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As a KAUST graduate, you will receive a lifelong KAUST alumni email address in the format:
Your alumni mailbox is provisioned after your separation from KAUST and is yours for life. Access it at mail.alumni.kaust.edu.sa. Here is how your student and alumni accounts compare:
| Student Account | Alumni Account | |
|---|---|---|
| Email Platform | Google Workspace (Gmail) | Microsoft 365 |
| Address | @kaust.edu.sa | @alumni.kaust.edu.sa |
| Storage | 100 GB shared across Gmail, Drive, and Docs (one combined allowance, not per app) | 15 GB (mailbox only) |
| Calendar | Google Calendar | Calendar data migrated for you |
| Max Attachment | 50 MB | 25 MB |
| Lifecycle | Active while enrolled. Access removed 1 year after graduation, deleted within 20 days after that. | Provisioned after separation. Kept for life. Deactivated after 1 year of non-use. |
What migrates automatically: Your emails, contacts, and calendar data transfer seamlessly to your alumni account. You do not need to manually export these. Google Drive files do not migrate and must be downloaded before your student account is decommissioned.
The alumni mailbox is email only. It does not include any Microsoft 365 collaboration or productivity apps. Your email can be used to send to a maximum of 100 recipients per email.
Non-use deactivation: Alumni mailboxes that are not accessed for one calendar year will be deactivated. To reactivate your account, contact IT at it.kaust.edu.sa/about/contact-us.
Your student account is designed to support active academic, research, and campus activities. After graduation and account decommissioning, access to the following services will end.
Academic Systems
KAUST Applications
Network Services
Communication Services
Collaboration and Storage
Research and Technical
Access to these services may be removed at different times depending on the system and business owner. Once your KAUST account transitions from student to alumni, you will lose access to all services provided by the IT Department, with the exception of your KAUST alumni email.
Before your student account is decommissioned, review any information stored in KAUST systems and transfer any personal copies you may need.
Google Drive requires manual backup. Your emails, contacts, and calendar data migrate automatically to your alumni account. Google Drive files do not. Your student Google Workspace access is removed one year after graduation and the account is permanently deleted within 20 days after that. Do not wait until that deadline.
Important: Ensure you comply with any research, intellectual property, supervisor, or sponsor requirements before downloading or transferring information. If you are unsure whether you have the right to retain a copy of specific data, check with your supervisor before your account is decommissioned. Follow the Data Responsibility at KAUST guidance to keep KAUST information protected throughout your transition.
KAUST provides access to a wide range of licensed software for students. Most of these licenses are tied to your active student account and will no longer be available after decommissioning. This includes, but is not limited to:
Before you graduate:
Note on Microsoft 365: If you installed Microsoft 365 apps on a personal device using your KAUST license, those apps will deactivate when your account is decommissioned. You will need a personal or employer-provided Microsoft 365 subscription to continue using the full desktop applications.
We recommend completing the following tasks before leaving KAUST.
If you were issued a KAUST IT-managed laptop or desktop as part of your program, you will need to return it before or at the time of your departure.
To arrange your device return, contact your program coordinator, lab supervisor, or PI. If you are not sure who to contact, the IT Service Desk can help point you in the right direction.
Please back up all personal files before returning any device. KAUST IT cannot recover personal data from a device after it has been returned and reimaged.
For technical assistance with your account, data, or software:
We recommend reaching out to IT before your graduation date if you have questions about your account, data backup, or software planning.
Select a question to expand the answer.
Your student Google Workspace account (Gmail and Drive) remains active for one year after graduation. It is then permanently deleted within 20 days. Your alumni @alumni.kaust.edu.sa mailbox is provisioned after your separation from KAUST and is yours for life.
Yes, partially. Your emails, contacts, and calendar data migrate automatically and seamlessly to your alumni account. You do not need to manually export these. Google Drive files will not migrate and must be downloaded before your student account is decommissioned.
Google Drive data will not transfer to your alumni account and will be permanently deleted when your student account is decommissioned. Download everything you need from Google Drive before your access ends. Your student account access is removed one year after graduation.
Alumni mailboxes that are not accessed for one calendar year will be deactivated. To reactivate your account, contact IT at it.kaust.edu.sa/about/contact-us.
No. Student collaboration and storage services will no longer be available after your account is decommissioned.
If you installed Microsoft 365 apps on a personal device using your KAUST license, those apps will deactivate when your account is decommissioned. You will need a personal or employer-provided Microsoft 365 subscription to continue using them.
Licensed software tied to your student account, including Adobe Creative Cloud, MATLAB, and other specialized tools, will no longer be available after decommissioning. Plan for alternatives before you graduate.
No. Academic systems are intended for active students and are not available through alumni accounts.
Contact IT directly at it.kaust.edu.sa/about/contact-us for assistance with account access or password resets.
