LASeR
Lebanese Association for Scientific Research
- Lebanese Association for Scientific ResearchProvider
- Lebanese non-profit / NGOType
- 13universities listed
Overview
- Provider
- Lebanese Association for Scientific Research (LASeR), founded 2009 in Tripoli, Lebanon by ~40 university professors. https://laser-lb.org/laser/
- Type
- Lebanese non-profit / NGO.
- Mission
- Spreading science and research through capacity building, scholarships, and partnerships to meet the needs of society and the labor market.
- What LASeR does
- Three intervention paths — (1) scholarship programs in partnership with universities and schools, (2) capacity-building programs (Tashgheel, AI Club, Digi-YESS, CareeReady), (3) institutional support (e.g., solar PV systems for schools).
- Programs covered on this page
- City Fund (BA / MS / PhD), LASeR–AUB Graduate Studies Scholarship, Spotlight (LASeR–SNHU), Lebanese University Scholarship, Bucknell FLTA, and Université de La Rochelle. The K-12 School Fund is mentioned briefly but is out of scope for university scholarships.
- Official website
- https://laser-lb.org
- Application portal
- https://connected.laser-lb.org ("ConnectEd")
Grade & background requirements
LASeR runs distinct programs with different eligibility. Requirements per program are listed below; check the linked official page for the most current details.
City Fund — Bachelor's
- Academic level
- First-time university enrollee pursuing a Bachelor's degree.
- Nationality / residency
- Resident of Lebanon, any nationality (Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian, etc.).
- Academic standing
- Strong baccalaureate performance. Specific GPA / average cutoff: not available.
- Financial criteria
- Must be able to repay monthly loan installments for the non-scholarship portion.
- Other
- Required attendance at LASeR workshops and additional learning experiences. Cannot be combined with most other scholarships.
City Fund — MS / PhD
- Interest-free loan only (not a scholarship). Available at universities worldwide, contingent on prior LASeR approval.
- Source: https://laser-lb.org/city-fund/
LASeR–AUB Graduate Studies Scholarship
- Academic level
- New (incoming) Master's students at AUB. Currently enrolled AUB students are not eligible.
- Academic standing
- Good standing in undergraduate degree — B+ minimum, or 14/20 for Lebanese University students.
- Nationality / residency
- Lebanon resident of any nationality.
- Restrictions
- Online MBA programs are not covered. Cannot be combined with other scholarships in most cases.
- Financial commitment
- Must be able to repay monthly installments for the loan portion.
Spotlight — LASeR × SNHU
- Academic level
- Recent high-school graduates with Lebanese Baccalaureate, I'tilaf, BT3, or TS Technical Baccalaureate.
- Geographic restriction
- Students from North Lebanon (Tripoli and Akkar sites).
- Nationality
- Any nationality. Program serves vulnerable learners and refugees.
- English
- Good English standings required. Specific TOEFL / IELTS minimum: not available.
- Time commitment
- Must dedicate at least 12 hours per week to studies.
Lebanese University Scholarship
- Academic level
- Students in their second year, third year, or beyond at the Lebanese University.
- Academic standing
- 12/20 average or higher.
- Nationality / residency
- Resident of Lebanon, any nationality.
Bucknell FLTA
- One-year fully funded Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship for early-career professionals in English, education, translation, or related fields.
- Source: https://laser-lb.org/partner-universities/
Université de La Rochelle (France)
- Master's in Civil Engineering, Building Engineering specialization. Eligibility detail: not available.
- Source: https://laser-lb.org/partner-universities/
Application window
- Where to apply
- https://connected.laser-lb.org — the ConnectEd portal handles most programs. Spotlight uses dedicated Microsoft Forms for the Tripoli and Akkar sites.
- Process
- Submit application → invited candidates do an interview (online or in-person) → interview is decisive → results communicated by phone and posted to the applicant's ConnectEd account.
- Standardized tests
- Not required. https://laser-lb.org/faqs/
Confirmed dates
ProgramDate
**Required documents: **Not available — the ConnectEd portal collects documents per program at submission time. AUB applicants must additionally submit a full AUB graduate application with its own document list.
Supported universities
13LASeR maintains partnership agreements with ~25 institutions inside and outside Lebanon. Scholarships are tied to specific partners — they are not transferable. Source: https://laser-lb.org/partner-universities/.
Benefits
City Fund — Bachelor's (BAU / RHU model)
- Tuition
- 40% scholarship from LASeR's partner.
- Remainder (60%)
- Paid up-front by LASeR in two installments (Sept 1, Jan 1) and repaid by the student to LASeR at zero interest.
- Excludes
- BAU Pharmacy.
City Fund — Bachelor's (USJ model)
- Tuition
- Up to 50% scholarship.
- Remainder
- Zero-interest loan repaid in monthly installments starting the month after award.
LASeR–AUB Graduate
- Tuition
- 50% scholarship + ≤50% interest-free loan.
- Repayment
- Monthly installments starting the month after enrollment.
- Excludes
- Online MBA programs.
- Housing / stipend / books / travel
- Not included.
Spotlight (LASeR–SNHU)
- Tuition
- 100% covered for up to 4 years.
- Equipment
- Laptop and internet provided.
- Programming
- Workshops; on-site and online internship pipeline including AUB and MIT.
- Housing / stipend
- Not available beyond tuition + equipment.
Lebanese University Scholarship
- Covers the registration fees only. LU is already heavily subsidized; this covers the remaining registration fees for accepted students.
Bucknell FLTA
- Fully funded one-year teaching assistantship. Standard FLTA programs typically cover stipend, housing, and tuition for two courses; specific LASeR-side benefits: not available.
Cross-program logistics
- Loan installments are paid directly to LASeR (at the office or via bank), not to the university.
- Required attendance at LASeR workshops / additional learning experiences applies across all programs.
Contacts of recipients
Official program contact
- Office
- Al Khayat Building, Azmi Street, Tripoli, Lebanon — 2nd floor.
- Phone
- +961 6 446 632.
- +961 81 429 498 (general) · +961 71 98 65 14 (LASeR–AUB scholarship).
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
- Not available. Contact via phone, WhatsApp, or social media.
- Application portal
- https://connected.laser-lb.org
- Website
- https://laser-lb.org
Past recipients
Not available — no publicly listed recipient names or testimonials. LASeR's social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) periodically feature recipient spotlights.