KFUPM Scholarship For International Students Undergraduate 2026
If you are a graduate student with a strong academic record and you want to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in engineering, science, computing, or business at a world-class institution in the Middle East on a fully funded basis, the KFUPM scholarship is one of the most comprehensive and genuinely valuable international scholarship opportunities currently available. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, located in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, offers full scholarships that cover tuition fees, furnished accommodation, monthly living stipends, air tickets, medical care, free textbooks, subsidized meals, and conference funding for eligible graduate applicants from all countries in the world.
In this complete guide, we are going to walk you through everything you need to know about the KFUPM scholarship in 2025 and 2026. We will cover what KFUPM is and why it matters as a study destination, explain the different scholarship tracks available at the MS and PhD levels, detail every component of the financial benefits package, clarify the eligibility requirements for each program type, walk through the required documents, explain the two undergraduate scholarship variants, and take you through the step-by-step application process with key deadlines for the current cycle. By the time you finish reading, you will have a complete and honest picture of what the KFUPM scholarship offers and exactly what you need to do to apply successfully.
About King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, universally known by its abbreviation KFUPM, is a public research university located in Dhahran, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1963 under the name College of Petroleum and Minerals before being elevated to full university status in 1975. It was later renamed in 1986 in honor of the late King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Saudi monarch who reigned from 1982 to 2005. KFUPM is widely regarded as the premier science and engineering university in Saudi Arabia and one of the leading technical universities in the Arab world and globally.
The university is located on a single main campus in Dhahran, which is in the heart of Saudi Arabia’s oil-producing Eastern Province, approximately 400 kilometers east of Riyadh. This location is not accidental. Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company and one of the most important energy corporations on the planet, is headquartered in Dhahran and has a deep and longstanding partnership with KFUPM that shapes the university’s research culture, industrial collaboration programs, and career placement outcomes. Many KFUPM graduates go directly into careers at Saudi Aramco, SABIC, Halliburton, Yokogawa, and other major energy and technology companies that have a strong presence in the Eastern Province.
In terms of global rankings, KFUPM performs exceptionally well in its core areas. According to QS World University Rankings, KFUPM is ranked in the global top 300, and all of its engineering disciplines consistently appear in the QS global top 100 for engineering and technology. Its petroleum engineering program has been ranked as high as fourth in the world, which reflects the university’s extraordinary research depth in the field that defines its institutional identity. According to the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in the United States, KFUPM ranks among the top 100 global universities by US utility patents, ranking fourth out of the top 100 globally for research commercialization through patents. These rankings are not incidental. They reflect a university that takes research output and practical application extremely seriously, which is exactly the environment that attracts ambitious graduate students from around the world.
KFUPM has six main academic colleges: the College of Engineering and Physics, the College of Computing and Mathematics, the College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, the College of Chemicals and Materials, the College of Design and Built Environment, and the KFUPM Business School. It also has a College of General Studies for foundational and preparatory year programs. Graduate programs are administered through the Deanship of Graduate Studies, which is the academic authority responsible for all master’s and doctoral programs at the university. The Graduate Studies website at cgis is the official hub for all scholarship information, graduate admissions, and application portals.
The KFUPM Graduate Scholarship: An Overview
The KFUPM scholarship for graduate students is an institutional scholarship, meaning it is funded and administered by KFUPM itself rather than by an external foundation or government. The scholarship is awarded to distinguished graduate applicants who demonstrate exceptional qualifications, a high GPA, and strong potential for conducting original research in the fields of engineering, sciences, and business. It is open to both Saudi national students and international students from all countries in the world.
The scholarship is not a competitive application in the traditional sense where you fill out a separate scholarship form alongside your academic application. At KFUPM, the scholarship consideration is integrated directly into the graduate admissions process. When you apply for a graduate program through the KFUPM graduate admissions portal, you are automatically considered for the scholarship based on the strength of your academic record, your research potential, and the assessment of your application by the relevant department and the Deanship of Graduate Studies. The better your GPA and the stronger your research credentials, the more likely you are to be offered the scholarship as part of your admission.
The scholarship is fully funded for all PhD programs offered by KFUPM. For master’s degree programs, the scholarship is available for MS programs that do not have a corresponding doctoral program. This means that if you are applying for an MS in a field where KFUPM also offers a PhD, you may not be automatically eligible for the full institutional scholarship, but you can apply for a Research Assistantship (RA-MS) which provides financial support in exchange for contributing to a faculty member’s research project. If you are applying for an MS program in a field where KFUPM does not offer a PhD, the full scholarship is available to you under the same terms as the PhD scholarship.
