Set up and ready, before day one
KAUST IT creates your credentials ahead of your start date, so you can reach your email and essential systems from anywhere, even before you land on campus.
Find your welcome email
Your KAUST username arrives by email, with a link to set your password.
Enroll in DUO
Your two-step verification link is sent to your personal email, so you can set it up early.
Sign in from anywhere
Portal and Microsoft 365 work off campus. No VPN needed to get started.
Nothing in your inbox yet, or joining as a contractor or consultant? Access is set up around your start date. Contact IT and we will sort it out.
Your first 10 minutes
Five quick steps and you are operational. Tick each one as you go, and watch the ring fill up.
0 of 5 done
Any order works. We will be right here.
Set your KAUST password
Use the username from your welcome email.
Go to mypassword.kaust.edu.sa, enter your KAUST username, and create a strong password you will remember.
Set up DUO two-step verification
It protects your account on every sign-in.
Open the DUO enrollment link sent to your personal email, install the DUO Mobile app, and follow the prompts.
Sign in to your email
Your KAUST email is on Microsoft Outlook.
Go to outlook.office.com, sign in with your full KAUST email address and password, then approve the DUO prompt.
Connect to campus WiFi
Get online the moment you arrive.
On campus, select the KAUST wireless network and sign in with your KAUST credentials.
Open your collaboration tools
Get into Microsoft 365 and start working.
Sign in to portal.office.com with your KAUST account to reach Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and more.
Then, settle in this week
No rush. Open what is useful when you need it. Each tool links to a deeper guide.
- OneDrive (25 GB, can be increased to 50 GB) for your personal KAUST files and drafts. Departmental work and team documents belong in SharePoint.
- SharePoint for team and department content. Sites belong to teams, so you will get your links once you officially join them. Managers and leads can request a site.
- Google Drive is also available with your KAUST account.
Using a personal device?
You can install the communication and Microsoft 365 and Google apps on a personal phone or computer and sign in with your KAUST account, so you stay reachable and skip a personal subscription. Keep your KAUST work and files in KAUST storage though: your KAUST device, OneDrive, SharePoint, or Google Drive, not scattered across personal devices. When your time at KAUST ends, access ends with it.
KAUST supports four video platforms. All work remotely, all use your KAUST sign-in. Use whichever suits the meeting and the people in it.
- Microsoft Teams
- Cisco Webex
- Zoom
- Google Meet
Your phone extension, anywhere
The Cisco Webex softphone carries your KAUST desk extension on your computer or mobile. On a KAUST device it is usually already installed.
Your KAUST device comes with the essentials pre-installed. For anything else approved, use Software Center (Windows) or Self Service+ (macOS), no admin rights required. Even free tools like Zoom and Chrome go through here.
On a personal device, sign in with your KAUST account to install the Microsoft 365 and Google apps.
The Software Catalog holds additional software beyond what is already on your machine. Most of it needs to be purchased, so settle in with your team and learn what you actually need before requesting it.
Most core tools work from anywhere without VPN. You need the KAUST VPN only for internal systems and network drives.
- VPN: already installed on KAUST devices, or available in Self Service+ and Software Center. On a personal device, go to vpn.kaust.edu.sa and the client installs on first connection.
- Single Sign-On lets one KAUST login reach many systems.
KAUST runs a campus-wide secure printing service. Send a job from your device and release it at any participating printer with your badge.
The KAUST Portal is your desktop home for business applications and approvals. You can open it in a phone browser too, and these mobile apps put key services in your pocket:
- Joule Work for HR and business services on mobile. Learn more.
- HR Connect for leave requests, payslips, and org charts. iPhone · Android
- SAP Concur for travel and expense claims. iPhone · Android
Your toolkit at a glance
What you have as a staff member, in one quick reference.
Stay secure, without the headache
A few habits keep you and KAUST safe. Most of it runs quietly in the background.
DUO every time
Approve the prompt on every sign-in, on or off VPN. Set up a backup method so you are never locked out.
Lock and protect
Lock your device when you step away, and never share your password with anyone.
Spot phishing
Unexpected login prompts or urgent requests? If it feels off, contact IT before you click.
Antivirus, handled
On a KAUST-managed device, antivirus is installed and updated for you. On a personal device, it is yours to manage.
Stay in the loop
Know what is changing before it affects you.
IT Alerts and updates
- IT Alerts is where current and upcoming maintenance lives, along with any active outage.
- We email you when a planned change is likely to affect you, and again if a service or system goes down.
- Curious how change is reviewed? The Change Advisory Board is where scheduled maintenance is approved before it reaches IT Alerts.
Read #InsideIT
Stories, tips, and what we are building, written by the people behind KAUST IT. Worth a bookmark.
Read the blogHelp, any time, from anywhere
You are never on your own. Head to the Contact Us page for every way to reach us.
Where to go next
Welcome to KAUST.
You are set up, you are supported, and we are glad you are here.