Overview
About the program
The KAUST Gifted Student Program (KGSP) is KAUST’s scholarship for outstanding Saudi high school students to earn a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics at one of the world’s leading universities. Since 2008 it has graduated 728 students, and historically more than 80% of its graduates have come home to KAUST for graduate study.
KGSP students are the Kingdom’s future scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and thought leaders. Each has an advisor from admission to graduation, spends every summer in research, internships or programs at KAUST and around the world, and meets KAUST faculty, alumni and leadership every year at the KGSP Convocation. The program is run by KAUST Academy.
Leading universities
Bachelor’s degrees in STEM at 42 host universities in the United States and, since 2026, in Canada and the United Kingdom.
An advisor for every student
Regular meetings and campus visits, with tutoring, peer and alumni mentoring, and workshops.
Summers of research
Research, internships and programs at KAUST, at universities and at companies such as Aramco: in 9 countries in 2026.
KGSP in numbers
297
students at leading universities today
728
alumni since 2008
142
alumni in KAUST graduate programs today
100%
of 2025’s new students admitted to a top global university
More figures, from university placement to alumni careers, on KGSP by the numbers.
The journey
Program structure
From your final year of high school to your bachelor’s degree, and on to KAUST.
Grade 12
Admission
January to April
Apply in your final year of high school, while you apply to universities. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed, and offers go out in April.
Before you leave
Pre-departure orientation
In person
New students prepare for university life abroad with the KGSP team. In 2026, 67 new students took part.
University
Your bachelor’s degree
A STEM degree
An advisor throughout
Study at a leading university with an advisor who meets you regularly and visits your campus, alongside tutoring, peer and alumni mentoring, and workshops. Every year the whole program meets at the KGSP Convocation.
Every summer
Summer enrichment
At KAUST and around the world
Research placements, industry internships and programs at KAUST, universities and companies. In 2026, 95% of students completed summer enrichment.
After graduation
KAUST and beyond
728 alumni
Most graduates go on to graduate study at KAUST, where KGSP alumni have the highest acceptance rate and the highest median GPA of any group of students. Alumni are researchers, engineers, founders and faculty across the Kingdom.
Who can apply
Requirements
A Saudi national in Grade 12Apply in your final year of high school.
A strong record in STEMImpressive academic results in science and mathematics, meaningful extracurricular achievements, and the KAUST ethos of continuous discovery.
SAT 1350 or aboveWith at least 700 in SAT Math.
English: TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS Academic 7.0 or SAT English 650Applicants who meet the minimum scores are guaranteed an interview; others may still be considered.
Applications to top universitiesPriority goes to applicants with applications or offers at universities on the Ministry of Education’s Arruaad list of the top 30 global universities.
Selection to the KGSP is extremely competitive. The minimum scores guarantee an interview, not a place.
Applications
How to apply
Apply online
Fill in the application form on the KGSP website with your personal information, essays and latest test scores. There is no application fee, and you can send updated scores and university admissions after you submit.
Interview
Shortlisted applicants are interviewed from mid-February to early April. The program looks for a strong technical background, a wish to contribute to the Kingdom, and a good understanding of KAUST.
Offer
Offers, or a place on the waiting list, go out in late April. The scholarship’s benefits are explained to applicants who receive an offer.
Applications for Cohort 19 will open soon on the KGSP website. For Cohort 18, they were open from 12 January to 11 February 2026, and offers went out by 23 April.
Alumni
Alumni achievements
KGSP alumni work at more than 100 employers, led by PIF and its companies, Aramco, NEOM, Bain & Company and Mozn. Among them are seven Saudi Rhodes Scholars, eight Ibn Rushd postdoctoral fellows, two Forbes 30 Under 30 honorees, the founders of seven start-ups, and a KAUST faculty member, Dr. Jawaher Almutlaq of Cohort 2.
In November 2025, more than 200 alumni came back to KAUST for the first KGSP Alumni Summit.
KGSP Convocation
Gallery
Now showing
KGSP Convocation 2026
All films (1)
Highlights of the KGSP Convocation in Washington, D.C., January 2026, where 293 students met 16 KAUST faculty members, alumni and leadership.
Questions
FAQs
Who can apply?
Saudi nationals in Grade 12.
When do applications open?
Applications for Cohort 19 will open soon, and the dates will be on the KGSP website. For Cohort 18, the form was open from 12 January to 11 February 2026.
Is there an application fee?
No.
Which universities should I apply to?
In line with the Ministry of Education’s Arruaad pathway, applicants are expected to have applications or offers at one of the top 30 Arruaad global universities. You can still apply without one, but applicants to Arruaad universities come first.
Can the KGSP send me to a university outside the United States?
Yes. In 2026, Cohort 18 was admitted to universities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and students outside the United States receive the same care.
Can I update my application after I submit it?
Yes. Once you submit it by the deadline, you can send more documents and updated test scores.
When are interviews and offers?
Interviews run from mid-February to early April; if you have not been interviewed by early April, your application will not go further. Offers go out in late April, and some applicants are offered a place on the waiting list.
Does the KGSP fund a fourth year if my degree takes three years?
No. The KGSP does not fund a fourth-year master’s degree when the bachelor’s program lasts three years.
What does the scholarship include?
The benefits are shared with applicants who receive an offer.
Is the KGSP connected to STEPs or other KAUST Academy programs?
They are separate programs, so apply to the KGSP directly. Many KGSP students took part in KAUST Academy programs first: more than 60% of the 2025–26 students.
How do I contact the KGSP?
Through the contact form on the KGSP website.
