King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) is a leading STEM university in Saudi Arabia, and it offers full scholarships to international students at undergraduate, Master's and PhD level. The programs it funds sit in engineering, sciences, technology and business. If you are a Pakistani student with a strong pre-engineering or pre-medical background, or a graduate in an engineering or science discipline, this is a scholarship worth a serious look. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing as well.
One thing to get straight before anything else: KFUPM is clear that meeting the eligibility criteria only puts you in the applicant pool. Seats and funding are limited each cycle. Plenty of qualified people apply and do not get an award, so treat this as a competitive application and not a formality.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Funding | Fully funded (full tuition; stipend and housing details for graduate students vary) |
| Levels | Undergraduate, Master's, PhD |
| Fields | Engineering, sciences, technology, business |
| Deadline | Varies by intake, check the official site each cycle |
| Official site | KFUPM official website |
Who KFUPM funding makes sense for
KFUPM is a technical university with strong ties to Saudi Arabia's energy and industrial sector. That shapes who will get the most out of it. If you want a career in engineering or technology, particularly anything connected to energy, petroleum, minerals or heavy industry in the Gulf region, studying here gives you a direct line into that job market. Graduates have real pathways into regional engineering and technology careers.
If your interest is in medicine, law, the humanities or the arts, this is the wrong scholarship. The eligible fields are engineering, sciences, technology and business, and the university's identity is built around STEM. Business is on the list, but most applicants who do well here are the ones whose plans fit the university's technical focus.
It also suits students at different stages. A FSc pre-engineering student finishing intermediate can look at the undergraduate route. A BS or BE graduate can look at the Master's route, and a Master's graduate can look at the PhD route. Funding is available at all three levels.
What full tuition covers, and what is less certain
The scholarship is listed as fully funded and covers full tuition. That part is clear.
The rest is less firm. Graduate scholarships are likely to include a stipend and housing, but the specifics vary. There is no fixed published monthly stipend amount to quote here, and you should not assume one. Before you accept an offer, read the award letter carefully and check exactly what it includes: tuition, any monthly allowance, accommodation, and anything else such as travel or medical cover. If something is not written in the offer, ask the admissions office in writing.
Undergraduate applicants should be even more careful here, because stipend and housing are mentioned in the context of graduate scholarships. Do not plan your family budget around an allowance you have not seen in writing.
Eligibility for undergraduate applicants
For a bachelor's program, you need two things.
- A natural-science high school track. For Pakistani students this broadly means you studied science subjects at intermediate or A level, not a humanities or commerce stream. If your background is unusual, confirm with KFUPM that your track counts.
- English proficiency. The accepted TOEFL scores are PBT 520, CBT 190 or iBT 70.
The English requirement is waived for graduates of English-speaking countries. Do not assume Pakistan counts for this waiver just because your schooling was in English medium. Check directly with KFUPM whether your country qualifies before you decide to skip the test. If the answer is unclear, taking the TOEFL removes the doubt.
Eligibility for Master's and PhD applicants
The graduate requirements are short:
- A Bachelor's degree
- A GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 or above
- A statement of purpose
A 2.5 GPA is a minimum, not a target. Since awards are limited, applicants with a GPA well above the floor, solid recommendation letters and a focused research interest will be in a much stronger position. If your university grades on percentage or a different scale, make sure your transcript or an official letter shows how it converts to a 4.0 scale.
On nationality: the scholarship is described as open to international students. Requirements can differ by country, so confirm on the official portal that there are no specific conditions for applicants from Pakistan.
The five documents to prepare
The document list is short, which means each item carries more weight.
- Transcripts
- English test scores (unless you have confirmed you qualify for the waiver)
- Statement of purpose
- Recommendation letters
- Passport
Get your passport sorted early. Make sure it is valid well beyond your expected start date, since an expiring passport can hold up the whole process later. For transcripts and degrees, ask KFUPM whether it needs attested copies, and if it does, start on attestation in good time. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide walks through how that works in Pakistan, and the documents checklist for international scholarships is useful for getting everything in order.
For graduate applicants, the statement of purpose is where you separate yourself from the pile. Be specific about the program you want, the area you want to work on and why KFUPM fits. A generic statement that could be sent to any university reads that way to the committee too.
Applying through the international admissions portal
You apply through KFUPM's international admissions portal, reached from the KFUPM official website. There is no separate scholarship form described; the application and the scholarship consideration go together.
- Pick your program and level, and confirm it falls under engineering, sciences, technology or business.
- Check the current intake dates on the official site.
- Prepare your documents, including English scores or confirmation of a waiver.
- Complete the application on the international admissions portal and upload everything.
- Keep copies of your submission and any confirmation emails.
On fees: check the current admissions portal directly. Fees, if there are any, are typically minimal or waived, but confirm before you apply rather than assuming.
Why there is no fixed deadline to quote
The deadline varies by intake. There is no single date that applies every year, so you need to check kfupm.edu.sa each cycle. This catches people out. They read an old forum post with last year's date and either miss the window or wait for one that has already changed.
Practically, start preparing at least several months before you expect to apply. TOEFL booking, results, attestation and recommendation letters all take time in Pakistan, and none of them can be rushed in the final week.
Mistakes Pakistani applicants make with KFUPM
The most common one is treating eligibility as acceptance. Meeting the criteria gets your file read. It does not get you funded. Apply to other options in parallel; our all Saudi Arabia scholarships guide is a good place to find them.
The second is skipping the English test on the assumption that Pakistan counts as an English-speaking country for the waiver. Confirm it first.
The third is assuming a monthly stipend and housing are guaranteed. For graduate scholarships they are likely, but the specifics vary, and undergraduate terms should be confirmed separately.
The last is applying for a program outside the eligible fields. If your subject is not engineering, sciences, technology or business, your time is better spent elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Does meeting the eligibility criteria guarantee a KFUPM scholarship?
No. Meeting the criteria places you in the applicant pool, but awards are limited by the seats and funding available each cycle.
What TOEFL score do I need for undergraduate admission?
The accepted scores are TOEFL PBT 520, CBT 190 or iBT 70. The requirement is waived for graduates of English-speaking countries, so check whether your country qualifies.
What GPA do I need for a Master's or PhD scholarship?
The minimum is 2.5 out of 4.0. Given limited funding, a higher GPA will make your application more competitive.
Is there an application fee?
Check the current admissions portal directly. Fees, if any, are typically minimal or waived.
Does the scholarship include a monthly stipend?
Full tuition is covered. A stipend and housing are likely for graduate scholarships, but the specifics vary, so confirm what your offer includes in writing.
When is the deadline?
It varies by intake. Check the official KFUPM website each cycle for current dates.
For current intake dates and program lists, go to the KFUPM official website, and see our KFUPM scholarship page for the full summary.