Saudi Universities — admissions guide
A practical, bilingual guide to the kingdom's leading universities. Compare acceptance percentiles, browse the most-offered majors, and track application windows for the next intake.
Where to start
Saudi Arabia's public universities admit through a unified percentile that combines your high-school average, the Qiyas General Aptitude Test (تحصيلي), and the Qiyas Achievement Test (قدرات). Private universities use their own admissions process. Each section below is built from publicly published data — use it for planning, then confirm specifics on each university's portal.
Acceptance rates
Indicative cut-off percentiles for the most competitive faculties — sorted highest to lowest.
Browse acceptance ratesMajors
Browse the majors offered across Saudi universities — see which schools teach each program.
Browse majorsApplication deadlines
Live countdowns to each university's application window for the upcoming bachelor's intake.
See deadlinesAdmission requirements
What you need to apply — exams, documents, eligibility — and how the unified percentile is calculated.
Read requirementsUniversities covered
Public and private universities included in this guide.
Public universities
22 universities- PublicRiyadh
King Saud University
Saudi Arabia's flagship public research university in Riyadh, with the country's broadest spread of undergraduate programs.
Founded 1957
Official website - PublicJeddah
King Abdulaziz University (KAU)
Saudi Arabia's largest public university by enrolment, based in Jeddah, with strong programs across business, engineering and the humanities.
Founded 1967
Official website - PublicRiyadh
Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU)
Riyadh-based public university with deep strengths in Sharia, Arabic, and law alongside modern programs in computer science and economics.
Founded 1974
Official website - PublicDhahran
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM)
Specialist STEM university in Dhahran — Saudi Arabia's top-ranked public school for engineering, computer science and applied sciences.
Founded 1963
Official website - PublicThuwal
King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)
Graduate-only research university on the Red Sea coast — admits master's and PhD candidates with full scholarships, taught entirely in English.
Founded 2009
Official website - PublicRiyadh
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU)
The world's largest women's university, located in Riyadh, with comprehensive programs from medicine to design.
Founded 1970
Official website - PublicMakkah
Umm Al-Qura University
Public university in Makkah, with traditional strength in Islamic and Arabic studies and modern programs in medicine, engineering and computing.
Founded 1949
Official website - PublicAbha
King Khalid University
Large public university serving the Asir region from Abha, with strong medical, engineering and education programs.
Founded 1998
Official website - PublicMadinah
Taibah University
Public university in Madinah covering medicine, engineering, computer science and education across multiple branches in the western region.
Founded 2003
Official website - PublicAl-Ahsa
King Faisal University (KFU)
Public university in Al-Ahsa serving the Eastern Province, with well-regarded programs in medicine, agriculture, engineering, and architecture.
Founded 1975
Official website - PublicBuraydah
Qassim University (QU)
Major public university in Buraydah serving the Qassim region, with competitive medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry programs.
Founded 2004
Official website - PublicTabuk
University of Tabuk (UT)
Public university in northwestern Saudi Arabia serving the Tabuk region, with programs spanning medicine, engineering, and law.
Founded 2006
Official website - PublicHail
University of Hail (UOH)
Public university serving the Hail region in north-central Saudi Arabia, offering medicine, engineering, and computing programs.
Founded 2005
Official website - PublicArar
Northern Border University (NBU)
Public university in Arar serving the Northern Border Region — offers education, sciences, business, engineering, and nursing programs.
Founded 2007
Official website - PublicSakaka
Jouf University (JU)
Public university in Al-Jouf region offering medicine, engineering, sciences, and education programs in a developing northern community.
Founded 2005
Official website - PublicMajmaah
Majmaah University (MU)
Public university in Majmaah in Riyadh Province, offering medicine, engineering, and computing programs to the Sudair and Washm sub-regions.
Founded 2009
Official website - PublicAl-Baha
Al-Baha University
Public university in the scenic Al-Baha highlands, offering sciences, engineering, business, and arts programs to the southwestern region.
Founded 2006
Official website - PublicNajran
Najran University (NU)
Public university in Najran near the Yemeni border, offering medicine, engineering, sciences, and business programs.
Founded 2006
Official website - PublicJazan
Jazan University (JZU)
Public university in Jazan on the Red Sea coast, known for its pharmacy, dentistry, and medicine programs in the southwestern region.
Founded 2006
Official website - PublicShaqra
Shaqra University (SU)
Public university in the Riyadh Province town of Shaqra, offering sciences, business, computer, and engineering programs across multiple branches.
Founded 2009
Official website - PublicRiyadh
Saudi Electronic University (SEU)
Public distance-learning university with branches nationwide, offering blended and fully online degrees in business, computing, and health sciences.
Founded 2011
Official website - PublicRas Al-Khair
King Salman International University (KSIU)
New public university established in 2020 with campuses in Ras Al-Khair and Al-Tur, offering medicine, engineering, and marine sciences.
Founded 2020
Official website
Private universities
8 universities- PrivateRiyadh
Alfaisal University
English-medium private research university in Riyadh, known for its medicine and engineering programs and links to King Faisal Specialist Hospital.
Founded 2002
Official website - PrivateRiyadh
Prince Sultan University (PSU)
Riyadh's first private non-profit university, English-medium, with respected programs in business, computer science, and law.
Founded 1999
Official website - PrivateRiyadh
Dar Al-Uloom University
Private university in Riyadh offering programs in law, business, computer science, and mass communication — one of the earliest private universities in KSA.
Founded 1994
Official website - PrivateJeddah
University of Business & Technology (UBT)
Private university in Jeddah with an applied focus on business, engineering, architecture, and information technology — English-medium programs.
Founded 2000
Official website - PrivateJeddah
Effat University
Private women's university in Jeddah offering engineering, sciences, business, architecture, and design — English-medium with strong industry links.
Founded 1999
Official website - PrivateJeddah
Dar Al-Hekma University
Private women's university in Jeddah known for business, communication, and design — English-medium with an arts and liberal-studies focus.
Founded 1999
Official website - PrivateRiyadh
Prince Mohammad Bin Salman College of Business & Entrepreneurship (MBSC)
Private business and entrepreneurship college in NEOM and Riyadh, offering MBA-level and undergraduate programs with a focus on Vision 2030 aligned industries.
Founded 2017
Official website - PrivateTabuk
Fahad Bin Sultan University (FBSU)
Private university in Tabuk offering business, computer science, and engineering programs — the only private university in the Tabuk region.
Founded 2010
Official website