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title: "Study in Kuwait: costs, visa, scholarships and universities | Arman Education"
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> Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://armaneducation.com/llms.txt)
Countries
# **Study in Kuwait: costs, visa, scholarships and universities**
Costs, visa process, work rights, scholarships and university options for studying in Kuwait.
[**Free consultation for Kuwait**](https://armaneducation.com/en/contact?country=kuwait)
## **Overview**
Kuwait has one public university for degree study, Kuwait University (KU), founded in 1966, plus a group of private universities licensed by the Private Universities Council (PUC) under the Ministry of Higher Education. Public places are reserved first for Kuwaiti nationals. KU announced in January 2026 that it admitted 214 non-Kuwaiti secondary-school graduates within designated categories and, separately, 132 self-sponsored international students for the spring 2025/26 semester, on condition that their secondary-school percentage is not below the minimum accepted for Kuwaiti students in the same major.
For self-financed foreign students KU publishes a fee of KWD 100 per credit unit in all colleges, with a 50% reduction in the following academic year for students who reach a cumulative GPA of 3.67 and pass at least 30 credits. Private universities charge per credit hour: AUM lists KWD 240 (business, health, IT) to 260 (engineering) per credit hour; AUK lists KWD 210 and 230 for its engineering college on its 2025-26 fee page without stating the unit; KCST's page still shows 2019/20 rates (KWD 175 per credit). Most private universities teach in English and require an English placement test or IELTS/TOEFL.
Foreign nationals enter on an entry visa for study issued on a certificate of admission from a government educational body or a private university in Kuwait, and hold ordinary residence for study that the university requests from the Ministry of Interior (Ministerial Decree 957/2019, articles 4 and 23). Renewal requires a certificate that the student's study is continuing. First-time arrivals from countries with Kuwaiti missions must also provide criminal-record certificates and a health certificate (article 25). The decree sets no general student work right; none was found in an official source.
Security context matters for planning: as of 26 October 2026 the UK FCDO states that Iran has carried out strikes and retaliatory attacks across the region since 8 July, including in Kuwait, that further attacks are possible, and that airspace closures and flight cancellations may occur at short notice (Kuwait International Airport operating through Terminals 4 and 5 only). FCDO has lifted its earlier advice against all but essential travel. Applicants and families should follow the advisory of their own government. Verify all figures with the institutions; this dataset records what the official pages stated on the access date.
- **Public university tuition**
- Kuwait University: self-financed foreign students pay KWD 100 per credit unit in all colleges and majors; a 50% discount (KWD 50 per credit unit) applies in the following academic year for foreign students who pay for themselves and reach cumulative GPA 3.67 or equivalent and pass at least 30 credit units in the previous year. Fees are paid at registration; refund 100% if withdrawn before week 2, 75% in week 3, 50% in weeks 4-5, nothing from week 6 (KU registration guide for foreign students). Admission of non-Kuwaitis is limited to designated categories and available seats after Kuwaiti students are placed (KU announcement 5 Jan 2026).Source
- **Monthly living cost**
- Not yet verified
- **Visa processing time**
- No official processing time found; the Kuwait Visa portal and MOI e-service pages were not readable.Source
- **Work rights**
- No official source on part-time work for international students in Kuwait was found. Decree 957/2019 art. 23 grants residence for study; art. 24 distinguishes residence 'without work'. KU states it may expel students who breach full-time status unless approved to combine study and work (search-summary of KU announcement, not directly verified). Do not present any work right to applicants.Source
- **Intakes and deadlines**
- Fall and spring, with summer at private universities. KU admits twice a year (fall and spring); some colleges admit in fall only.Source
- **Language requirement**
- Kuwait University accepts IELTS via a published equivalence table to its English aptitude test; private universities teach in English and use placement tests or IELTS/TOEFL.Source
## **Tuition and living costs**
- **Public university tuition**
- Kuwait University: self-financed foreign students pay KWD 100 per credit unit in all colleges and majors; a 50% discount (KWD 50 per credit unit) applies in the following academic year for foreign students who pay for themselves and reach cumulative GPA 3.67 or equivalent and pass at least 30 credit units in the previous year. Fees are paid at registration; refund 100% if withdrawn before week 2, 75% in week 3, 50% in weeks 4-5, nothing from week 6 (KU registration guide for foreign students). Admission of non-Kuwaitis is limited to designated categories and available seats after Kuwaiti students are placed (KU announcement 5 Jan 2026).Source
- **Private university tuition**
- AUM (per credit hour, 2026 page): KWD 240 business administration, nursing, medical lab science, IT-type programmes; KWD 260 engineering (except telecommunication networking and information-system technology at 240). Fees: application and admission test KWD 30; seat deposit KWD 300 (creditable); digital library/activity fee KWD 110 per semester; English preparatory levels KWD 2,250 per semester each; foundation maths KWD 720-780 per semester. AUK (2025-26): KWD 210 regular undergraduate, KWD 230 College of Engineering & Applied Sciences (unit not stated on the page); Intensive English KWD 2,250 per semester; application fee KWD 20, deposit KWD 100, activity fee KWD 50 per semester. KCST page (dated 2019/20, likely outdated): KWD 175 per credit; foundation courses KWD 600 per course per semester.Source
- **Monthly living cost**
- Not yet verified
### Accommodation
No official student-housing information for Kuwaiti universities was retrieved.
