KAUST Fellowship for MS and PhD Study
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Every admitted MS and PhD student at KAUST in Saudi Arabia receives the KAUST Fellowship: full tuition, campus housing, health insurance, relocation and a stipend of USD 20,000-30,000 a year. No separate application. Fall 2027 Round 2 opens 28 Sep 2026, closes 3 Jan 2027.
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Eligibility
- Who can apply
- All nationalities
- Education required
- Bachelors completed
- Fields
- Stem, Engineering, Computer science, Natural sciences
- Language
- An English language test is required of all applicants except those who 'earned a degree through in-person study at an accredited institution in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand'. Published minimums: IELTS 7 overall with at least 6.5 in every section; TOEFL iBT 95 overall with at least 23 in every section; PTE Academic 71 overall with at least 67 in each section; Cambridge C1/C2 185 overall with at least 176 in each section.
- Also required
- MS applicants need a bachelor's degree in a subject relevant to the programme applied to, from a recognised higher education institution
- PhD applicants need a master's degree in a subject relevant to the programme applied to, from a recognised higher education institution
- Minimum GPA 3.0 on a 4-point scale; typically 90% of admitted applicants have a GPA above 3.3 and 75% above 3.5
- There is no separate scholarship application — admission and the KAUST Fellowship are decided together
- Some students with external sponsorship or funding may not be eligible for the KAUST Fellowship
About this opportunity
KAUST is an English-language graduate research university on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, and it funds its graduate students as a matter of course rather than through a competitive side-process. All admitted MS and PhD students receive the KAUST Fellowship, so there is no separate scholarship application — you apply for admission and, if accepted, the funding comes with it. Some students who already hold external sponsorship or funding may not be eligible for the fellowship.
The package is unusually complete. It covers full tuition and bench fees, worth up to USD 35,000 a year; a living stipend of USD 20,000 a year for MS students and USD 25,000 to USD 30,000 for PhD students depending on qualifications and academic progress; base campus accommodation (shared for single students, two-bed for married students); health insurance for students and eligible dependents living on campus; and visa, relocation and travel costs both on arrival and to return home after graduation. KAUST puts the total value at USD 70,000 to 80,000 a year.
Entry is competitive on academics. MS applicants need a bachelor's degree in a relevant subject from a recognised institution; PhD applicants need a relevant master's. The stated minimum GPA is 3.0 on a 4-point scale, but KAUST publishes the reality: typically 90 per cent of admitted applicants have a GPA above 3.3 and 75 per cent above 3.5. An English test is required unless your degree was taken in person in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand; IELTS minimum is 7 overall with at least 6.5 in every section. The application asks for official transcripts, a CV, a statement of purpose of about 750 words, contact details for three referees and a clear copy of your passport page. Two rounds run each year. The Spring 2027 Round 1 deadline of 27 September 2026 is PhD-only and is open now; Fall 2027 Round 2 opens on 28 September 2026 and closes on 3 January 2027, and that one is open to MS, MS/PhD and PhD applicants. KAUST warns that these dates are tentative and may change with application volume.
- Level
- Master's, PhD
- Where
- Saudi Arabia
- Number of awards
- All admitted MS and PhD students receive the fellowship; some students with external sponsorship or funding may not be eligible
- Difficulty
- High · about 8 weeks to prepare
Funding
Fully funded
- tuition
- stipend
- accommodation
- health insurance
- travel
- visa
- research costs
Full tuition and bench fee coverage worth up to USD 35,000 per year; a living stipend of USD 20,000 per year for MS students and USD 25,000 to USD 30,000 for PhD students depending on qualifications and academic progress; base accommodation included (shared accommodation for single students, 2-bed accommodation for married students, with upgrades available at extra cost); health insurance for students and eligible dependents living on campus; and visa, relocation and travel costs. KAUST states a total value of USD 70,000-80,000 annually.
What you will need
- Academic transcripts
- CV / résumé
- Personal statement
- Reference letters (3)
- Passport or national ID
- Language test (e.g. IELTS/TOEFL)
Official university transcripts, a curriculum vitae, a statement of purpose of approximately 750 words, contact details of three referees, a clear unobscured copy of the passport page, and an official English language test score where required.
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