

1.       Students from outside Addis Ababa region

New students assigned to Band 1 (Engineering and Technology) that are arriving from outside Addis Ababa are expected to arrive on the 28^th October 2011. There will be volunteer students to assist you to board a university bus to the campus to which you are designated. The provision of busses is thought to facilitate your arrival to the designated campus without confusion and extra expenses.

New students assigned to all other bands that arriving from outside Addis Ababa are expected to arrive on the 29^th – 30^th October 2011. There will be volunteer students to assist you to board a university bus to the campus to which you are designated. The provision of busses is thought to facilitate your arrival to the designated campus without confusion and extra expenses.

2.     Students from Addis Ababa region

All students coming from the Addis Ababa region are only expected to arrive on 31^st October 2011 for the general orientation sessions that will be delivered that day. Since students from Addis Ababa region are not eligible to receive dorm and cafeteria services their arrival before the indicated date will only cause inconvenience to them, and also take up our time and energy that can better be devoted to students from outside Addis Ababa that require dorm and cafeteria services.

We are only able to cater to arriving students as per the above described schedule. Arrival before set dates may entail you additional expenses and hassle that is best avoided. We ask that you adhere to the set schedule for easy and unimpeded service delivery.

Meals and accommodation

All new students that come from outside of Addis Ababa and its environs are eligible to receive dorm and cafeteria services. If you are from Addis Ababa and its surrounding area, you will receive a monthly stipend as per the cost-sharing scheme towards defraying your cost of meals and accommodation.

If you are eligible for dorm services, please check our website to find out which campus, dorm building and room you have been assigned to (Findout your dorm assignment).

General orientation

As a new student, you are expected to attend the general orientation sessions that will be held on Monday 31^st October 2011. Please refer to the tentative schedule on our website. The general orientation is designed to equip you with pertinent information regarding the various services, rules and regulations of the university and other useful information that will help you integrate into the community quickly. Attendance of the general orientation session is compulsory.

Many useful publications and other items will be handed out during the general orientation sessions. Please keep these and refer to them to make your stay here at AAU a success.

Special orientation for female students

If you are a female student, we have something additional planned for you. There will be a special orientation for new female students on 01 November 2011 regarding the special provisions and resources that the University makes towards supporting the academic success of female students. AAU is an institution committed to betterment of gender equity in its classrooms and workplace. Please check the schedule times and places for your campus and attend to better empower yourself. And also visit the Gender Office for additional information.

Special orientation for students with disability

If you are a student with a disability, we have one more thing planned for you. There will be a special orientation for new students with disabilities on 01 November 2011 regarding the special provisions and resources that the University provides towards supporting the academic success of students with disability. AAU has a center dedicated to services for students with disabilities and is always striving towards the betterment of the quality of life and education of students with disability. If you have visual, hearing or other physical impairment, please check the schedule time and place and attend to benefit from these services. And also visit the Center for Students with Disability (Sidist Kilo campus) for additional information.

Academic orientation

There will be academic orientations for students assigned in various bands. The academic orientations will be organized and delivered by the various academic units (please follow when and where these will be once you arrive on campus). The academic orientations are designed to help you make an informed decision on the field of study that you want to pursue. So please attend to increase the chances of you making the choice that is right for you.

Some academic units have in place special placement criteria due to the nature of the academic program. Some of the units that will conduct special placement screening are School of Theatrical Arts, Department of Sports Science and Department of Sign Language and Deaf Culture. Yet again, the Ministry Education places some students directly into academic units and as such these academic units are not open for selection (please see the Placement Preference Form on our website).

Placement into academic units

This year we have deployed an automated placement system. You can make the selection of your choices, in rank order, on our website. The system will require that you to answer some questions for security purposes. Once you have logged on and submit your choices the placement system will automatically place you in an academic program. The automated placement system will be available from Thursday 03 November until Friday 04 November mid night. For instructions on the Online Placement Application System click here. As an affirmative action institution certain priority will be offered to female students, students with disability and students from border regions in placing them in academic programs.

You will note that some undergraduate academic programs on offer will not be available for selection on our online system or on the paper-based system. This may be to due to two reasons: 1) Ministry of Education may place students directly to certain programs at its discretion (such as Law, Veterinary Medicine, etc.), or 2) certain programs apply special additional placement criteria that you have to satisfy (please consult the departments that offer these programs for separate arrangements).

If you are unfamiliar with using a web based application, you can fill out the Placement Preference Form and give it to a clerk at your nearest Registrar’s office for assistance. Paper based application will only be available until 04 November 4:00P.M. The Placement Preference Forms are available for printing from the university website.

Registration and start of classes

Registration for courses is tentatively scheduled to begin on 04 November 2011. Classes will commence on 08 November 2011. The university has taken up the dictum “Day one, Class one” to stress the importance of beginning the academic year on schedule. You should be present to attend classes from day one. University instructors will start delivering lectures regardless of the class size. Missing classes may impact the grade that you obtain at the end of the semester.

For more information regarding the academic rules and regulations of the university please make sure to refer to the “Student Handbook” that will be provided for you during the general orientation sessions or visit our website to view the document.

Looking forward to seeing you soon in Addis Ababa University.