Saudi Arabia's route for international degree students runs mainly through scholarships. The Ministry of Education states that to obtain a study visa from a Saudi embassy an applicant must have a scholarship from a Saudi university, and that scholarships are free of charge and without tuition fees. The ministry distinguishes internal scholarships for non-Saudis already living legally in the Kingdom from external scholarships for non-Saudis applying from abroad.
Scholarship holders receive health care for themselves and, where regulations allow, family members, a financial reward on arrival, the benefits enjoyed by other students at their institution, and annual travel tickets. Applicants must be at least 17 and no older than 25 for undergraduate study, 30 for a master's and 35 for a doctorate, must present a certificate showing no criminal record and pass a medical examination, and may apply for any available specialisation except health and medical fields. Applications are made through the Ministry of Education's Study in Saudi platform; for the second semester of the 2026 academic calendar, the application period for international and resident students runs from 16 September to 6 October 2026.
King Saud University in Riyadh gives a concrete picture of the benefits: its external scholarship students receive a monthly stipend of SAR 1,000 in science fields and SAR 850 in humanities, or SAR 900 at postgraduate level, an arrival allowance of two months' stipend, university housing and comprehensive health care, and applicants from abroad need an SAT score of at least 1010.
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), a graduate research university on the Red Sea near Thuwal, runs its own admissions. Admitted students receive the KAUST Fellowship, covering tuition worth up to USD 35,000 a year, a stipend of USD 20,000 a year for master's students and USD 25,000 to 30,000 for PhD students, housing, health insurance and relocation. KAUST charges no application fee; its Fall 2027 deadline is 3 January 2027.
The study visa itself is requested by the Saudi educational institution through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with an approval letter from the Ministry of Education, and the service takes three business days. After arriving, scholarship holders can obtain a free residence permit for the length of their studies with a letter from the university's passports department.