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Students

ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION

Note: Students studying at universities in Europe should contact scholarships@kaust.edu.sa to receive information on special eligibility considerations for Europe.

To qualify for a KAUST Discovery Scholarship, you:

  • Must be able to provide an official first-university or bachelor's university record or transcript documenting coursework taken and highest academic achievement;
  • Must be currently enrolled in a first university or bachelor’s degree program in a field of study that is related to the overall KAUST mission (engineering, science, mathematics, environmental science, computer science, etc.);
  • Must have the equivalent of a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum major-field-of-study GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale
  • Must demonstrate English language proficiency and must be able to provide, at a minimum, one of the following test scores if selected as a recipient.  The requirements are:
    • 550 TOEFL Paper-Based Test (TOEFL ITP also accepted)
    • 213 TOEFL Computer-Based Test
    • 79-80 TOEFL Internet-Based Test
    • 6.0 IELTS
    • Applicants who are unable to produce an English Language Proficiency test score by the deadline may still apply.  If selected, the award offer will be considered conditional until the student can provide the test score at a later date.
  • Must have completed 80 credit hours, or equivalent, of coursework by the end of the 2008 academic year.
  • Must demonstrate academic and research interest and/or leadership potential that can be documented in your Statement of Purpose on the application;
  • Must be able and willing to matriculate at KAUST in Saudi Arabia in September 2009 or September 2010; and
  • Must be able to travel outside your home country to attend KAUST-sponsored enrichment activities.

KAUST has developed a fair, consistent and transparent selection process for the KAUST Discovery Scholarship

Selection Criteria

KAUST has developed a fair, consistent and transparent selection process for the KAUST Discovery Scholarship. Applicants will be evaluated by the following criteria:

  • Academic achievement
  • First university or bachelor’s field of study
  • Commitment to KAUST goals
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Demonstrated leadership abilities
  • Involvement in related extracurricular activities
  • Commitment to matriculate at KAUST upon graduation
  • Interview with KAUST representatives or faculty (for finalists only)

Selection Process

  1. Applications are first reviewed for minimum eligibility.
  2. The applications of the highest merit are then reviewed by the KAUST global selection panel.
  3. The global selection panel will then recommend finalists for in-person interviews with KAUST representatives or faculty prior to final selection as Discovery Scholarship recipients.