Admission Requirements for Higher Education in Saudi Arabia
The admission requirements vary depending on the level of study and course of study. Read on to know about the admission requisites for higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia:
General Admission Requirement
For Undergraduate Studies: Students must have completed their general secondary education in order to gain entry to an undergraduate program, i.e. they must possess a secondary school diploma.
For Master’s degree: Students must have completed undergraduate studies.
For Doctoral studies: Students must hold a master’s degree in order to be eligible for doctoral studies.
Specific Admission Requirements
Students must hold a secondary schools diploma in order to gain admittance into the higher education institution in Saudi Arabia.
Minimum GPA requirement:
- For bachelor programmes: 2.00 out of 4.00
- For master’s programmes, a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.00 is required.
- For doctoral studies, master’s degree with GPA of 3.00 is required.
For Technical and Vocational Colleges: Students must have a general secondary education certificate in science stream, the secondary commercial schools diploma or the secondary vocational schools diploma.
Entrance Examination
Some of the universities consider entrance exam scores for admissions.
University Admission Tests: Universities in Saudi Arabia consider the scores of the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Standardized Achievement Aptitude Test (SAAT) for admissions. These university admission tests are organized by the National Center for Assessment in Higher Education (QIYAS).
Language Tests
International are required to demonstrate their English or Arabic language level of proficiency. Scores of following language tests are accepted:
Application Procedure
Students must apply directly to the higher education institution of their choice. You must fill out an application form and submit it along with the required documents to the respective institution.
Documentation
- Secondary school diploma or certificate: Original and photo copies
- Academic records: Undergraduate documents (for post-graduate studies)
- A good conduct certificate
- Identification cards: 2-3 photocopies
- 4 photos for male students
- Letter of recommendation: At least two academic recommendation letters, from professor who have taught you before
- Approval of the custodian for female students
- A valid copy of passport
- A birth certificate
- For Post-graduate Studies: Candidates who are non-Saudi must have an official grant for post-graduate studies in Saudi Arabia
** All the documents of the candidates who are non-Saudi must be authorized by the Saudi officials or Saudi Arabia embassy in the candidate’s place of residence.
The requirements vary from institution to institution. So contact the institution to know in detail about the admission process.
Acceptance letter: Students who are accepted will receive an acceptance letter from the concerned institution. Provisionally accepted students will also received a letter, but they are required to pass a preparatory programme. The content and pattern of the preparatory programme varies depending on the requirements.