King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

Established in 1963, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals holds top ranks both in the Middle East and globally for academic programming that meets oil industry needs. 

KFUPM ranks third worldwide with more than 1500 US registered patents granted to our institution. We sit at 160th amongst the world’s top 200 universities, as ranked by the QS Global Universities Ranking. 

The school’s academic programs traditionally focused on engineering, science, computer science, business, and earth sciences. Recent years has seen a massive transformation whereby the school is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the classroom learning experience, ensuring students are prepared for the technology advancements they will face once in the workforce. This transformation includes the introduction of female students, as Saudi Arabia meets global equity standards. 

Our school’s undergraduate concentrations (CX) and professional masters (MX) programs are multidisciplinary and focus on the digital future and emerging fields. Our programs are accredited by international bodies, such as ABET for the sciences, AACSB for business, and Saudi Arabia’s secondary schools national accrediting body, NCAAA. 

Studies in emerging fields include areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), drone technologies, cloud networks, and smart cities; many of our subjects cover pressing sustainability issues, such as climate change adaptation.  

Our suite of more than 35 new programs touch upon traditional and up-and-coming technological fields, such as AI and machine learning; cybersecurity and blockchain; robotics and autonomous systems; big data analytics; business analytics; quantum computing; advanced materials; polymers; renewables; supply chain; et cetera. 

Our focus on the minerals and petroleum industry ensures we attract the top 2 per cent of high school graduates in Saudi Arabia, but we also attract top students globally. Our undergraduate student to graduate student ratio is 5:1; the student to faculty ratio is 12:1.

Student life at KFUPM is vibrant and academically fulfilling in a safe and comfortable campus environment. To that end, community well-being is enhanced by access to sporting activities, quality accommodations, recreation facilities and events, socializing, healthcare access, reliable transportation services, and campus security.

We are located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, within minutes of the Arabian Gulf coastline, nestled amongst three major centers: Khobar, Dhahran, and Dammam, which make up the Greater Dammam area.

Our winter months are ideal for exploring the waterfront on the Khobar Corniche, shopping in the local souks, and enjoying a multitude of restaurant options. Students can enjoy the arts and entertainment scene at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture. The center includes a museum, children’s museum, library, cinema, theater, and exhibition halls. Throughout the year, various world-class exhibitions and performances are brought to the center.

Our Student Affairs team welcomes male and female students from Saudi Arabia and the world to KFUPM. The team supports students with all things related to student life, such as getting settled on campus and signing up for school healthcare, housing, and other services. New students attend the Induction Program during orientation week where they receive critical information about KFUPM and have questions answered by Student Affairs team members. KFUPM is about more than academics; new students will be able to join student clubs, organizations, and many other activities that celebrate our school’s diverse community.

KFUPM is committed to ensuring students are connected to peers and have the opportunity to live on campus. Eligible students are provided convenient and comfortable accommodations. The residence halls and apartment buildings facilitate student connections and provide a supportive space for their academic journey. Student housing is well-equipped with modern amenities and both security and maintenance services are available 24/7. In addition to quality housing, the campus has multiple dining venues, such as a wide selection of cafeterias, dining halls, and restaurants. 

KFUPM’s medical center is open daily and offers the full range of healthcare services, from primary care to dental and radiology to prenatal care.

Scholarship benefits

• Stipend according to category (2500 SAR for MS students; 5000 SAR for PhD students)
• Free furnishings, air-conditioned, on-campus housing, with utilities and maintenance
• Air tickets
• Medical/dental care
• Subsidized meals

Applications

For information about applying to KFUPM, follow this link: https://apply.kfupm.edu.sa/en/

Student Awards:

• Muhammed Al-Ghadeer won 1st place in the annual undergraduate student Enrichment Program competition at KAUST.
• Muhammed Al-Bajadi won 2nd place in the annual undergraduate student Enrichment Program competition at KAUST.
• Team of 4 students from the College of Petroleum Engineering & Geosciences won 1st and 2nd place in the American Association of Petroleum Geologists’ (AAPG) Imperial Barrel Award competition in 2020
• Team of Industrial and Systems Engineering students won 1st place in the International Student Games organized by the International Society of Automation.
• Team of students won 1st place in a competition organized by the Saudi Federation of Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones in 2020.
• Team of students won 1st place in the Ministry of Communications and Information Security’s competition, the International Hope Hackathon in 2020.

At KFUPM, research and innovation are what we do. Be it through the Joint Research Center (JRC), the Interdisciplinary Research Center (IRC), or the Applied Research Center (ARC), here, research happens. 

We’ve divided research into five categories: Industrial and Manufacturing; Digitization and Technology; Energy, Utilities and Sustainability; Business, Finance and Economics; and, Biotech, Bionics and Health-Tech. Our vision is to be a globally recognized innovation-based research-intensive institution that solves grand challenges for the betterment of society and diversification of the economy. Our mission is to conduct interdisciplinary research in national and global priority areas in a conducive environment that attracts the best talents and provides world-class infrastructure. Our research centers value interdisciplinary; collaboration; diversity, equity, and inclusion; openness and transparency; and, resilience.

Our JRCs expose students to real-world research areas in collaboration with national organizations. The SDAIA KFUPM joint research center for Artificial Intelligence was established in 2022 and aims to establish Saudi Arabia as the global AI leader amongst data-driven economies by developing use-cases and solutions that align with the Saudi National Strategy of Data and AI. The Center for Excellence in Energy Efficiency (CEEE) is an interdisciplinary institute dedicated to finding ways to increase energy efficiencies. Post Doc fellows in The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) Energy Research & Innovation Center (ERIC) research renewable and atomic energies. During the one-year scholarship term, fellows contribute to the sustainable development of the energy sector by seeking solutions to several challenges, including the growing energy needs of Saudi Arabia, creating renewable energy data for industry, research centers and universities, developing research talent in the renewable energy sector, and reducing the cost by increasing the efficiency and scalability of renewable energy systems.

The school’s IRC programs cover subjects ranging from: Advanced Materials; Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics; Membranes and Water Security; Intelligent Secure Systems; Smart Mobility and Logistics; Refining and Advanced Chemicals; Sustainable Energy Systems; Hydrogen Technologies and Carbon Management; Construction and Building Materials; Communication Systems and Sensing; Finance and Digital Economy; Aviation and Space Exploration; and, the Center of Excellence in Development of Non-Profit Organization.

Researchers in the school’s Applied Research Centers (ARCs) explore professional engagement with industry, working to overcome current, real-world problems facing industry today, for example, the Environment and Marine Studies center, and the Metrology, Standards, and Testing center.

Our innovation extends to the development of future business leaders. The Entrepreneurship Institute (EI) began as a business incubator for start up opportunities evolving from KFPUM research efforts. The EI nurtures Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurial energy, contributing to the country’s socioeconomic growth by fostering education, training, and research and providing logistical and/or financial support for start up growth. The EI equips students, researchers, and faculty entrepreneurial tools; it helps entrepreneurs and students establish their own startups, with the goal of economic diversification and job creation. 

Just outside campus sits the Dhahran Techno-Valley, where KFUPM hosts R&D centers for major multinational corporations, such as Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Sinopec, Schneider, Yokogawa, Emerson, Honeywell, and Halliburton. On the other side of campus is the world’s largest energy company, Saudi Aramco, and we have many collaborative projects between our organizations. KFUPM successfully partners with Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), electric and telecom companies, national banks, and government institutions. Additional collaboration opportunities exist between MIT, Georgia Tech, Caltech, and Stanford.