University Information

Our vision at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is to aspire to be a destination for scientific and technological education and research. By inspiring discoveries to address global challenges, we strive to serve as a beacon of knowledge that bridges people and cultures for the betterment of humanity.

The KAUST program guide provides information about academic programs and requirements for applicants, students, faculty, and staff at the University. Students are expected to follow the program requirements outlined in the program guide of the academic year they started their program. The senior academic leadership team consisting of the division deans, associate deans, and the dean of graduate affairs along with the Office of the Registrar are responsible for the academic policies in the program guide and reserve the right to make changes at any time on behalf of the University.

The program guide reference to “students” is general and the plural pronoun throughout the text is chosen for simplicity and ease of language, but has no further implications. This program guide expires 10 years from the published academic year.

This program guide was last updated as of December 2021.

The Office of the Registrar

The Office of the Registrar is the custodian of official student information and records. It is responsible for registration, course enrollment management, classroom assignment, final exam scheduling, grade processing, academic and administrative policy monitoring, information dissemination, maintaining student records, and providing certified documents, including transcripts and diplomas. The Office of the Registrar publishes the course schedule, available before registration for each semester/session. Information about registration procedures, time and location of courses, faculty, and course prerequisites and requirements are provided to students prior to the beginning of the semester/session. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for supporting strategic enrollment by analyzing student progression and retention, graduation, and academic trends for long-term admissions and operational planning for the University.

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for ensuring all students meet the minimum overarching university degree requirements to graduate. Requests to waive university degree requirements are reviewed by the Provost’s Office and must be endorsed by the division. In addition, the Registrar’s Office oversees academic policies that apply to all students. Out of policy exceptions are reviewed by the Registrar’s Office in conjunction with the relevant division.

Contact Information

Office of the Registrar
Building 9, Level 3
4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Thuwal 23955-6900 Saudi Arabia
Phone: +966 12 808 0505
Email: registrarhelpdesk@kaust.edu.sa
Website: https://academicaffairs.kaust.edu.sa/registrar/

Office of the Registrar Vision

The Registrar’s Office at KAUST aspires to provide efficient, customer-oriented, and adaptable service through effective use of technology to ensure the future success of KAUST.

Divisions and Programs

There are three academic divisions, each headed by a division dean. Divisions are responsible for overseeing programs within their area, including implementing any division specific requirements (e.g. qualifying examinations) and ensuring all program requirements meet the minimum university requirements. Within each division are programs that are headed by a program chair reporting to the division. Programs are responsible for teaching and individual program requirements. Requests to waive division or program requirements are reviewed by the relevant division and/or program.

Academic Advisors

Academic Advisors

All students have an academic advisor responsible for reviewing and approving study plans and course registration. Students should frequently meet with their academic advisor to make sure that they are making satisfactory progress toward their degrees.

Student-Advisor Relationship

Students and their academic advisors share the responsibility in creating a professional academic student-advisor relationship. Mutual respect, honesty, and effective communication will help cultivate a successful relationship. Early in the student-advisor relationship, students and academic advisors should discuss expectations of the relationship, and both should consider not only academic, research, and professional goals but also issues pertaining to academic and research circumstances, including schedules, work-life balance, and personal and family responsibilities. Both students and academic advisors are responsible for communicating as necessary.

If students are facing issues during their time at KAUST, students should be able to raise these issues in confidence with their academic advisor. Advisors should support their students and provide advice and guidance as appropriate. Students can also approach their Graduate Program Coordinators (GPCs) at any time. It is recommended that students maintain regular contact with their GPCs throughout their time at KAUST. GPCs can give advice and, where necessary, refer students to other sources of help, or raise matters with their associate dean or dean.

Graduate Program Coordinators

Graduate program coordinators (GPCs) are administrative division/program representatives who work with students, faculty, and staff to support students and programs. These include graduate program student advisors, graduate program advisors, and graduate program coordinators. The term GPC is used as a placeholder in the program guide as divisions assign different titles to these positions.

Graduate Affairs

Graduate Affairs includes the Admissions Office, Graduate Development and Services, Graduate Operations, and Alumni Services. The Dean of Graduate Affairs is the head of Graduate Affairs.

For detailed information on academic services provided by Graduate Affairs, including housing, recreation, travel, and alumni please see the Student Handbook.

Ombuds for Student Matters

The Office of the Ombuds for Student Matters at KAUST has been established by the president to provide confidential, impartial and informal advice about and dispute resolution services for student matters. The office functions to assist visitors in reaching mutually acceptable agreements in order to find fair and equitable resolutions to concerns that arise at the University.

Services are available to faculty, staff, and visiting students, postdocs and others at KAUST who require assistance with student matters.

The ombuds acts independently from the academic divisions. To book an appointment, please email ombuds@kaust.edu.sa.

For more information, see Charter of the Office of the Ombuds for Student Matters.

English Language and Communication Program

The English Language and Communication Program (ELCP) provides courses and workshops to support graduate students with the effective communication of their research.

Instructors in the ELCP teach the following mandatory courses:

Intensive English Language Program (IELP)

The IELP consists of two levels (1 and 2, according to student assessments), each consisting of 25 hours of weekly instruction. This is a full-time course and is designed for students who require the development of pre-requisite foundational English language. Classes focus on all aspects of English development, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

The EAP program is designed for all students with test scores in the high intermediate range, but who require advanced-level English language skills in order to succeed within a graduate education program. This program requires 10 hours of instruction per week. All aspects of English development will be covered, with an emphasis on improving students’ ability to effectively communicate their research in written and spoken form. Modules covered include Scientific Research Writing and Presentation Skills.

Other Services

As well as the mandatory courses, the ELCP instructors run single-session workshops which include instruction on topics such as How to Write a Research Proposal, and Scientific Posters: Prepare and Present.

In addition to group courses and workshops, the ELCP instructors provide one-to-one sessions to support students with writing and presentation skills, and are responsible for the administration of the English language test for the Admissions office. Please contact the team for further information on the support you can receive: elcp@kaust.edu.sa.