When planning the total budget, separate one-off and monthly items. [Budget planning guide](https://armaneducation.com/en/guides/budget-planning)
## **Visa and residence permit**
Ministerial Decree 957/2019 (executive regulations of the Aliens Residence Law, Amiri Decree-Law 17/1959) provides an entry visa for study, issued on a certificate from a government educational body or a private university in Kuwait, approved by the competent authorities, proving the student's admission (art. 4, item 6). Ordinary residence for study is granted at the request of the government educational bodies or private universities, attaching their certificate of admission attested by the competent authorities; when residence is renewed, the institution must attach a certificate that the student's study is continuing (art. 23). The Ministry of Interior (General Directorate of Residence Affairs) administers these. The student does not apply alone; the university initiates the process.
- **Visa processing time**
- No official processing time found; the Kuwait Visa portal and MOI e-service pages were not readable.Source
- **Proof of funds**
- The decree does not state a financial-proof amount for study residence; 'ordinary residence without work' (art. 24) requires evidence of sources of expenditure, with conditions set by the Director General of Residence Affairs, but no student-specific figure was found.Source
- **Health insurance**
- The decree preamble cites Law 1/1999 on health insurance for foreigners and fees for health services, and art. 25 requires a health certificate; the amount of the health-insurance fee for student residents was not retrieved.Source
### Application steps
1. Obtain admission to Kuwait University or a PUC-licensed private university and receive the institution's certificate of admission.
2. The institution requests the entry visa for study / ordinary residence for study from the Ministry of Interior, attaching the admission certificate attested by the competent authorities (decree arts. 4 and 23).
3. Applicants arriving for the first time from a country with a Kuwaiti embassy or consulate must present criminal-record certificates and a health certificate showing absence of communicable diseases (decree art. 25); Kuwaiti missions attest the home-country certificate where one exists.
4. On arrival: complete the Ministry of Interior residence procedures, including the medical check (a 'medical check result readiness' e-service exists on the MOI residence page).
5. Renew the residence each year with an institution certificate that studies continue (art. 23).
### Documents required
- Passport (valid; the decree requires a valid passport recognised by Kuwait)
- Institution's certificate of admission (attested)
- Criminal-record certificates for first-time arrivals from countries with Kuwaiti missions (art. 25)
- Health certificate (communicable-disease clearance) (art. 25)
- Secondary-school certificate recognised/evaluated by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Education or Higher Education (university admission requirement)
**Travel advisories, sanctions and payments**
- **Fees**
- Decree 957/2019 art. 28 (2019 text): entry visa KWD 3; ordinary residence KWD 10 per year. These amounts may have been amended since 2019; check the Ministry of Interior fee page (moi.gov.kw/main/eservices/residence/visa-fees).Source
**Nationality-specific notes:** turkiye: No nationality-specific student rule found; the entry visa for study (art. 4(6)) is not nationality-based in the decree. Tourist e-visa eligibility was only seen on secondary sites (not an official source) and is not relevant to a study visa.; russia: No nationality-specific student rule found in official sources; Kuwait Visa portal (kuwaitvisa.moi.gov.kw) not readable.; kazakhstan: No nationality-specific student rule found in official sources; Kuwait Visa portal not readable.; ukraine: No nationality-specific student rule found in official sources; Kuwait Visa portal not readable.; azerbaijan: No nationality-specific student rule found in official sources; Kuwait Visa portal not readable.
[**Our visa consulting **→](https://armaneducation.com/en/services/visa)
## **Work rights and after graduation**
No official source on part-time work for international students in Kuwait was found. Decree 957/2019 art. 23 grants residence for study; art. 24 distinguishes residence 'without work'. KU states it may expel students who breach full-time status unless approved to combine study and work (search-summary of KU announcement, not directly verified). Do not present any work right to applicants.
**After graduation:** No official post-study stay or job-seeker residence found. Decree 957/2019 ties study residence to continued study (art. 23).
[Source](https://www.moi.gov.kw/main/content/docs/residence/residency-rules-957.pdf)
## **Language requirements and intakes**
- **Language requirement**
- Kuwait University accepts IELTS via a published equivalence table to its English aptitude test; private universities teach in English and use placement tests or IELTS/TOEFL.Source
- **Intakes and deadlines**
- Fall and spring, with summer at private universities. KU admits twice a year (fall and spring); some colleges admit in fall only.Source
[**Language and exam preparation **→](https://armaneducation.com/en/services/language)
## **Scholarships**
**undergraduate****Direct application**
### **KU 50% tuition reduction for self-financed foreign students**
Kuwait University
- **Coverage**
- Fee reduced from KWD 100 to KWD 50 per credit unit in the following academic year
- **Eligibility**
- Foreign students studying at own expense, cumulative GPA at least 3.67 or equivalent and at least 30 credit units passed in the previous academic year.
