Yes, but if you accept another position, you must inform the Fellowship Office (kgfp@kaust.edu.sa). Mention any other applications in the online form (for statistical purposes only; this does not affect selection).

Yes, but if selected, you must work full-time on your fellowship project at KAUST without commitments to other institutions or funding agencies.

The Fellowship supports the four research priorities of KAUST - Economies of the Future, Health & Wellness, Sustainable Environment & Essential Needs, Energy & Industrial Leadership - in line with the Vision 2030 and the RDIA priorities. The Fellowship supports research projects under the programs of the three KAUST academic divisions: BESE, CEMSE, and PSE. For more details, visit: KAUST Research.

Applicants must hold a PhD awarded within the last four years, propose independent research aligned with KAUST’s research priorities, and secure a KAUST faculty member as their Host PI. Full eligibility details are available here.

Yes. The fellowship is open to applicants of all nationalities. Nominees must meet Saudi Arabia’s residency and work permit requirements to obtain a visa and join the Fellowship.

Yes. You must identify and secure a KAUST faculty member as your Host PI before applying. Visit the KAUST Faculty Directory to find potential hosts. The Host PI needs to provide you with a support letter to be included in your application.

Well-justified career breaks due to parental leave or military/civil service are taken into consideration for exceptions to the four-year rule. No exceptions will be made for other voluntary career breaks.

No. Proposals must demonstrate novelty and innovation beyond your PhD work or current projects.

No, applicants may submit only one proposal per cycle.

Yes. Application materials are reviewed by COI-free authorized experts and kept strictly confidential. For information about how KAUST handles your data, please see KAUST’s Privacy Notice.

Proposals are evaluated based on research excellence, innovation, feasibility, and alignment with KAUST's priorities. The Application Guidelines provide details of the evaluation criteria.

All applicants will be informed of the status of their application at every step of the selection process. Due to capacity limitations, detailed feedback will only be provided to those nominated. Most communications from the KAUST Global Fellowship Program will come from the kgfp@kaust.edu.sa.

The research budget varies with discipline. To see what applies to your project, please download and carefully read the documents found at: https://kgfp.kaust.edu.sa/how-to-apply

Any work-related travel including field activities and conferences, is covered under the 'travel budget' you need to mention and identify in your proposal budget.

Yes, incoming postdocs are considered external applicants (non-KAUST affiliated). A Host PI support letter is required.

KAUST alumni who have been affiliated with KAUST for more than 12 months as an MSc, PhD, or Postdoc are not eligible to apply for this Fellowship.