King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is a private graduate research university in Thuwal, on the Red Sea north of Jeddah, founded in 2009 by King Abdullah. It was established as an English-language, graduate-only science and technology university on a purpose-built residential campus, distinct from Saudi Arabia’s older comprehensive universities.

Three academic divisions cover Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering; Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering; and Physical Science and Engineering. Shared core laboratories include nanofabrication, imaging, and the Shaheen supercomputer. Research themes include energy, water, food, environment, and digital technologies.

Enrollment is about 1,500 students, nearly all in MS and PhD programs, with a majority-international cohort from more than 60 countries. Faculty are recruited globally. Graduates work in research, energy, and technology rather than in a large undergraduate alumni network.

Graduate degrees are the MS and PhD, with full scholarship support as the standard offer, covering tuition and a living stipend. Supervision is centered on a principal investigator’s research group, with limited formal coursework after the master’s core. The campus is a self-contained community in Thuwal, with housing, laboratories, and Red Sea field sites on one site.

In the Grad School Navigator directory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology lists 5 graduate programs across 4 subjects: 1 master's program and 3 doctoral programs, with the widest choice in computer science, biology and biomedical engineering.