PhD Direct Entry Program
One of the most unique and attractive features of KFUPM’s graduate scholarship structure is the PhD Direct Entry program. Under this pathway, exceptionally qualified bachelor’s degree holders who demonstrate the potential for outstanding doctoral-level research can be admitted directly into a PhD program at KFUPM without first completing a separate master’s degree. This Direct Entry PhD pathway is fully scholarship-eligible, meaning applicants admitted through this route receive the same full scholarship package as regular PhD students. For ambitious researchers who want to move directly into doctoral research without the intermediate step of a separate two-year master’s program, the Direct Entry option at KFUPM is genuinely compelling.
What Does the KFUPM Scholarship Cover?
The financial package provided by the KFUPM scholarship is one of the most comprehensive institutional scholarships available at any university in the Middle East. Here is a detailed breakdown of every component:
Full Tuition Fees
The scholarship covers 100 percent of tuition fees for the full duration of the graduate program. There are no hidden fees, top-up payments, or partial coverage arrangements. If you are awarded the KFUPM scholarship, your entire tuition cost is covered by the university for as long as you remain in good academic standing and make satisfactory progress toward your degree. This is a significant financial benefit. Graduate tuition at a research university of KFUPM’s standing represents a substantial cost that, without scholarship support, would require significant personal or family resources or extensive student debt.
Monthly Living Stipend
KFUPM scholarship recipients receive a monthly stipend to cover their living expenses throughout their program. The stipend amount is categorized based on your scholarship level. For standard scholarship recipients, monthly stipends are in the range of SAR 1,500 to SAR 2,500, which corresponds to approximately USD 400 to USD 667 per month at typical exchange rates. Research Assistants under the RA-MS and RA-PhD programs can earn significantly higher monthly payments depending on their research project and faculty supervisor, potentially reaching SAR 3,000 to SAR 5,000 or more per month for highly active research contributors. The stipend is designed to cover daily personal expenses in Dhahran, which is a relatively affordable city compared to major Western academic centers.
Free Furnished Air-Conditioned On-Campus Housing
All KFUPM scholarship recipients receive free, fully furnished, air-conditioned on-campus housing with all utilities and maintenance included. The on-campus accommodation is purpose-built for graduate students and researchers, and its quality is considered high by regional standards. Living on campus places you within walking distance of all academic buildings, the main library, research centers, laboratories, sports facilities, and campus amenities. This is not just a financial benefit. It is a practical one that simplifies your daily life considerably, particularly when you first arrive in Saudi Arabia and are still getting oriented.
Married students and students with families can also bring their immediate family members, specifically spouse and children, to Saudi Arabia under dependent visas. The university provides family housing separate from the standard graduate housing, and healthcare coverage is extended to dependants as well. Family members living in Saudi Arabia on dependent visas cannot work in Saudi Arabia under the standard visa conditions, so this is a financial consideration you need to factor into your planning if you intend to bring family.
Air Tickets
International scholarship students receive air tickets to and from KFUPM at the start and end of their academic program. This means the cost of traveling from your home country to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia when your program begins, and the cost of your return ticket home when you complete your degree, are both covered by the scholarship. Annual air tickets are also provided in some program configurations for round trips during vacation periods. The air ticket benefit is specifically for international students and is not typically extended to Saudi national scholarship recipients who do not have the same international travel cost barrier.
Medical and Dental Care
Comprehensive medical and dental care is provided to all KFUPM scholarship recipients throughout their program. KFUPM operates its own on-campus health center, and scholars have access to quality medical and dental services at the university’s facilities. This benefit is particularly important for international students who would otherwise need to purchase independent health insurance in Saudi Arabia, which can be a complex and costly process for new arrivals in a foreign country.
Subsidized Meals
Scholars have access to subsidized meals at the university’s campus cafeteria and dining facilities. While this is not a full meal plan in the way that some universities provide one, the subsidized pricing makes daily food expenses significantly lower than what you would pay at commercial restaurants or supermarkets outside campus. Combined with the free housing and the monthly stipend, the subsidized meals complete a financial package that allows most scholarship recipients to live comfortably in Dhahran throughout their studies.
Free Textbooks
All required course textbooks for your graduate program are provided free of charge. Graduate-level textbooks in engineering, sciences, and business can be very expensive, often costing hundreds of dollars per course. Having these provided at no cost is a concrete financial benefit that is easy to underestimate but adds up significantly over the course of a multi-year program.
