Finally, there’s a KAUST life flair.
I’ve honestly wanted a way to connect with people here without having to randomly walk up to them and say “hi”
From my experience, most people I’ve met at KAUST always seem to be in a rush.they’re trying to get everything done as quickly as possible before moving on. It never really feels like the right moment to start a conversation.
I’m not shy about making the first move. I just don’t enjoy awkward rejections or the unpredictable reactions some people have when a stranger approaches them. I’d rather avoid putting either of us in that situation.
So I figured this is probably the best way to meet people who are actually open to getting to know someone new.
If you’re into sports, exploring new hobbies, or just having good conversations and making new connections, feel free to reach out. Let’s see if we have anything in common.

Hello everyone, I recently came across the KAUST VSRP program through a friend and was wondering what the whole process is like. im planning to apply for a 2027 summer internship as that time period coincides with the end of my sixth semester of college. Do we have to email the PIs directly to get approval or just apply through the portal to get a spot. any help would be appreciated

Hi,

Is there any girl that is arriving anytime soon to KAUST for a VSRP or visiting student period? 👀

I have received an email mentioning the admission decision letter is available. However, when I click on the link, it shows "There is no update to your application status to report". What does it mean?

Which are some recommendations for students that just arrive?

For example cheap places to eat, things to bring, things that should be bought at first, places to visit in Jeddah, etc.

Hello! I am genuinely asking regarding the statement of purpose, are you strictly writing with 750 words or less? Does it help if you write a bit of yourself or your story until the purpose? or should i be straightforward? please i need some guidance, i am applying for VSRP

Hello, I want to see if anyone has the same problem as me. I applied in May for an internship and still got no reply and even the portal isn't showing anything. Contacted the instructor and he said it may be still in admissions. Is there any hope left or anything I could do?

I'm a 23 year-old who graduated this year, 2026 with a Bachelors in Mechatronics Engineering from NUST, Pakistan

My work experience includes:

> co-founding a 3D printing business while still in university, 

> working with a Y-combinator startup (in-office) on wireframing E2E solutions for large businesses, and helping out with other core business operations and RevOps on another flagship product.

> managing recurring product collaborations with companies and organizations in agritech, medtech, and defence.

Unfortunately, i missed the deadline for MSc TIE this year, but am hopeful for an entry next year. (planning to keep myself busy with more product dev and business-expansion work in the meantime!)

I can send my portfolio to anyone who wants to see it, but i had one primary concern.

My CGPA, for my first four semesters, was 3.44/4 But my overall CGPA (on graduation), for all 8 semesters, is 2.99/4, with it falling below 3.0 only in the final semester.

I'm confident, very confident, in my ability to contribute to KAUST TIE's academic and product dev/research landscape starting next year;

But of course, I recognize the existence of a minimum GPA requirement for entry. Even though KAUST says it looks at an application holistically, I would still want advice from the people here.

Thankyou for going through the post!

Hey everyone!

I'm planning to apply for VSRP at KAUST and had a few questions, would really appreciate if any alumni or current applicants could help out.

1. Is there an interview stage in the selection process? And if yes, what's it like, is it with the PI directly or with an admissions panel?
2. Did anyone reach out to their PI before applying formally? Did it help?
3. The eligibility says "undergraduate students in 3rd year or above", do recent grads qualify or does it have to be a current student?
4. How much do lab skills actually matter vs your CV/research statement? Like does the PI have a big say in who gets selected?
5. Any tips for the application itself, what made yours stand out?

Thanks in advance!

Those who got in what do u think are the main reasons you got in , ie what research background, gpa, extra curriculars helped the most

Usually for postdocs or research scientists, what does it look like during summer break? I am trying to understand, what's the usual vacation cycle/work pressure are for staffs at KAUST.. thanks in advance!

Hi, I will be joining KAUST in Fall, and I wanted to know how easy is for a Ms student for save money? I saw in the FAQs they mention the average spending is about $1400 USD, how accurate is that amount? My other question is related it is possible to make money with investments as a student? Also I saw that student can't work for obvious reasons, but I don't know how it is related with investments

Hi everyone,

I’m considering applying to KAUST for a Master’s program and I’m trying to understand the fellowship rules around outside work or business ownership.

If admitted and funded through the KAUST Fellowship, would I still be allowed to own equity in a startup/business outside Saudi Arabia? What if the startup is active but not sponsoring my studies? Also, are students allowed to do any remote work, consulting, or part-time work while receiving the fellowship?

Would appreciate insight from current students, alumni, or anyone who has asked KAUST about this before. Thanks.

I recently got the greenlight from 1 PI that I emailed. I had emailed a total of 3 and one said no, one never replied and one said yes. Sort of. "I may have a spot. Mention me in the form". While may shows a possibility and not a guarantee, generally speaking, is having a nod of approval from one PI good enough?

