Saudi Arabia student visa and university scholarships

Applicants must meet the same admission requirements as Saudi students and fall within the age limits: 17 to 25 for bachelor's and Arabic-language institute programmes, up to 30 for a master's and up to 35 for a doctorate. Your home government must approve the study where its rules require that, you must not hold another Saudi scholarship or have been dismissed from a Saudi institution, and you must pass the medical examination. Health and medical fields are excluded from the scholarship scheme.

The Ministry lists attested academic certificates, a criminal-record certificate from your home country's security authorities, medical examination results, a recommendation if the university requires one, documents for an accompanying mahram where applicable, and your government's approval if needed.

Scholarships are full, partial (for example a seat only, or a seat with housing) or paid. Full scholarship students study tuition-free and receive housing, healthcare (also for family members where regulations allow), an arrival allowance, annual travel tickets under the rules and a free residence permit.

Check each university's application dates for the academic year, review its requirements and apply through the university or the Ministry's government-university scholarship portal. Applications are also submitted through the Saudi Cultural Attaché in your country or, if none exists, the Saudi Embassy. After admission, the study visa is issued by a Saudi embassy and completed on KSA Visa under the education visa.

The university's passport department issues a letter with which you obtain your residence permit, free of charge for scholarship students, valid for the length of your studies.