King Abdulaziz University Scholarship 2027: Fully Funded Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD in Saudi Arabia

What Is the King Abdulaziz University Scholarship?

King Abdulaziz University (KAU), founded in 1967 in Jeddah, is Saudi Arabia’s largest university with over 117,000 students and one of its most internationally active. Its International Student Scholarship, run through what KAU calls the “external scholarship” track, is a fully funded seat for non-Saudi students who are living outside the Kingdom and don’t already hold Saudi residency at the time of application.

A separate “internal” track exists for non-Saudi students already residing in the Kingdom under a valid residency permit. This article focuses on the external track, which is the relevant route for Indian students applying from India.

Sources: King Abdulaziz University: International Student Scholarships (Official) · King Abdulaziz University: External Scholarships for International Students (Official)

Note: KAU operates two separate campuses in line with Saudi regulations, one for male students and one for female students. This is a standard, real feature of Saudi higher education, not specific to KAU, but it’s worth knowing before you apply, since it affects campus facilities and day-to-day student life in ways that differ from most Indian students’ expectations of a single co-ed campus.

For a broader look at what studying in Saudi Arabia actually involves, read our full guide to studying in Saudi Arabia.

What Does the King Abdulaziz University Scholarship Cover?

This is a genuinely comprehensive package across all three degree levels.

Monthly stipend by degree level:

Note: The annual round-trip airfare is a genuine standout compared to many other fully funded scholarships, which typically fund only one outbound and one final return ticket. An annual ticket means you can realistically visit home once a year without paying for it yourself.

Counselor insight: “Fully funded” at KAU still leaves some real costs uncovered, including personal spending beyond subsidized meals, visa-related fees, and day-to-day incidentals. Budget for these separately rather than assuming the scholarship removes every cost.

For a sense of typical monthly costs in Saudi Arabia, see our guide to the cost of living in Saudi Arabia.

King Abdulaziz University Scholarship 2027 Eligibility Requirements for Indian Students

Note: Age limit figures for KAU vary somewhat across different sources and admission cycles; some cite slightly different cutoffs for older cycles. The under-30 (Master’s) and under-35 (PhD) figures above are the most consistently reported and independently confirmed across multiple current sources, but you should confirm the exact figure for your specific intended cycle directly with KAU or the Study in Saudi portal before investing significant application time.

Related reading: Top Universities in Saudi Arabia for International Students

Counselor insight: The TOEFL 61 / IELTS 5.0 threshold is notably lower than what most Western scholarships require, which is sometimes IELTS 6.5 or higher. If your English scores fall short of UK or European scholarship thresholds but you’re genuinely academically strong, KAU’s language bar is far more achievable, provided the specific program you want is taught in English rather than Arabic.

English vs Arabic Medium: Check Your Program Before Applying

Unlike some other Gulf and Arab academic institutions where nearly everything runs in Arabic, KAU genuinely offers a meaningful number of English-medium programs, particularly in science, engineering, and medicine. Islamic studies and several humanities programs, however, remain primarily Arabic-medium.

This matters because the scholarship’s language requirement changes entirely depending on which track your intended program falls into. An English-medium STEM program only requires the TOEFL/IELTS thresholds above. An Arabic-medium program requires demonstrated Arabic proficiency, assessed as part of your application, regardless of your English test scores.

Sources: King Abdulaziz University Scholarship: Global Admissions

Note: Don’t assume your field is automatically English-medium just because it’s a common international subject. Confirm the language of instruction for your specific department and program directly with KAU before applying, since this varies by faculty, not just by broad subject area.

How to Apply for the KAU Scholarship 2027

1. Identify your program and confirm its language of instruction (English or Arabic) directly with the relevant KAU faculty.
2. Check current admission windows on the Study in Saudi national portal and KAU’s own external scholarship page, since KAU does not publish one fixed global deadline; windows are announced per admission cycle and can differ for Bachelor’s versus Master’s/PhD applications.
3. Prepare your documents: accredited degree certificate and transcripts (certified by the Saudi Embassy in your country), two academic reference letters, proof of English or Arabic proficiency as applicable, and a medical fitness certificate.
4. Submit your application through the relevant KAU or Study in Saudi online system before the specific program deadline.
5. Await review and confirmation. KAU’s international scholarship process typically involves both academic and administrative review stages before final enrollment confirmation.

