Deadline:
July 31, 2025
Location(s)
United States of America
Overview
Through the Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program, Orascom Construction provides fully funded scholarships for Egyptian students to pursue bachelor’s degree programs at prestigious universities in the United States in fields that will promote the economic prosperity of Egypt.
Details
About the scholarship
The Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program is a private merit-based scholarship program established in 2000 by Orascom Construction as part of the company’s commitment to promoting excellence and achievement. The purpose of the scholarship is to boost Egypt's economic competitiveness.
Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program
Orascom Construction (OC) traces its roots back to 1950 when Eng. Onsi Sawiris first founded a construction company with a few friends in Upper Egypt. By digging waterways and paving roads, he built his business into one of Egypt's largest general contractors. In 1961, the business was nationalized under President Nasser and later became known as the El Nasr Civil Works Company. Not content to be an employee in his own company, Eng. Sawiris left for Libya where he continued his construction career. In 1976, he returned to Egypt and founded Orascom as a general contracting and trading company with five employees. By the early 1990s, Eng. Sawiris had established Orascom as a leading private sector contractor by working in partnership with international companies pursuing projects in Egypt. Today Orascom Construction continues to blend international technical know-how with local resources to undertake even larger, more complex, and demanding projects.
OC seeks to promote excellence and achievement. OC launched the Onsi Sawiris Program in the year 2000 to invest company resources in educational programs to improve the communities in which it works. Through the Onsi Sawiris Scholarship program, OC provides full tuition scholarships for Egyptian undergraduate students seeking to pursue their Bachelor’s degree in fields that will enhance the economic prosperity of Egypt at prestigious universities in the United States.
The Onsi Sawiris Scholarships will be awarded based on character and merit as demonstrated through academic excellence, extracurricular activities, and entrepreneurial initiative. The scholarships include full tuition, a living allowance, travel and health insurance. Scholarship recipients will also be given the option of an internship position within the company.
Endorsed Universities:
The Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program is granted to selected students to pursue their bachelor’s degree in one of the following United States Universities:
- University of Chicago
- Stanford University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Harvard University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Fields of Study:
- Engineering (Computer engineering and computer science related fields are not funded by the scholarship)
- Economics
- Finance
- Management
The Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program is only granted for the above fields of study. Applicants are encouraged to visit the endorsed universities’ websites to decide on the desirable program within the above fields of study.
For Engineering programs, preference is given to fields that contribute to Sustainable Development such as civil engineering, environmental engineering, energy engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, water engineering and sustainability.
Computer engineering and computer science programs/majors are not covered under the scholarship program and may only be included as a minor under the Engineering School.
Duration of Study:
4-year bachelor’s degree program.
Schedule of Events
- July 31st, 2025: Deadline for submitting online applications with all supporting documents.
- August - September 2025: Selection of semi-finalists and personal interviews at Orascom Construction.
- September 2025: Notification of the nominated applicants.
- October 2025: Program orientation for nominated recipients.
- October 2025-April/May 2026: U.S. university applications stage (involving Amideast's advising support) and university placement stage.
- July 2026: Award Ceremony at Orascom Construction for awarded recipients.
- July – August 2026: Travel arrangements and pre-departure orientation.
- August – September 2026: Departure of awarded recipients to the United States.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Eligibility Criteria - Undergraduate Scholarship
Undergraduate applicants applying for the Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program must meet the below minimum requirements:
- Be Egyptian nationals, who are residents of Egypt (preference will not be given to dual nationality applicants).
- Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or 90% or an equivalent score in national or international high school degrees (N.b. Students completing their grade 11 by the time of application deadline (July 31, 2025) and students completing their grade 12 by the application deadline (July 31, 2025) are both eligible to apply for the undergraduate scholarship program).
- Proof of English proficiency: TOEFL iBT® test with a minimum total score of 100 Or IELTS test (Academic) with a minimum overall score of 7.5. Test score report to be submitted within the exam validity period (2 years from exam date).
- Minimum SAT I Score: 1450 (Taken within 2 years) or Minimum ACT Score: 32 (Taken within 2 years).
- Extracurricular Activities: Have been involved or are currently involved in extracurricular activities.
- Be planning to start their studies in the U.S. in the year 2026.
- Preference is given to applicants who have not resided outside of Egypt and/or have not lived more than 2 years abroad.
- Be committed to coming back to Egypt for two years directly after the successful completion of their bachelor's degree.
Dates
Deadline: July 31, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
