Universities, colleges and the programs were identified using a selection of college guides and computer databases. Once the universities and programs were identified, a final selection of programs was made using the following criteria:

• All schools on the list are required to be institutionally accredited by one of the six regional accreditation agencies depending on their geographic location.
• Professional accreditation is required for all fields subject to professional or specialized accreditation.
• For fields of study that are not subject to professional accreditation, it is required that the institution offers an advanced degree in the discipline being represented. Accordingly, a school is recommended for the bachelor’s degree if it offers the master’s degree and for the master’s if it offers the doctoral degree for each discipline listed. In addition, the school and program must have a strong academic reputation.
• In the case of graduate programs, it is preferred that institutions have on the of following ranks: Research I, Research II, Doctorate Granting Colleges and Universities I & II (Classification of Institutions of Higher Education by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching).
• “The Research-Doctorate Program in the United States” published by the National Research Council was also consulted in determining appropriate graduate programs.
• The Cultural Division’s experience and history with the school was also considered.
• The following factors were also evaluated:
  • Academic Reputation of the institution.
  • Reputation/quality of the faculty.
  • Adequate facilities of the institution (classroom, libraries, laboratories, computer support).
• The Cultural Division recognizes all programs approved by Kuwait University for its scholarships particularly in the natural and social sciences and the liberal arts.
• The list also utilizes the U.S. News & World Report’s annual Ranking of Programs, concentrating on Programs in the nationally ranked Top 3 Tiers.