Conference Funding
KFUPM scholarship recipients who are producing research output can receive funding to participate in relevant academic conferences under certain conditions. Presenting your research at international conferences is an essential part of building an academic career, and having the possibility of university-funded conference participation removes a barrier that often prevents graduate students at less generously funded universities from building their international academic profile. The conference funding is subject to approval and specific conditions, but its inclusion in the scholarship package reflects KFUPM’s genuine commitment to developing its scholars as serious researchers.
Research Facilities and Resources
Beyond the financial components, KFUPM scholarship holders have access to state-of-the-art research laboratories and facilities, the main KFUPM library and departmental resource centers, industrial collaboration opportunities with Saudi Aramco, SABIC, Halliburton, and other partners, recreational facilities including a private beach and sports complex, and a safe and secure campus environment in Dhahran’s Eastern Province.
The Undergraduate Scholarship at KFUPM
Beyond the flagship graduate scholarship, KFUPM also operates a separate undergraduate scholarship program for international students. It is important to understand this clearly because KFUPM’s standard admission policy for undergraduate international students requires payment of tuition fees of SAR 20,000 per year, while Saudi national students receive a government scholarship covering their tuition. The undergraduate scholarship program was designed to provide financial support to international students who demonstrate both financial need and academic excellence.
The KFUPM Undergraduate Scholarship for international students is need-based and merit-based. It is specifically designed to support international students who meet the academic entry requirements for KFUPM’s undergraduate programs but who demonstrate genuine financial hardship. Applicants must be admitted to KFUPM on a full-time basis and must meet the selection criteria as defined by the university’s scholarship committee, which considers both financial need and academic performance together.
The scholarship covers tuition fees for the regular study period, which is typically four years plus the preparatory year, subject to the availability of funds. Award recipients must maintain a cumulative GPA above 3.0 out of 4.0 to retain the scholarship. The scholarship does not cover living allowances. Recipients are responsible for funding their own accommodation and daily expenses beyond what the scholarship covers.
International undergraduate students interested in this scholarship should note that scholarship seats and funds are limited. Applying for the scholarship does not guarantee receiving it. Only students meeting the full requirements will be awarded based on the availability of seats and funds. The scholarship recipient must pledge to inform the scholarships committee if their social and financial status improves significantly during the program, and the continuation of the scholarship is reviewed periodically based on both academic performance and fund availability.
Eligibility Requirements for the KFUPM Graduate Scholarship
Here is a complete breakdown of the academic and documentary requirements you must satisfy to be eligible for the KFUPM graduate scholarship:
For Master of Science (MS) Programs
You must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree (BA, BS, BSc, or BE) in business, engineering, or science fields from a recognized and accredited institution or university. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, or an equivalent GPA on your institution’s scale, in your bachelor’s degree. You must demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the following accepted tests: TOEFL with a minimum score of 520 PBT, 190 CBT, or 70 IBT, or an equivalent score on IELTS, Duolingo (minimum 105), PTE Academic, or other accepted English tests. The English proficiency requirement is waived for graduates from English-speaking countries specifically the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, and for KFUPM graduates regardless of nationality. You must provide two recommendation letters from academic referees, submitted through KFUPM’s online recommendation system after you submit your graduate application. You must write a one-page Statement of Purpose focusing on your career and research goals at KFUPM specifically. For MBA applicants specifically, a minimum GMAT score of 450 is required, the GMAT score must be sent directly to KFUPM using the KFUPM GMAT code 0868, and three years of full-time work experience is typically required (though research assistants and applicants with extraordinary academic records may be exempt).
For PhD Programs
You must hold a master’s degree (MS or MSc) in engineering or science from an institution whose graduate programs are equivalent to those of KFUPM, with a major in your proposed doctoral field or evidence of a suitable background for entering the proposed field. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale in both your bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. English proficiency requirements and the recommendation letter requirements are the same as for MS programs. You must also write a Statement of Purpose specifically describing your doctoral research goals at KFUPM.
For PhD Direct Entry Programs
You must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or science from a recognized institution with a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. All other requirements including English proficiency, recommendation letters, and Statement of Purpose are the same as for regular PhD applicants. Direct Entry is reserved for exceptionally qualified bachelor’s graduates who demonstrate the potential for doctoral-level research.