Sources: Study in Saudi: Official National Platform (Ministry of Education) · King Abdulaziz University: External Scholarships for International Students (Official)

Note: One recent admission cycle for a specific national applicant pool showed a Bachelor’s deadline in mid-June and a Master’s/PhD deadline in late October for the same academic year. This illustrates the pattern to expect: staggered deadlines by degree level, rather than a single date, but the exact dates for your specific application should always be confirmed directly rather than assumed from a prior cycle.

Counselor insight: Because KAU doesn’t run one universal global deadline, students who wait for a single widely publicized date often miss their specific program’s actual window. Set a calendar reminder to review the Study in Saudi portal monthly starting several months before your intended intake, rather than waiting for a specific announcement.

Which Situation Are You In?

If you’re applying for an English-medium STEM Master’s or PhD:

This is KAU’s most accessible route for Indian students, with a comparatively low English proficiency bar and a comprehensive funding package. Confirm your program’s exact language track and age-limit cutoff early.

If you’re interested in Islamic studies, Arabic language, or a humanities field that’s Arabic-medium:

You’ll need genuine Arabic proficiency, assessed during the application process. This is a longer-term preparation goal if you’re not already proficient, similar to how other Arabic-medium institutions in the region operate.

If you’re a recent Bachelor’s graduate targeting the Master’s-level scholarship:

Confirm your age against the current cycle’s cutoff (generally under 30) as early as possible, since this requirement is a hard eligibility filter, not a soft guideline.

Documents Required for the King Abdulaziz University Scholarship Application 2027

What to Do When Your Scholarship Application Hits a Problem

You’re unsure whether your program is in English or Arabic: Contact the specific KAU faculty or department directly before applying. Don’t rely on general subject-area assumptions, since this varies by department even within STEM fields.

You can’t find a single confirmed 2027 deadline: This outcome is expected, since KAU doesn’t publish one fixed global date. Check the Study in Saudi portal and KAU’s own scholarship page directly and regularly, since windows open per admission cycle and can vary by degree level.

You’re close to the age cutoff for your intended degree level: Apply as early as possible in your eligible window rather than waiting, since age is typically assessed at the time of application, and a delayed application risks pushing you past the cutoff entirely.

Your degree certificate hasn’t been certified by the Saudi Embassy yet: Start this process well ahead of your intended application window, since embassy certification can take meaningful processing time and is a hard requirement, not an optional step.

Counselor insight: The most common reason Indian applicants stumble isn’t academic eligibility; it’s assuming KAU works like a Western scholarship with one predictable annual deadline. Treat the Study in Saudi portal as your primary source of truth and check it directly rather than relying on secondary scholarship-listing sites, which frequently show outdated or approximate dates.

If KAU isn’t the right fit, or you want to compare against a shorter-term research option first, the KAUST Microelectronics Winter Camp is a separate, fully funded short-term route at a different Saudi university worth knowing about.

3 Takeaways for King Abdulaziz University Scholarship 2027

1. Confirm whether your intended KAU program is in an English or Arabic medium before you do anything else, since this choice entirely determines your language requirement, and English-medium options genuinely exist in STEM fields with a comparatively accessible TOEFL/IELTS bar.
2. There’s no single fixed KAU scholarship deadline; check the Study in Saudi portal and KAU’s own page directly and regularly, since windows are announced per admission cycle and can differ by degree level.
3. KAU’s age limits (generally under 30 for Master’s, under 35 for PhD) are a hard eligibility filter; apply as early as possible within your eligible window rather than waiting closer to any cutoff.

Verified by: LeapScholar’s Gulf region counseling team, with hands-on experience guiding Indian students through Saudi Arabian university scholarship applications and Gulf study-abroad planning.

Have questions about the King Abdulaziz University Scholarship or studying in Saudi Arabia? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counselor.

Frequently Asked Questions About King Abdulaziz University Scholarship for Indian Students