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Building on the excitement and enthusiasm generated as the AV������ became the first institution in the world to receive approval to open an international branch campus in Saudi Arabia, the University has announced it will launch a Pre-University Program in Riyadh in January 2026.

High school students and individuals interested in pursuing a degree at the University – either at its international branch campus in Riyadh or its main campus in Connecticut – will be able to take Academic English Language and Pre-College Math classes as well as learn college-level academic skills and fundamentals of business instruction to develop the educational foundation to begin pursuing a degree in Fall 2026. Interested individuals can apply at the AV������ Riyadh website ( | .

“The launch of our Pre-University Program is a defining moment in our historic plan to become the first university in the world to open an international branch campus in Saudi Arabia,” said Jens Frederiksen, president of the AV������. “As we pursue this ambitious undertaking, our principal focus is on ensuring interested students have the necessary foundation to excel while pursuing the U.S.-style undergraduate and graduate degrees that we plan to offer in Riyadh.”

The will begin offering degree programs through a College of Business and Digital Innovation in the Fall of 2026, pending final regulatory approvals. The University plans to expand to offer degrees through a College of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing and a College of Arts and Applied Sciences. Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be offered alongside executive education and micro-credentials to support lifelong learning.

Students at the Riyadh campus will have access to both the University's main campus in West Haven and its Tuscany campus, as well as the numerous educational and career-related resources available to all AV������ students. The University envisions the Riyadh campus growing to serve up to 13,000 students within 10 years.

“We are dedicated to being at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to investing in human capital and in educating the elite global workforce of the future,” said President Frederiksen. “We are grateful for the support we have received from the Saudi government, and we are excited to launch our Pre-University Program. It will equip students with the foundational competencies they need to thrive in our immersive, market-driven programs that will advance the transformative goals of the Kingdom’s . We are steadfast in the belief that the more prepared and the more purpose-driven our students are as they get ready to pursue their degrees, the better positioned they will be to take advantage of all the college experience entails.”