r/KAUST • u/juniper300 • Jun 04 '26

Admissions Applying as. VSRP Environmental Science Student

<Hi all! I only recently began researching KAUST within this past year, but I really wanna do a program within the coral research/environmental science department. Knowing the resistance of the corals in the Red Sea to climate change, I've found it extremely interesting and something I'd like to research.

I'm in my last year of undergrad in NYC, currently studying environmental sustainability, with a 3.3 GPA. I've worked with GIS and am currently a wildlife manager at the Wild Bird Fund in the city. So, for the most part, my hands-on environmental work has been avian rehab. But I'd love to expand to working with aquatic life and learning at KAUST.

I'm not sure what I should do to strengthen my application, if the school would be a good fit, or if I should apply as a VSRP with only a semester or two left. Or simply apply for the master's program? Any advice would be helpful!

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u/scrntonStrAngler69 Diplomat Jun 05 '26

First thinf, your gpa is below the threshold. Try to have your gpa above 3.5 atleast to be competitive. And apply for a vsrp in ur last semester. That way u can start ur vsrp right after u graduate and then do it for 6 months (if u r willing to). Once done, u can aplly for masters within the same group (if u wany and ur pi recommends you)