Required Documents for the KFUPM Scholarship Application
All documents must be uploaded as PDF files to the KFUPM graduate admissions portal. Each individual file must not exceed 2 MB in size. Here is the complete document checklist:
A valid identification document. For international applicants, this is your passport. For Saudi citizens, the national identification card. For residents of Saudi Arabia holding a valid residency permit, your Iqama. Official academic transcripts for your bachelor’s degree (and master’s degree if applying for a PhD program). These must be complete official transcripts from all institutions you attended. Your bachelor’s degree certificate and master’s degree certificate where applicable. A one-page Statement of Purpose focusing specifically on your career goals and research objectives at KFUPM. This is not a generic personal statement. It must be tailored to KFUPM and must reference your specific research interests within the context of what KFUPM’s departments and research centers work on. Two academic recommendation letters from faculty members who taught or supervised your work during your undergraduate or graduate studies. These are submitted through KFUPM’s online referral system after you submit your application, not as physical letters uploaded by you. Your English language proficiency test score, which can be TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE Academic, unless you qualify for the English proficiency waiver. For MBA applicants, your GMAT test score must be submitted directly from the testing body to KFUPM using the KFUPM GMAT code 0868. The non-refundable application processing fee of SAR 100 plus VAT, which must be paid through the online payment system when you submit your application.
Key Application Deadlines for 2025 and 2026
KFUPM accepts graduate applications for two semesters: the Fall semester and the Spring semester. The deadlines differ between program types. For the Fall 2025 semester, PhD programs and MS thesis-based programs had a deadline of July 31, 2025. MS project-based programs had a slightly earlier deadline of July 22, 2025. For the Spring 2026 semester, applications opened on November 23, 2025 and closed on January 10, 2026. Applications are submitted through the online portal at cgis.kfupm.edu.sa/apply, and only applications submitted through this official portal are considered. This step-by-step process takes 2 to 3 months from submission to a final decision, so plan accordingly when working backward from your desired enrollment date.
How to Apply for the KFUPM Scholarship Step by Step
The KFUPM scholarship is applied for as part of the graduate admissions process. Here is the complete step-by-step guide:
Step one is to identify your program and check the deadline. Visit the KFUPM Graduate Studies website at cgis.kfupm.edu.sa to browse all available MS and PhD programs by department and college. Confirm the application deadline for your chosen program for the upcoming semester, because project-based MS programs often have an earlier deadline than thesis-based programs and PhD programs.
Step two is to gather all required documents listed in the section above. Prepare your official transcripts and degree certificates, draft your Statement of Purpose tailored specifically to KFUPM and your proposed research area, identify two academic referees who will submit recommendation letters through the online system, and take or obtain your English proficiency test score if required. For GMAT applicants, schedule and sit the test well in advance of the deadline and arrange for scores to be sent to KFUPM using code 0868.
Step three is to visit the official application portal at cgis.kfupm.edu.sa/apply and click Apply to begin your online application. Create an account using a valid email address. Your login ID and PIN created at this stage will be used throughout the application process including for document uploads and for your referees to submit their recommendation letters through the online referral system.
Step four is to complete the online application form with your personal information, educational background, proposed program, and research interests. Select your target department and program carefully. Some departments at KFUPM have additional specific requirements beyond the university-wide standards, so check the departmental requirements in addition to the general Deanship of Graduate Studies requirements before completing this section.
Step five is to upload all required documents through the document upload system using the same login ID and PIN you created when starting your application. All mandatory documents must be uploaded before the application deadline. Without all mandatory documents, your application will not be processed. Upload each document in PDF format with a file size under 2 MB.
Step six is to pay the non-refundable SAR 100 plus VAT application fee through the online payment system. Your application will not be considered complete and processed without this payment.
Step seven is to notify your academic referees that you have submitted your application so they can log in to the KFUPM online referral system and submit their recommendation letters. Recommendation letters must be submitted by your referees through the system before the deadline. Recommendation letters uploaded directly by you will not be accepted.
Step eight is to monitor your application status through the applicant portal using your login ID and PIN. The admissions and scholarship decision takes 2 to 3 months after your complete application is submitted. You will receive your admission decision via email and through an update in your applicant portal. If you have specific program questions during this waiting period, you can email the relevant department’s graduate advisor directly. For example, Chemical Engineering graduate inquiries can be directed to mhossain, or you can reach the Deanship of Graduate Studies through the contact information on the official cgis website.
Life at KFUPM as a Scholarship Student
Living and studying in Dhahran as a KFUPM scholar is an experience that many alumni describe as uniquely focused and professionally formative. The campus is self-contained and provides essentially everything you need for day-to-day life, from housing and dining to healthcare, sports, and recreation. The private beach that KFUPM maintains for its community is one of the more unusual campus amenities at any university in the world, and it reflects the Eastern Province’s geography along the Arabian Gulf coast.
