Address: 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 23955-6900 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
Biological and Environmental Science, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, known as KAUST, is a public research university in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, on the shore of the Red Sea. Its groundbreaking took place in October 2007, and the first 178 scholarships were awarded in January 2008. The university was inaugurated on 23 September 2009. It carries the name of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who ruled Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2015, and it was the first mixed-gender university campus in the country.
The opening class numbered about 400 students from more than 60 countries and 70 faculty members. The campus covers 3,600 hectares. It is the first project in Saudi Arabia certified under the LEED system and the largest LEED Platinum campus in the world. The university received an initial endowment reported at 10 billion dollars. The motto is Through Inspiration, Discovery. The fourth president, Sir Edward Byrne, took office in September 2024, and the chairman is Abdulaziz bin Salman.
Research is organised in three academic divisions: Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, and Physical Sciences and Engineering. Twelve research centres and individual faculty laboratories work on food and health, water, energy, environment and the digital domain. Four Centers of Excellence, launched in September 2024, address renewable energy and storage technologies, smart health, generative AI, and sustainable food security.
The university offers master’s degrees of about eighteen months, doctoral degrees of typically three to four years, combined master’s and doctoral programmes of four to five years and one-year postgraduate diplomas. Every admitted student receives the KAUST Fellowship, which covers tuition, accommodation, health insurance, relocation and a monthly stipend. The Visiting Student Research Program places third and fourth-year undergraduates or master’s students in a three to six month internship.
Shaheen, the supercomputer of the university, was the fastest in the Middle East when commissioned. In 2025 Times Higher Education ranked KAUST first among Arab universities for the third year in a row, and the Nature Index placed it second in Western Asia, after the Weizmann Institute, for high-quality research in natural and health sciences. A five-year research and development partnership with McLaren was signed in September 2018. Check the current tariff for any fees not covered by the fellowship. Teaching is in English.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Chemistry, Data Analytics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Materials, Mathematics, Physics
Diplomas*:
Doctor, Graduate Diploma, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
McLaren for a five-year research and development partnership, and visiting student research programmes for undergraduates and master’s students.
Research:
Food and health, water, energy, environment and the digital domain, with Centers of Excellence in renewable energy and storage, smart health, generative AI and sustainable food security.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
N/A
Current students***:
N/A
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Every admitted student receives a fellowship, Red Sea campus, world-class laboratories and supercomputing, English as language of instruction, mixed-gender campus.
Cons
Remote location in Thuwal, graduate programmes only, small community.
Best For
Graduate students and researchers who want a fully funded, English-taught research university on the Red Sea with strong laboratories.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Among national alternatives, King Saud University stands out for its focus on chemistry, physics and mathematics, and it also offers bachelor's programmes and covers agriculture and civil engineering as well.
King Khalid University offers a comparable education in chemistry, life sciences and data analytics: it also offers bachelor's programmes and covers finance and software engineering as well.
City University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong pursues a similar profile in chemistry, physics and mathematics, and it also offers bachelor's programmes and covers finance and software engineering as well.
National University of Singapore offers an international parallel to this institution, with chemistry, physics and mathematics as common ground; it also offers bachelor's and mba programmes and covers finance as well.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on chemistry, physics and mathematics is Nanjing University in China, and it covers astroscience as well, and enrols about 35,700 students.
Curtin University, based in Australia, is built around marine science, chemistry and physics much like this institution, and it also offers bachelor's, graduate certificate and mba programmes, and covers astroscience as well.
University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) works on the same fields as this institution, chiefly chemistry, physics and mathematics; it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's and mba programmes.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is KAUST?
In Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, on the Red Sea.
When was it inaugurated?
On 23 September 2009.
Who is it named after?
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who ruled Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2015.
Is it a mixed-gender campus?
Yes, it was the first mixed-gender university campus in Saudi Arabia.
How large is the campus?
3,600 hectares, and it is the largest LEED Platinum campus in the world.
Which divisions does it have?
Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, and Physical Sciences and Engineering.
Which degrees does it offer?
Master's degrees, doctoral degrees, combined programmes and one-year postgraduate diplomas.
What does the KAUST Fellowship cover?
Tuition, accommodation, health insurance, relocation and a monthly stipend.
What is Shaheen?
The supercomputer of the university, the fastest in the Middle East when commissioned.
What does it cost?
Every admitted student receives the fellowship. Check the current tariff for any other fees.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Engineering, Environment, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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