While historically known as the massive fund that sent Saudi students abroad, the Saudi government has heavily expanded its internal scholarships to bring international students into Saudi universities like King Saud University and King Abdulaziz University. This is part of their Vision 2030 strategy to diversify their academic demographics.
Quick Overview
Full Requirements & Details
Academic Requirements
- Min. CGPA
- 3.0
- Offer Degrees
- Bachelors, Masters, PhD
- Subjects
- Agriculture, Arts, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Psychology
- Seats Available
- Thousands annually
- Study Gap Allowed
- No Restrictions (Gap Allowed)
- Research Publication
- Optional
- Work Experience
- No
- Age Range
- 17 - 30
Language Requirements
- IELTS
- Optional
- TOEFL
- Optional
- GRE
- Not Required
- Local Language
- Arabic
- Local Lang Test
- No
- Study Languages
- Arabic, English
Financial Details
- Type
- Full
- Fund Details
- See Description
- Monthly Stipend
- SAR 900/mo
- Tuition
- Full
- Living Costs
- Full
- Travel & Health
- Yes / Yes
- Application Fee
- Free (No Application Fee)
- Spouse Allowed
- Yes
What Matters Most
Required Documents
Why You Should Apply
The financial benefits are robust. It covers full tuition, provides a monthly stipend (around 900 SAR, depending on the degree level), a two-month arrival allowance, free accommodation, subsidized meals, comprehensive medical care, and annual round-trip tickets to your home country. For Muslim students, the proximity to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina is often the primary draw.
Application Process
You apply through the central 'Study in Saudi' portal, operated by the Ministry of Education. You upload your documents and select your preferred universities. The universities review the pool and issue acceptance offers, which automatically trigger the government funding.
How to Win This Scholarship
The process is heavily bureaucratic and can take months. Because the stipends are standard government rates, you must focus on choosing the right university rather than negotiating funds. If you do not speak Arabic, you must be incredibly careful to apply only for programs explicitly taught in English (which are mostly in engineering and hard sciences), otherwise, you will be forced into a mandatory Arabic language institute for up to two years.
Benefits After Completing Study
It offers deep connections to the massive infrastructure and tech projects currently booming in Saudi Arabia.
Female applicants historically required a 'Mahram' (male guardian) residing in Saudi Arabia, but these rules are rapidly evolving under Vision 2030. Always check the current regulations before applying. Also, international graduates are generally not permitted to stay and work in Saudi Arabia under the student visa without securing a separate corporate sponsor.
Official Source
For complete details and to verify all requirements, please refer to the scholarship provider's official website.
Visit Official Source