Selma Roth

Saudi Gazette

What started as a relatively small group of students being sent to the United States has grown to be an initiative that could totally transform the country from a society centered on oil into a knowledge-based economic superpower. The King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) entered its 11th year with the government’s determination to continue investing in education. In this year’s budget, education gets SR217 billion, nearly one-fourth of the total allocations.



The scholarship program was not the only component in King Abdullah’s plan to transform the country’s educational system, but it was a key element.

When the program was launched back in 2005 as an agreement between King Abdullah and President George Bush to increase the number of Saudi students in the US, SR7 billion were allocated to it. Out of 41,053 applications only 9,252 students were selected to study at a university in the US — the only country accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education for scholarships at that time.



The number of destinations has increased over the years and currently includes no less than 26 countries, including various European states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, India, Singapore and South Korea. In the US alone, there were 125,000 Saudi students. Although this number includes those studying on their own accounts, a minimum of 71,000 students is studying under the KASP in the US (2012 data from the Ministry of Higher Education). In other words, more than half of the Saudi students under the scholarship program study in the United States, although the number in other countries is growing.



According to the same ministry, more than 200,000 students have so far benefited from the program. This number will continue to grow in the coming years, as King Abdullah in 2013 approved the extension of the scholarship program for another five years.



Equal chances for everyone



While KASP’s main objective is scholarly and academic, several other benefits can be obtained from sending students abroad. These include patriotic commitment, cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and intellectual development.



In order to achieve this and give fair chances to excellent students regardless of their economic resources, the scholarship covers a monthly stipend for students, spouse and children; full academic tuition; medical and dental coverage; annual round trip tickets for students and family; as well as academic supervision.



However, only qualified students who meet high academic standards can benefit from the program, while applying for the scholarship program is open to undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students. Applicants who intend to study their bachelor’s degree abroad, for instance, need to show their high school completion certificate, which should not be less than 90 percent in the group of natural sciences. They will also have to score at least 80 percent for the aptitude and achievement tests; they must have completed their secondary education within the last three years; they should be 22 years or younger; and they need to meet several other conditions. In addition to this, a female applicant needs to be accompanied by a mahram (male guardian) who can stay with her until she finishes her studies.



Specializations the country needs



Apart from these conditions, not all majors can be studied under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. The program concentrates on specializations that will help further develop the country and satisfy the needs of the labor market. Students can enroll in undergraduate and postgraduate programs as well as fellowships in medical sciences, engineering, marine transportation, computer sciences, nanotechnology, natural sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology), and administrative sciences (law, accounting, finance, insurance, and marketing).



This ensures those students that study abroad will contribute to the country’s development once they are back, but it also means a large number of excellent students studying majors that do not fall under the program are not able to get the same living-abroad experience their peers do.



Right expectations



While living and studying abroad is a wonderful experience for young adults that will teach them to live independently, get to know a different culture, become responsible citizens, and appreciate their own country more, for some it is not easy to live abroad. Homesickness, loneliness and a culture shock are some of the problems Saudi students experience.



To help the youngsters settle, the Ministry of Higher Education ensures that all Saudi cultural attachés abroad are well equipped with staff to provide the best services for students. In the United States, the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) is of great help, providing students with information related to preparation before arriving in the US as well as for attending university. The SACM is often a beacon for Saudi students and their first point of reference, organizing seminars, graduation ceremonies, and even assistance in finding an internship.



Needless to say, KASP students also need to return to the country with the right expectations. Indeed, the “reverse-culture shock” phenomenon is not a rare one. Fresh graduates often cannot wait to bring all their newly acquired knowledge and experiences into practice in their own country, only to find that things here are moving slower than they hoped for. It is not uncommon for graduates to have difficulty finding a job, partly because of their unrealistic expectations. Women sometimes feel disappointed by the restrictions they face upon return.



These minor issues aside, the King Abdullah Scholarship Program provides a unique opportunity for Saudi youngsters and the country in general to transform the Kingdom in a highly developed nation that will be able compete with the most advanced countries in the world. This has clearly been King Abdullah’s dream, and it is hard on the way to become reality.