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 merit, need and character 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.

Eligibility Requirements

GPA 3.5 / 90% in Thanaweyya Amma certification (Secondary year) or equivalent certificates
TOEFL iBT: 100 or above [or equivalent]
Minimum SAT I Score: 1450 (Taken within 2 years) or Minimum ACT Score: 32 (Taken within 2 years)
SAT II in 3 subjects: 600 or above (Highly recommended)
Extracurricular Activities
Fields of Study: 
Engineering, Economics, Political Science, Finance and Management.

Candidates should:

  • Meet the above criteria
  • Be planning to start their studies in the U.S.A in the year 2022-2023
  • Be Egyptian nationals, who are residents of Egypt (preference will not be given to dual nationality applicants)
  • Have not lived more than 3 years abroad
  • Be committed to coming back to Egypt for two years directly after the successful completion of their bachelor’s degree
Approved Universities for the Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program
Please note that In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must apply and gain admission to at least one of the following approved universities in the United States. AMDIEAST/Egypt will assist you in the application and placement process.
The approved universities for the undergraduate Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program are:
In California: 
       –     Stanford University 
In Illinois:
       –     The University of Chicago
In Massachusetts: 
       –     Harvard University
In Pennsylvania: 
       –     The University of Pennsylvania

Important notes:

  • Preference will be given to candidates who have not lived, worked, or studied abroad for a significant period of time.
  • The Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program is only granted to the list of endorsed universities provided in the “Approved Universities” section of the application.
  • Selection as a nominee for the Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program does not guarantee university acceptance. Applicants will be supported in applying for these universities. If nominated for the scholarship; the Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program award will be made once university acceptance is obtained.

Please submit:

  • Application form
  • Resume
  • Copy of test scores (SAT I / or SAT II) & TOEFL iBT
  • Copy of transcripts
  • Copy of graduation certificate or Thanaweyya Amma certificate (if available)
  • Two recommendation letters

Application Deadline:  July 31st, 2021

For Inquiries, please contact :

E-Mail:OSSP@amideast.org

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage

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