KAUST Fellowship Fall 2027: 3 January Deadline for Pakistanis

The application round for KAUST's Fall 2027 intake is open now and closes on 3 January 2027. It covers the MS, the combined MS/PhD and the PhD. Every student KAUST admits automatically receives the KAUST Fellowship. That means full tuition, a monthly stipend, housing, health insurance and relocation costs. Pakistani graduates can apply, and there is no application fee.

We checked every date, rule and figure below on KAUST's official admissions pages on 21 October 2026. KAUST says its dates are tentative and can change, so always confirm on admissions.kaust.edu.sa before you apply.

Fall 2027 dates at a glance

KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) is a graduate research university in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. Its admission timeline for Fall 2027 is:

Step	Date
Round 2 application opened	28 September 2026
Round 2 application deadline	3 January 2027
Decisions released	25 February 2027
Semester starts	29 August 2027

There was also a Spring 2027 round, for PhD applicants only, which closed on 27 September 2026. If you missed that, the Fall 2027 round above is your chance for this year.

Your referees have seven calendar days after the deadline to submit their letters. Don't count on that buffer, though. Ask them early. Our request for recommendation email helps you ask clearly and early.

What the KAUST Fellowship pays

KAUST's fees and funding page lists the fellowship as:

Item	What KAUST says
Tuition and bench fees	Fully covered, worth up to USD 35,000 a year
Stipend, MS	USD 20,000 a year, paid monthly
Stipend, PhD	USD 25,000 to 30,000 a year, depending on qualifications and progress
Housing	Free base accommodation: shared for single students, a two-bedroom unit for married students
Health insurance	For students and eligible dependents living on campus
Relocation	Visa, relocation and travel costs for the first move to KAUST and the return home after graduation

KAUST estimates the whole package at USD 70,000 to 80,000 a year. Two conditions matter. First, students who have outside sponsorship may not get the fellowship, and their benefits can differ. Second, the detailed terms are only sent to applicants who receive an offer.

If you are married, note that base housing for married students is a two-bedroom unit and the health cover includes eligible dependents living on campus. Read the offer terms carefully before your family plans around that. Our cost calculator can help you compare it with offers elsewhere.

Who can apply

KAUST's entry requirements set these rules:

For the MS: a bachelor's degree in a relevant subject from a recognised institution.
For the PhD: a master's degree in a relevant subject. KAUST says a professional master's is not treated as equal to a research master's, and you must declare it if that is what you hold.
Straight from a bachelor's to a PhD: the MS/PhD track combines both admissions into one application, and the FAQs confirm you can apply with only an undergraduate degree.
GPA: at least 3.0 out of 4, or the equivalent. KAUST adds that about 90% of the applicants it admits have a GPA above 3.3, and 75% above 3.5. If your university grades in percentages or divisions, our grade converter gives you a rough 4-point figure, but KAUST judges your transcript as it is.
Age: at least 18 on entry.

You can submit only one application, to one programme, per year. Choose carefully. If you are unsuccessful, you can apply again the next year.

English and the GRE

KAUST's minimum English scores, from its entry requirements page:

Test	Overall	Each section
IELTS Academic (IELTS Online accepted)	7.0	6.5
PTE Academic	71	67

The page also lists TOEFL iBT and Cambridge C1/C2 minimums, so check there if you are taking those. Scores are valid for two years. KAUST does not accept a medium of instruction (MOI) letter or the Duolingo English Test for degree programmes. A degree from a Pakistani university does not exempt you, because the exemption only covers degrees studied in person in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand.

You may submit your application without a score and add it later, but you must meet the requirement before you enrol, and KAUST strongly encourages you to include it. If you have not booked a test, our IELTS, TOEFL and Duolingo guide explains the options in Pakistan.

The GRE is optional. KAUST says a strong score can help but is not required. Our GRE guide can help you decide whether to take it.

Documents to prepare

KAUST asks for:

Transcripts from every university you attended, with the grading scale. Partial or unofficial transcripts are fine if you are still studying, but you will need final official ones before you enrol. Documents not in English need a certified translation.
A CV covering your education, work, research, publications and interests.
A statement of purpose of about 750 words on your past work, your preparation, your plans and why you chose the programme. Our statement of purpose sample shows a clear structure.
Three recommendation letters, submitted by your referees through KAUST's system from academic or work email addresses. Professional referees are allowed if you finished your last degree more than three years ago.
A copy of your passport photo page.

If you are aiming for a PhD, it helps to know whose lab you want to join. KAUST says faculty may contact strong MS/PhD and PhD candidates to discuss whether they fit. Our email to a potential supervisor is a good starting point if you want to write to a professor first.

Before you apply: a short checklist

Read the programme page and pick one programme that matches your degree.
Book IELTS, PTE or TOEFL now if you don't have a valid score, so the result arrives in time.
Ask your three referees this month, not in the last week of December.
Gather your transcripts and degree. KAUST's pages don't ask for HEC attestation at application. If you are offered a place, follow the instructions in your offer letter, and see our HEC attestation guide so you know how long it takes.

KAUST charges nothing to apply, and you apply yourself on its own portal. Nobody needs to pay an agent to submit a KAUST application. Our guide to avoiding scholarship scams lists the warning signs.

Your next step

Open the KAUST Fellowship page on our site, choose your programme and start the online application well before 3 January 2027. Then look at our deadlines calendar for other fully funded programmes closing this winter. Always confirm the dates on KAUST's admission timeline before you submit, because KAUST says they may change.