On October 7, 2021, the inaugural Miss Universe UAE audition was announced and aspiring beauty queens quickly rushed to apply.
Applicants for Miss Universe UAE 2021 have to be 18 to 28 years old, possess valid UAE identification cards and may be either a UAE citizen or a resident of the country for at least three years. There is no height requirement and no swimsuit competition.
Prospects crashed the Miss Universe UAE website with more than 15,000 applications. The Miss Universe UAE team then cut the 15,000 applicants to just 300!
The 300 chosen ladies were invited in to an in-person audition where contestants lined up to strut before a panel of 10 experts, including Josh Yugen, president and national director of Miss Universe UAE.
The casting was split into two rounds, the first being a runway show where judges looked for the “X factor”. Contestants who impressed were then asked back for a second round and asked to answer a single question: “Why do you deserve to be a part of the history of the UAE?”
After reviewing all responses and considering each candidate, a top 30 will be chosen to compete. This top 30, announced on October 20, will advance to the live show where each will compete in several pageant activities, including photoshoot, runway challenges, commercial shoots, preliminary activewear, evening gown and close door panel interview between October 20 and October 30.
All the best, queens! We can’t wait to see who is announced tonight!