Foundation Year Arrivals
Every August, the KGSP scholarship advising team welcomes all new students to their U.S-based academic programs with a series of arrival orientations: From airport pick-up to settling into new apartments, Advisors help students acclimate to their new surroundings. This is followed by a two-day KGSP Arrival Orientation, which provides extensive academic, social, cultural, financial, and logistical informational programming. Building off of the tools learned during July’s Pre-Departure Orientation, Arrival Orientations ensure that KGSP recipients have the tools necessary for success as they begin their academic pursuits in the U.S.
Arrival Orientation Spotlight: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Shopping for new-apartment essentials!
Students and Advisor participating in orientation activities
Students take a library tour during orientation to learn about campus resources.
KGSP advisors lead students on tours of the university and its neighboring area to introduce important on-and off-campus resources.
Group welcome dinner!
STUDENT PROFILE
KGSP students represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s future scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and thought-leaders. As both individuals and as a community, they reflect the KAUST mission of driving scientific discovery through excellence in education and cutting-edge research, and share a commitment to fostering innovation, economic development, and social prosperity throughout the Kingdom and the world.
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
Selection to the KGSP is extremely competitive, and currently by invitation only. Successful applicants are Saudi Arabian students in their final year of high school who demonstrate impressive academic credentials within STEM fields, meaningful extra-curricular achievements, and who share the KAUST ethos of continuous discovery. Learn more here.
KGSP ADMINISTRATION
The KGSP is administered by the Office of Strategic National Advancement at KAUST, under the direction of Vice President & Senior Associate to the President, Dr. Najah Ashry. Strategic National Advancement directs the university's strategy to serve Saudi Arabia's transformational priorities: Through initiatives in young talent and Saudi workforce development, social responsibility, and national engagement, the Office contributes to a thriving innovation ecosystem by building knowledge capacity, creating opportunities, and strengthening impact.
—King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud
1924 – 2015