Are you looking for an exciting and unique study-abroad experience for your bachelor’s degree and, at the same time, receive a quality education? Then, studying in Saudi Arabia can be the right choice for you. Student life in Saudi Arabia has been improving year by year with the increasing quality of degree studies taught in English, the number of available options for fully funded scholarships, the chance to continue postgraduate studies, and career opportunities for students once they receive their bachelor’s degree in the country.
Saudi Arabia is full of surprises and opportunities for international students, and this article focuses on tips and steps to enroll in an undergraduate program at the best universities in Saudi Arabia. Read more to learn about the admission requirements and application process for pursuing bachelor’s degrees at universities in Saudi Arabia.
Bachelor’s Degree Admission Requirements
Admission requirements for bachelor’s programs in Saudi Arabia depend on several factors, such as the type of university and program. However, below, we shared the general requirements for international undergraduate student admissions in Saudi Arabia.
ADMISSION
REQUIREMENT |
DOCUMENT DETAILS |
| High School Diploma |
One of the essential requirements for admission to a bachelor’s program is to prove your high school degree with an original copy of your diploma. If the high school diploma is not in English or Arabic, international students are often required to provide a valid translation of their diploma from a certified translator. |
| Transcript of Records |
Another general requirement is to provide a record of previous academic activities, which is the official copy of the transcript of records. This document will provide an overview of your academic background for equivalence. |
Language Proficiency Tests Needed for Undergraduate Studies
One crucial requirement for your admission to Saudi Arabian universities is to prove your proficiency in the language of instruction. Depending on the university and program, all international students whose first language is not Arabic or English must indicate their language skills with an accredited language proficiency test.
The Arabic Language Proficiency Test (ALPT) is required for international students to study Arabic-taught programs, and if the medium is not Arabic, a certain level of Arabic is necessary for everyday life in Saudi Arabia. ALPT measures your listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills, as well as structural and vocabulary knowledge.
There are also numerous English-taught programs at the undergraduate level at Saudi Arabian universities, and the main accepted English tests include TOEFL and IELTS. The average minimum score for TOEFL iBT is 79 and for IELTS, band 5.0.
Bachelor’s Degree Application Process
Preparing your application for a bachelor’s program at a Saudi Arabian university can be complicated, especially if it’s your first time applying to a university. Every university has its own system to admit students, yet below are the general steps you need to consider for your application to undergraduate programs in Saudi Arabia.
Step 1. Choose Your Program
At the very first stage, you should determine what kind of program you want to study; this way, you can check the available Saudi Arabian universities offering the same or similar program and compare their program structure, offered opportunities, and admission requirements. If you’re thinking of applying to several universities or programs, make sure you are aware of the necessary information for each one. Our advice is to check the program catalog at each university to browse your options; an example is Alfaisal University’s undergraduate department catalog.
Step 2. Prepare Your Documents
Once you decide where to apply to and the type of programs you’re interested in, it’s time to start preparing your application by acquiring the list of required documents given on the program’s web page. The document preparation stage can take longer than planned since some documents need time or several processes to obtain, such as language test scores; if you don’t have any up-to-date scores to prove your language proficiency, you need to prepare to take the test first.
General documents needed for an undergraduate application in Saudi Arabia include a high school diploma, academic transcript, language test scores, a valid passport and photo, academic qualification tests such as SAT, and so on. Here are some Saudi institutions you can check: King Abdulaziz University, King Saud University, and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.
Step 3. Pay the Application Fee
Some Saudi universities require a small application fee per applicant, and if your application is in charge of this fee, do not submit your documents without paying. Once you pay the fee, your application will be considered for evaluation.
As stated above, some universities, such as King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, do not charge international students any application fee, yet for some Saudi universities, generally private universities, there can be an amount to pay for your application. An example is Alfaisal University, which charges SAR 600 ($160) from international students.
FAQs: Bachelor’s Application Process in Saudi Arabia
Is it Expensive to Study Bachelor’s in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia can be an expensive country compared to other countries in the Middle East, yet for studying, it can be a budget-friendly option for many international students due to the number of options. Firstly, there are many public universities with low tuition fees for international students; the average tuition fee per year is SAR 9,200 ($2,450) for undergraduate programs, such as Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University. Secondly, there are full-tuition scholarship programs for undergraduate students based on their needs or merits; an example is the IsDB Islamic Development Bank Scholarship.
To sum up, once you’re determined to study in Saudi Arabia for a bachelor’s degree, you need to consider multiple procedures to actualize your plan. It’s important to know how and where to start your application, and with our specified guidance, you can start your application to study in Saudi Arabia without losing any time.
Hopefully, you find this article informative. You can also explore these Available Programs for International Students and the KSA Study Guide to maximize your study options.
