American University of Sharjah: A Comprehensive Guide to Campus Life

American University of Sharjah (AUS) offers a vibrant and engaging campus life that extends far beyond the classroom. From comfortable residential halls to diverse extracurricular activities, AUS provides a holistic environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and personally. This article delves into the various aspects of campus life at AUS, offering a comprehensive overview for prospective and current students alike.

Residential Life at AUS

Living on campus at AUS provides a safe, comfortable, and convenient experience. The residential halls are strategically located near academic buildings, the Sports Complex, and on-campus dining options, ensuring that students are never far from essential facilities and activities.

Housing Options

AUS offers several room options to accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students, including designated halls for first-year students. The available room types include:

Private Room: Single occupancy with a private bathroom and kitchenette, measuring 30 square meters. These rooms also feature a sofa and coffee table.
Semi-Private Room: Single occupancy with a shared bathroom and kitchenette. The bath and kitchenette are shared between the two occupants of adjacent semi-private rooms only. These rooms are the largest, measuring 58 square meters.

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Sharing Room: Double occupancy with a shared bathroom and kitchenette within the room, measuring 30 square meters.

Amenities and Facilities

Every residential hall is well-equipped with facilities designed to enhance the living experience:

Computer Lab: Provides students with access to computers and internet for academic work.
Laundry Room: Equipped with free-to-use laundry facilities open 24/7. Sahara Laundry also provides pickup and drop-off services.
Recreation: Snooker and pool tables, and table football are available for leisure activities.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: Ensures seamless internet access in student rooms and common areas.
Vending Machines: Stocked with snacks for quick and easy access to refreshments.
TV Lounge: Features cable TV with major networks like BBC World and CNN.
Common Kitchens: In addition to the kitchenettes in each room, common kitchens are available for more elaborate cooking.

Safety and Security

The safety, security, and well-being of students are top priorities at AUS. Measures include:

Curfew Policy: Ensures that all resident students are accounted for and safe at all times, encouraging healthy routines and prioritizing study and rest. All residents are required to report their attendance to a Residential Hall team member each night. Arriving after curfew is considered a violation and will be addressed by the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.
Around-the-Clock Security: Provides a secure environment for students.
Friendly Staff: Readily available to offer support and guidance.

Support for New Students

Adjusting to a new environment can be challenging, especially for international students. AUS offers several programs to ease this transition:

International Buddy Program (IBP): Pairs returning international resident students with new international resident students to provide support and guidance as they adapt to a new culture and environment. The communication will primarily be in English.

Resident Assistant (RA) Program

Resident Assistants (RAs) play a crucial role in fostering a positive and supportive residential community. RAs are undergraduate students who live in the halls and serve as community facilitators, leaders, role models, educators, and mediators.

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RA Responsibilities:

Community/Student Development: Create programs and activities to meet the needs of residents. Serve as a referral agent to campus resources.
Facility Management: Work with hall staff to ensure there are no facility issues. Complete room inventory and safety checks.
Policy Enforcement/Safety: Ensure residents follow University and housing policies to maintain a respectful environment.
Administrative Tasks: Complete weekly reports, duty logs, and department paperwork. Assist with check-ins and check-outs.

RA Benefits:

Discounted private room for every semester of service.
Opportunity to develop leadership skills, teamwork, communication, and event planning abilities.

RA Time Commitment:

Duty shifts once or twice a week.
Assistance during opening, closing, and breaks.
Participation in RA training sessions.
Attendance at regular meetings.

Room Details

Each room is furnished with a single bed, study desk, rolling chair, wardrobe, bedside table, roller blinds, and air-conditioning unit. A new bedding set is provided for new resident students. All rooms have kitchenettes with a hotplate and a sink.

Accessibility

AUS ensures accessibility for all students:

The room size and entrances are large enough to accommodate wheelchair users on the ground floor.
There is a ramp at the entrance of each residential hall.
Residential halls have a limited number of rooms with a bathroom designed specifically for students with a disability.

Transportation on Campus

A convenient campus bus service runs between the residential halls and the academic buildings.
There is bus service to Sharjah malls and the Dubai Metro during the school week, and to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain on the weekends.
The University City service also runs buses to and from different parts of Sharjah to campus.
Taxis can be called to pick you up from the residential halls for off-campus trips.

Room Cleaning and Laundry

Each student's room is cleaned once a week according to a set schedule.
Laundry facilities are open 24/7 and are free to use.

Extracurricular Activities and Student Life

Beyond academics and residential life, AUS offers a wide array of extracurricular activities and opportunities for students to engage with the community and pursue their interests.

AUS Club Fair

Every semester, the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) holds the AUS Club Fair at the Student Center. This event introduces students to various ethnic and interest-oriented clubs, providing them with the opportunity to join and participate in activities such as discussions, games, movies, and trips. Examples include the Book Club.

Sports and Fitness

AUS emphasizes the importance of fitness and overall health, as evidenced by the spacious AUS Sports Complex. Facilities include:

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Two indoor courts for basketball, volleyball, handball, badminton, or tennis.
Multipurpose halls.
Swimming pool.
Sauna.
Fitness centers.
Squash courts.

Students can join AUS sports and training programs, bodybuilding sessions, and aerobics classes. Most residential halls also have fitness rooms.

Library Resources

The AUS library offers a variety of resources for both academic and leisure pursuits:

A dedicated media section with movies and media rooms.
A leisure section with books for recreational reading.
Extensive collections of academic resources on the second floor.

Media Production

Students interested in video production and talk shows can utilize the facilities in the New Academic Building, including a studio and recording room.

Student Center

The Student Center serves as a central hub for relaxation and socializing, offering:

Numerous seating areas.
A variety of restaurants and cafes, including Burger King, Abela, Kal’s Chicken, and Break Point.
Outlets like Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks for coffee and desserts.
Games.

Important Information for Residents

Housing Application

Housing is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, and spaces are limited. Before submitting a housing application, students must ensure that all necessary pre-registration fees have been transferred to AUS. This includes the Room Reservation Fee of AED 500 and the Seat Reservation Deposit of AED 5,000. Submitting the Housing Application Form along with the required fee does not guarantee that a room will be assigned as this is subject to availability. Ensure that the AED 500 Room Reservation Fee has been paid.

Room Transfers

Students are allowed to switch rooms once only in the first two weeks of the semester, depending on availability.

Renewal of Agreement

Current resident students who want to renew their agreement for the upcoming semester will have to log in to the Banner system and apply for a renewal of agreement for the specified semester and during the period of application submission announced by Student Residential Life.

Minimarts

Two minimarts are located on campus: one in the Student Center and one located in front of the women's residential halls. They offer a variety of grocery items, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other household items.

Bed Linens and Towels

We only provide a new set of bed linen once to each new resident (i.e., bed sheet, pillow, pillowcase and a quilt). The washing of the linens during the semester must be done by the resident.

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