New York University Abu Dhabi, NYUAD, has welcomed 299 of the world's best students as its Class of 2019, a diverse group of young men and women representing 85 nationalities and speaking some 75 languages.

NYUAD's Class of 2019 was selected from over 10,000 applicants around the world. The yield for the incoming class, the percentage of students who choose to attend NYUAD after being admitted, was 81 percent.

For the first time, Emiratis make up the largest group of students by nationality, with 43 Emirati students in the Class of 2019. In addition to the United Arab Emirates, students from the United States, China, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Hungary, Japan, Jordan and Nepal are all heavily represented in the class. With the Class of 2019, NYUAD's total student population of over 880 students, hails from more than 110 countries and speaks more than 100 languages, reflecting the international diversity and multicultural character of Abu Dhabi.

NYU President, John Sexton, said, "Once again, NYU Abu Dhabi has welcomed an amazingly bright and compassionate group of global citizens to our international community of scholars. With their unique energy, diverse perspective and potential for leadership, these 299 young men and women will contribute remarkably to the distinctive model of education that NYU and Abu Dhabi are pioneering."

NYU Abu Dhabi Vice Chancellor, Al Bloom, said, "The Class of 2019 builds further on our unprecedented success in attracting students of extraordinary diversity, intellectual passion and talent, and resolve to lift perspective beyond the parochial and the ideological, to the creation of shared understanding and purpose."

"It means a great deal to us that Emirati students are the most highly represented nationality in the class, at 14 percent, and that an additional 84 nationalities are represented, creating a culture that at once draws importantly from its host nation and forms a true microcosm of the world," Dr. Bloom said. "We are confident that these students will develop into wise, caring, and successful leaders of a more united and peaceful globe."

NYUAD students undergo a rigorous selection and interview process and must demonstrate impressive academic credentials.