[Source](https://www.ku.edu.kw/sites/default/files/2025-11/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%A9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A8.pdf)
**undergraduate****By nomination**
### **KU cultural grant students admission**
Kuwait University (Deanship of Admission and Registration)
- **Eligibility**
- KU publishes an 'Admission Application for Cultural Grant Students' form (spring 2025/26 edition). Eligibility, nominating bodies and what is covered are not stated on the form text retrieved.
[Source](https://www.ku.edu.kw/sites/default/files/2025-10/Application%20for%20Enrollment%20of%20Students%20on%20Cultural%20Scholarships.pdf)
**undergraduate****Via the university**
### **AUK academic scholarship**
American University of Kuwait
- **Coverage**
- Merit-based; amount not stated on the page
- **Deadline**
- Announced each year before the fall semester
- **Eligibility**
- First-time students: high-school GPA at least 3.75; keep cumulative GPA 3.50 and 12+ credits per semester. Nationality restriction not stated for this scholarship.
[Source](https://www.auk.edu.kw/admissions-aid/auk-academic-scholarship-financial-aid/)
**undergraduate****Via the university**
### **PUC government scholarships (private universities)**
Private Universities Council, Ministry of Higher Education
- **Coverage**
- Tuition and book allowance (AUK page)
- **Eligibility**
- Kuwaiti nationals only; limited seats. Not available to international students.
[Source](https://www.auk.edu.kw/admissions-aid/auk-academic-scholarship-financial-aid/)
## **Cities**
**Kuwait City area (Shadadiya)**
**Salmiya**
**Egaila**
## **Universities**
[**Kuwait University** Kuwait City (Shadadiya) · Public KWD 100 per credit unit for self-financed foreign students; 50% reduction in following year with GPA 3.67+ and 30+ credits.](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/kuwait-university) [**American University of Kuwait (AUK)** Salmiya · Private KWD 210 regular undergraduate; KWD 230 College of Engineering & Applied Sciences (2025-26; unit not stated on page); Intensive English KWD 2,250 per semester; application fee KWD 20; deposit KWD 100.](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/american-university-of-kuwait) [**American University of the Middle East (AUM)** Egaila · Private KWD 240 per credit hour (business, nursing, medical lab, IT) and KWD 260 (most engineering); KWD 300 seat deposit; KWD 110 per semester fees; application/test KWD 30.](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/american-university-of-the-middle-east) [**Kuwait College of Science and Technology (KCST)** Doha Area, 7th Ring Road · Private KWD 175 per credit (page dated academic year 2019/20; likely outdated); application KWD 20, entrance exam KWD 15.](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/kuwait-college-of-science-and-technology) [**Arab Open University - Kuwait** Kuwait · Private](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/arab-open-university-kuwait) [**Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET)** Public](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/public-authority-for-applied-education-and-training-paaet) [**Abdullah Al-Salem University (AASU)** Public](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/abdullah-al-salem-university-aasu) [**Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST)** Private](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/gulf-university-for-science-and-technology-gust) [**Box Hill College Kuwait (BHCK)** Private](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/box-hill-college-kuwait-bhck) [**Australian University (AU), formerly Australian College of Kuwait (ACK)** Private](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/australian-university-au-formerly-australian-college-of-kuwait-ack) [**Kuwait Maastricht Business School (KMBS)** Private](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/kuwait-maastricht-business-school-kmbs) [**International University of Kuwait (IUK)** Private](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/international-university-of-kuwait-iuk) [**American International University - Kuwait (AIU)** Private](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/american-international-university-kuwait-aiu) [**Kuwait Academy of Arts (Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts, Higher Institute of Musical Arts)** Public](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities/kuwait-academy-of-arts-higher-institute-of-theatrical-arts-higher-institute-of-musical-arts)
[**All universities **→](https://armaneducation.com/en/universities?country=kuwait)
## **Official resources**
- [**Ministry of Interior - General Directorate of Residence Affairs e-services**](https://www.moi.gov.kw/main/eservices/residence)
- [**Kuwait Visa portal (MOI)**](https://kuwaitvisa.moi.gov.kw)
- [**Residence Law executive regulations (Ministerial Decree 957/2019, Arabic)**](https://www.moi.gov.kw/main/content/docs/residence/residency-rules-957.pdf)
- [**Kuwait University - Deanship of Admission and Registration**](https://do.ku.edu.kw/)
- [**Kuwait University e-admission portal**](https://portal.ku.edu.kw/admission)
- [**Ministry of Higher Education**](https://www.mohe.edu.kw/site/)
- [**Ministry of Education (equivalency of foreign certificates)**](https://www.moe.edu.kw)
## **Frequently asked questions**
Information on this page is compiled from official sources and was verified on the date shown. Fees, dates and visa rules change often; check official sources before applying. Empty fields have not been verified yet; ask our advisor for the current information.
## **Let us plan the right path for your goals**
In a free initial consultation we review your profile, budget and goals, and narrow down the countries and universities that fit you.
[**Free consultation**](https://armaneducation.com/en/contact?country=kuwait) [**How we work**](https://armaneducation.com/en/how-it-works)
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