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Study in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia offers some of the most generous government scholarships for students from abroad: tuition-free study at public universities with housing, a monthly stipend, health care and travel tickets, for bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate and Arabic-language institutes. Applications go through the Ministry of Education’s Study in Saudi platform. The Kingdom has strong universities such as King Saud University, King Abdulaziz University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, the fully funded graduate university KAUST, and the Islamic University of Madinah.

7
universities listed
10
scholarships & discounts
1
government programmes
Arabic, English
teaching languages
August
academic year starts

Government scholarships & national programmes

Scholarships funded by the state or its official bodies for international students.

Saudi Government Scholarships (Study in Saudi)

Saudi Government Scholarships (Study in Saudi)

Fully Funded2 scholarships

Through the Ministry of Education's Study in Saudi platform, Saudi Arabia offers scholarships for international students at Saudi public universities at bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. Awards typically include a tuition waiver, a monthly allowance, university housing, travel tickets and health care, with details varying by university. Applications are made online through the unified platform.

Universities (7)

Fees for international students and the highest discount or scholarship available, from each university’s official sources.

Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University

Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University

جامعة الإمام عبدالرحمن بن فيصل

Eastern Province (Dammam, Khobar, Dhahran)State university
1 scholarshipDetails
King Abdulaziz University

King Abdulaziz University

جامعة الملك عبدالعزيز

JeddahState university
1 scholarshipDetails
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

جامعة الملك عبد الله للعلوم والتقنية

ThuwalPrivate (foundation) university
2 scholarshipsDetails
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

جامعة الملك فهد للبترول والمعادن

Eastern Province (Dammam, Khobar, Dhahran)State university
1 scholarshipDetails
King Faisal University

King Faisal University

جامعة الملك فيصل

Al-AhsaState university
1 scholarshipDetails
King Saud University (KSU)

King Saud University (KSU)

جامعة الملك سعود

RiyadhState university
1 scholarshipDetails
The Islamic University

The Islamic University

الجامعة الاسلامية

MadinahState university
1 scholarshipDetails

All scholarships & discounts (10)

Filter by funding type and study level.

Study guide

The study system

• Bachelor’s: usually 4 years, often after a preparatory year; 6 years for medicine. • Master’s: about 2 years; doctorate: 3–4 years. • Arabic-language institutes for non-native speakers at several universities, with the same age limits as bachelor’s scholarships. • Language: Arabic in many fields; English in medicine, engineering, computer science and at KAUST and KFUPM. • The academic year usually starts in August or September. • Scholarship types for non-Saudis: internal (for legal residents) and external (applicants from abroad), either full or partial (seat only, or seat and housing).

How to get admitted

1) Choose a university and programme, then apply through the Study in Saudi platform or the university’s website during its admission period (it varies by university and is usually announced in the first half of the calendar year). 2) Ministry of Education age limits: 17–25 for bachelor’s and Arabic-language institutes, up to 30 for master’s and up to 35 for doctorate. 3) General conditions: the same admission requirements as Saudi applicants, no other scholarship from a Saudi institution, no previous dismissal, home-government approval where required, and mahram rules for female students. 4) Some universities require tests: for example, King Saud University requires an SAT score of at least 1010 (1200 for medicine). 5) Documents: attested certificates, police clearance, medical examination and a recommendation if requested. You can also contact the Saudi cultural attaché or embassy in your country.

Fees and living costs

Full external scholars at public universities pay no tuition and, as published by the universities (King Saud, King Abdulaziz and the Islamic University of Madinah), receive: • A monthly stipend throughout their studies, equal to the Saudi student reward. The officially published amounts in Northern Borders University’s rewards guide (2024): SAR 1,000 for science bachelor’s, SAR 850 for humanities, and SAR 900 for master’s and doctorate. • An arrival allowance equal to two months’ stipend, and a graduation allowance for shipping books equal to three months’ stipend. • An annual book allowance of one month’s stipend (Northern Borders guide) and an excellence reward of SAR 1,000 for bachelor’s students with a 4.50+ average in both semesters (University of Jeddah). • University housing, subsidised meals and health care for the student (and accompanying family at some universities). • A ticket on arrival, a return ticket at the end of each academic year per regulations, and a free residence permit. Internal (partial) scholarships for residents usually cover only the tuition exemption, without stipend or housing. Private universities (Alfaisal, Prince Sultan, Effat, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd…) charge fees — for example Alfaisal SAR 94,000 a year for bachelor’s. KAUST offers full scholarships for master’s and PhD students.

Visa, residence permit and health insurance

After the scholarship admission, the university issues an admission letter and your study visa is issued through the embassy or the approved official platforms; you then receive a free student residence permit for the study period based on a letter from the university. Keep your attested certificates, medical results and police clearance, as they are usually required when the visa is issued.

Working while studying

In 2024 the Education Visa Initiative announced that holders of long-term study visas may work part-time and bring their families “according to regulations”, but detailed hours and conditions have not been published in an official source, so check with your university before taking any job. Scholarship students are also bound by their university’s scholarship rules.

Information last verified: October 13, 2026Official source

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Key questions and answers regarding eligibility, documents, and application steps for 2026 / 2027.

Full external scholarships at public universities include free tuition, housing, health care, a monthly stipend, annual tickets and a free residence permit. Some scholarships are partial (seat only, or seat and housing), so check the type in the university’s announcement.

According to the Ministry of Education: 17–25 for bachelor’s and Arabic-language institutes, up to 30 for master’s and up to 35 for doctorate.