The university’s proximity to Saudi Aramco’s headquarters creates industrial connections that are difficult to replicate anywhere else in the oil and gas world. Research collaborations between KFUPM faculty and Saudi Aramco scientists are common, and many graduate students work on projects that are directly relevant to the energy challenges facing the region and the world. The student community at KFUPM is genuinely international, with students from dozens of countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond studying alongside each other in an environment that is professionally focused and academically serious.
Saudi Arabia’s culture and social environment will be new to many international students, and it is worth doing research on what daily life in Dhahran actually looks like before you decide to apply. The campus provides a structured and supportive environment, and KFUPM has long experience hosting international students. The university’s international student office and the Deanship of Student Affairs provide orientation and support services to help new scholars settle in comfortably when they first arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions About the KFUPM Scholarship
Is the KFUPM scholarship fully funded?
Yes. The KFUPM graduate scholarship is fully funded and covers tuition fees, free furnished accommodation with utilities, a monthly living stipend, return air tickets for international students, comprehensive medical and dental care, free textbooks, subsidized meals, and conference participation funding under certain conditions. It is one of the most complete institutional scholarships offered by any university in the Middle East.
Is the KFUPM scholarship open to students from all countries?
Yes. The KFUPM graduate scholarship is open to international students from all countries in the world, not just students from Muslim-majority countries or Arab countries. The university actively welcomes students from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and all other regions.
What is the minimum GPA required for the KFUPM scholarship?
The minimum GPA requirement for graduate program admission at KFUPM is 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or equivalent. However, the scholarship itself is awarded to the most distinguished applicants who demonstrate exceptional performance and high GPAs. A minimum 3.0 GPA gets your application processed, but a significantly higher GPA improves your chances of being offered the full scholarship alongside your admission.
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL to apply for the KFUPM scholarship?
Yes, unless you qualify for the English proficiency waiver. The waiver is available to graduates from English-speaking countries specifically the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, and to KFUPM graduates. For all other applicants, a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 70, or equivalent IELTS, Duolingo of 105 or higher, or PTE Academic score is required.
Can I bring my family to Saudi Arabia on the KFUPM scholarship?
Yes. Scholarship recipients can bring their immediate family members, specifically their spouse and children, to Saudi Arabia. KFUPM provides family housing and extends healthcare coverage to dependants. However, family members on dependent visas cannot work in Saudi Arabia, so factor this into your financial planning.
What is the application deadline for KFUPM 2026?
For the Spring 2026 semester, applications opened on November 23, 2025 and closed on January 10, 2026. For the Fall 2026 semester, deadlines will be announced through the official KFUPM Graduate Studies portal at cgis.kfupm.edu.sa. PhD and thesis-based MS programs typically have a July 31 deadline for fall admission, while project-based MS programs have a deadline around July 22.
Is there a KFUPM scholarship for undergraduate students?
Yes, but it is limited and different from the graduate scholarship. The KFUPM Undergraduate Scholarship for international students is need-based and merit-based and covers tuition fees for up to four years plus the preparatory year. It does not cover living expenses. Scholarship seats are limited, and applying does not guarantee receiving an award. Saudi national undergraduate students receive their tuition covered by a separate government scholarship arrangement.
Final Thoughts
The KFUPM scholarship is, without question, one of the most comprehensive and academically serious fully funded graduate scholarships available to international students anywhere in the world. For someone who wants to earn a research-based master’s or doctoral degree in engineering, sciences, computing, or business, the combination of tuition coverage, furnished accommodation, monthly stipend, air tickets, healthcare, free textbooks, and industrial research access through Saudi Aramco, SABIC, and other leading partners creates a genuinely exceptional environment for academic and professional development.
The scholarship is competitive and the academic standards are genuinely high. A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is the floor for application, not the benchmark for selection. The scholars who are awarded the full package typically come in with GPAs significantly above the minimum, strong research credentials, specific and well-articulated research goals in their Statement of Purpose, and recommendation letters from faculty who can speak in detailed and specific terms about their academic potential. Preparing all of these components carefully and early is the most important thing you can do to strengthen your application.
If you are ready to apply, visit the official KFUPM Graduate Studies portal at cgis.kfupm.edu.sa to check the current application deadlines for your chosen program, review the specific departmental requirements, and begin your online application. The full scholarship package available at KFUPM is genuinely hard to match anywhere else in the region, and for the right student, studying in Dhahran at one of the world’s leading petroleum and engineering universities is an opportunity worth pursuing seriously.
