Cohort 17 Prepares for their U.S. Arrivals

On the eve of their arrival to the United States, KGSP is excited to welcome 36 new students joining the Program as Cohort 17. These students have been engaged in onboarding and preparation since April, highlighted by their attendance of a Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) on the KAUST campus in late June.

“For me, the highlight [of Pre-Departure Orientation] was meeting everyone in person and hearing firsthand ‘dos and don’ts’ from those who had been in our shoes just a few years ago. It also became clear just how supportive the KGSP community truly is. I think everyone came to appreciate the genuine friendliness and welcoming nature of the community,” said rising first year University of California, Los Angeles student Raneem Al Rebh.

Students also received regular virtual Kickstarter meetings where students met with Advisors, current students, and KGSP alumni and started their integration into the KGSP community. This engaged group has been preparing to start undergraduate degrees at nine of the world’s top universities as students dually sponsored by KAUST and the Ruaad-path scholarship of the Ministry of Education. As advice to future KGSP students, rising first year University of California, Berkeley student Mayan Alturki recommends “Focus, focus, focus. Whether it's during the PDO or through the multiple emails you'll get, it's easy to get lost in all of it. Listen to every word that is being said, that information will help you at some point.”

Cohort 17 students have been welcomed so far by an onboarding team comprised of Advising Director, Shannon Gibson, and Onboarding Advisors, Kristen Olsen and Huzaifa Potia. The onboarding team communicated regularly with students, holding virtual webinars, chatting via WhatsApp and sending weekly announcements and reminders through email campaigns. “From day one, I felt supported, prepared, and inspired. The [onboarding] team anticipated every need, answered every question, and made the transition to studying abroad smooth and exciting,” said Abdulrahman Qattan, a rising first year student at University of California, Berkeley.

Cohort 17 students have begun to receive their F1 student visas and the first to travel are set to arrive by mid-August, when they will be met by members of KGSP staff at the airport to welcome them to the United States and help them get settled in at their new university. Additionally, all new students will participate in a post-arrival orientation to familiarize themselves with the KGSP scholarship and opportunities, reinforcing what they learned at the Pre-Departure Orientation while also introducing them to life as a university and KGSP student.

“It wasn’t just onboarding, it was the start of something life-changing,” said Qattan.

University Enrollment: By the Numbers

• Columbia University – 5 students
• Cornell University – 1 student
• Harvard University – 1 student
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology – 1 student
• Stanford University – 3 students
• University of California, Berkeley – 14 students
• University of California, Los Angeles – 8 students
• University of Chicago – 2 students
• University of Michigan – 1 student