KAUST Global Postdoctoral Fellowship
Offers postdoctoral scientists comprehensive support at KAUST to pursue high-impact interdisciplinary research projects.
The KAUST Global Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (KGFP) is an annual fellowship offered by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) — Saudi Arabia's graduate-only research university located in Thuwal — targeting outstanding early-career researchers worldwide. The program brings fellows to the KAUST campus to conduct independent, mentor-supported research with access to KAUST's specialized research facilities. The fellowship is externally facing and globally open, with no citizenship restrictions stated; international postdoctoral researchers from any country are eligible. The 2026/27 cycle opens for applications on July 1, 2026, with a deadline of January 15, 2027.
Applicants must be recent PhD holders or researchers who are about to complete a doctorate. Research proposals must align with KAUST's institutional priority themes: water security, food security, energy, environment, health, and artificial intelligence. The fellowship is conducted in-residence at the KAUST Thuwal campus, so relocation to Saudi Arabia is required for the duration of the appointment. The specific stipend amount is not published on the program landing page; KAUST postdoc compensation packages are competitive at an international level and prospective applicants are encouraged to contact KGFP@kaust.edu.sa for current remuneration details. KAUST funds the fellowship internally — it is not grant-funded through an external agency.
Applications are submitted through the KGFP platform at plutoedu.com/form/983580488 before the January 15 deadline. The program follows a predictable annual cycle — July 1 open, January 15 close — making forward planning straightforward. Researchers in water, energy, environmental science, health sciences, and AI who hold or are completing a PhD and are willing to relocate to Saudi Arabia for a residency period represent the strongest fit. Selection is merit-based with emphasis on research quality and alignment to KAUST's strategic themes.
Water security, food security, energy, environment, health, and AI — research must complement KAUST's priority areas.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see the timeline