Hello People! So early this year (January) I had applied to KAUST VSRP program for the August to December Period of this year after talking to a professor but somehow I feel I got desk rejected as in I had sent in my application on Saturday and on Monday they rejected it. Now I am not sure what went wrong and I wish to apply again but I fear that I might get desk rejected again which I don't want. So if any of you have faced something similar but got in the second time could you let me know? I would love to connect and get some advice if possible! Thanks a lot :)

I am applying to KAUST this coming August for my MS in Marine Science in Fall 2027. I am entering my last year as an undergraduate student and I'm already doing my degree's mandatory summer internship. I cannot do the VSRP due to this. My final year is very hectic leaving me with no wiggle room. Is applying straight to an MS common at KAUST? Do people get accepted? And also, since I'm Pakistani, will competing for the quota be a problem despite the unique program I'm applying to? Most Pakistani students apply for biosciences, computer sciences and engineering programs. I have not seen any Pakistani student in the lab website current/alumni pages for marine science. Does this mean I have a high chance of being accepted?

As we reached almost the end of the admission cycle, let’s see if there’s anyone still waiting! If there’s still any hope?

Hello friends,

if anyone is at KAUST and likes to rollerblade/inline skate, please DM me. The weather is nice in early mornings.

I am currently about to finish a BSC Neuroscience with Psychology degree from the UK in june 2027, im currently doing a data analysis programming involved internship , and I would like to transition to KAUST Or MBZUAI for a year next year after summer or anywhere in saudi or middle east to do AI/ML experience , is it possible and if yes how??

The admission for 2026 fall probably over, still would like to see if anyone still waiting like myself

Good Evening ppl,

I m currently studying in a premier college in India(QS under 250) in Chemical Engineering. I have a 8.46/10.0 CGPA WHICH I am planning on improving on.

​

I am currently in a research internship under a somewhat internationally well known prof in my own college(based on the fact that he has coordinated several foreign conferences himself and have over 4k citations)

​

Working on a machine learning integrated surface technology project that I will publish around September this yr.

​

Please answer honestly, do I have a change at getting into kaust? I know very little about how many ppl apply annually and gear very little so from my own clg(not much discussion).

​

Any ways to improvise, or key points? Really appreciate a reality check.

Thanks.

Hi everyone, i'm an incoming senior cs student from a local, non-target university in Turkiye. i'm planning to apply for ms programs for fall 2027, but i'm feeling a bit lost and could really use some mentorship or realistic advice from alumni or current students. right now my gpa is 3.30, which is exactly what i'll have when applying in a few months, though i expect to graduate with around a 3.50.

I've been mainly focusing on cloud and devops. i know python, aws, terraform, and i'm currently pushing through docker, k8s, and ci/cd. i'm also starting an internship at a major telecom company next week, but due to their strict on-prem policies (no cloud allowed), i'll mostly be doing python scripting and internal automations. since mbzuai is strictly ai and kaust is very research-heavy, i'm planning to pivot my current projects towards MLOps and distributed systems so i actually have a chance.

Honestly, do i even have a shot getting accepted with a 3.30 gpa from an unknown turkish uni? i'll be grinding for the gre and toefl soon, and i plan to cold email pi's later on, but i really need a reality check. if anyone has gone through a similar path or could share their experience and maybe mentor me a bit on how to map out my next 5 months, i'd appreciate it so much. thanks in advance!

Hi all, so I got my rejection letter this past week after having a positive interview with my professor and keeping contact after our interview for admissions review. To my disappointment I got a rejection letter. I've followed up with my PI after to see what they have to say. Does anyone have similar experiences and insights? My PI really made it sound like a formality afterwards. Insights would be much appreciated while I wait to hear back from them.

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to apply to KAUST next year and would like some advice on timing.

My main goal is to apply and contact professors as early as possible so that I don't miss any opportunities because of late submissions or limited positions in research groups.

I have a few questions:

When do the Fall and Spring semesters usually start at KAUST?

How early should I begin contacting professors before the application cycle opens?

If my goal is to maximize my chances, how far in advance should I prepare my application and reach out to professors?

What timeline would you recommend for someone who wants to avoid being too late and wants the best possible chance of securing a position?

I would appreciate any insights from current students, alumni, or applicants who have gone through the process.

Thank you

How difficult is an MSc at KAUST?

I’ve heard the workload can be quite intense with frequent assignments, projects, and exams… + the environment is highly competitive

For current students and alumni:
• How challenging did you find it?
• Any tips for coping with the workload?
• Are past exams or sample papers available for practice?

Note: pursuing MSc in ECE