KAUST Global Fellowship in Saudi Arabia 2027

The KAUST Global Postdoctoral Fellowship accelerates University's impact by empowering early-career researchers to drive innovation and scientific advancement. Aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the Fellowship fosters global and local partnerships, supports commercialisation efforts, and enhances economic and societal development through transformative research.

The Fellowship supports the six research priorities of KAUST - Food, Water, Energy, Health, AI, and Red Sea exploration, delivered through KAUST's academic divisions

• Table of Content
• About King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
• KAUST Global Fellowship
• Aim and Benefits of KAUST Global Fellowship
• Requirements for KAUST Global Fellowship Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

KAUST advances science and technology through distinctive and collaborative research integrated with graduate education. We are a catalyst for innovation, economic development and social prosperity in Saudi Arabia and the world We exist for the pursuit and advancement of scientific knowledge and its broad dissemination and benevolent application. We strive to enhance the welfare of society with a special focus on four areas of global significance – food, water, energy and the environment. ... continue reading

KAUST Global Fellowship

Application Deadline	01 Oct 2026
Country to study	Saudi Arabia
Type	Fellowship
Sponsor	King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Gender	Men and Women

Aim and Benefits of KAUST Global Fellowship

Global Fellows receive a competitive monthly stipend of US$6,250 (US$75,000 annual), plus health insurance, free housing, schooling and daycare subsidy, relocation allowance, and annual travel assistance.

A separate research allowance of up to US$40,000 per year is available for travel, consumables, core lab use, and other expenses needed for the Fellowship research. 

Requirements for KAUST Global Fellowship Qualification

Applicants Eligibility

For an applicant to be eligible for this Fellowship:

• Must have been awarded a Ph.D. degree, within four calendar years - those applying for CALL 2027, must have received their Ph.D. after January 2023 inclusive;
• Must expect to complete their Ph.D. before the start of their Fellowship, if Ph.D. is now awarded yet;
• Must be ready to move to KAUST to undertake their proposed three-year research project*;
• Must identify in the application at least one (up to three) potential KAUST faculty members whose research aligns with the proposed work.**

People of all nationalities are welcome to apply. We encourage female applications to promote a better gender balance in science and engineering.

*Candidates must satisfy all Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requirements to obtain resident status.

**Applications are shared with the named faculty for review; only faculty-supported applications advance to the full proposal stage. If you've already secured a host, are affiliated with KAUST, or are joining KAUST, name only that one faculty.

Proposal Eligibility

To be eligible for this Fellowship, the proposal should:

• Focus on one or more of the KAUST research missions: Water, Food, Health, Energy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Red Sea;
• Have an outline for a three-year duration;
• Follow the budget and financial guidelines of the call;
• Use the provided Call 2027 templates for the Concept Note and the Full Research Proposal (by invitation only)
• Align with the programs of the KAUST academic divisions: 

Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE)

Biomedical Sciences Division (BioMed)

Computer, Electrical, and Mathematical Science and Engineering (CEMSE)

Physical Science and Engineering (PSE)

Check also:
Commonwealth Master's Scholarship to Study in UK 2027/2028
Wageningen University Masters Scholarship to Study in Netherlands 2027/2028

Application Deadline

October 1, 2026

How to Apply

Stage 1 of the application process:

• Submission of Concept Note is accepted from 1 September to 1 October 2026.
• No Host PI letter is required at this stage. Must identify in the application form up to two KAUST Faculty members whose research aligns with the proposed work.

Stage 2 of the application process:

• Applicants who receive Host PI support are invited to submit a full proposal.
• Full proposals will be accepted from 15 November 2026 to 15 January 2027.

General guidelines:

• Applications must be drafted in English using the provided templates and must be submitted via the online application form.

• All applications need to be completed with all required documents to be eligible for review at the cut-off dates.

• Applicants and their referees are required to sign up to the application platform to access the system and submit the required documents.

• Webinar resources: Q&A| Presentation Slides

For more Information, visit KAUST Global Fellowship webpage