Academic Acceleration

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Academic Acceleration

Academic Acceleration is a key benefit of the Talented Students Recruitment Program. It enables high-achieving students to accelerate their studies in line with their abilities and academic achievements, allowing them to complete their university education in a shorter period.

Pathway 1

Meet the Foundation Year requirements through academic acceleration and proceed directly to the preferred academic program.

Pathway 2

Accelerate selected major-specific courses offered by the colleges.

Pathway 3

Accelerate selected University General Requirements courses.

1. Academic Acceleration for Passing the Foundation Year

This pathway is designed for high school students admitted to Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. It enables eligible students to proceed directly to their preferred academic programs without completing the Foundation Year, provided they successfully pass all required specialized achievement tests. Following direct placement, students complete any remaining courses that are not eligible for acceleration.

Application Requirements​

1. Be admitted to the Foundation Year for Health Colleges or the Foundation Year for the College of Engineering.
2. Have a weighted admission score of at least 89%.
   

Foundation Year Course and Test Requirements

Note: Students are exempt from taking English language courses and are awarded an A+ (Outstanding) grade for these courses upon achieving the minimum required score on any of the approved English language proficiency tests listed in the tables above.

Important Notes for the Foundation Year Pathway

• Students must successfully pass all specialized achievement tests for all courses, including English language courses. If a student fails any course, she must complete the full Foundation Year and will be subject to the approved academic placement regulations.
• Students admitted to the High-Achieving Students Program are not eligible to apply for the full or partial Academic Acceleration Program.

Foundation Year Courses, References, and Tests Guide

Courses, references, and test dates for Academic Acceleration in the Health Colleges and the College of Engineering.

Download the Guide ​

2. Partial Academic Acceleration

This pathway is designed for high school students admitted to the University. It allows students to be exempt from taking courses for which they successfully pass the designated achievement tests.

Application Requirements

1. Be admitted to one of the following colleges: College of Nursing, College of Science, College of Computer and Information Sciences, or College of Business Administration.
2. Have a weighted admission score of at least 89%.
   

 Partial Academic Acceleration Test and Course Requirements

 Note: Students are exempt from taking English language courses and are awarded an A+ grade upon achieving the required score. Students are also exempt from taking any course for which they successfully pass the designated test.​

How to Register for Academic Acceleration Tests through Qiyas​

1. Identify the courses included in the academic program to which you have been admitted.
2. Access the Qiyas Portal.
3. Select “Academic Acceleration – Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University."
4. Register for the tests corresponding to the courses in your academic program.
5. For students applying for full academic acceleration: Ensure that you register for all required courses to receive credit for completing the Foundation Year requirements.
   
   

Note: Access to the program requires creating an account on the platform and completing the required fields in the registration form if the student’s university email has not been activated.

If the university email is activated, you may log in directly as follows: 

Username: University ID number only.

Password: The same password used for the university email.

 3. Partial Academic Acceleration for University General Requirements

This pathway enables students to be exempt from taking one or more University General Requirements courses by successfully passing the designated test for each course, allowing them to progress through their degree plans at an accelerated pace.

Target Group: Students at Level 2 or above in all colleges, except programs whose students are subject to academic placement and the Applied College.

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General Regulations

1. Students may apply for one or more University General Requirements courses included in this pathway.
2. Each course has one 100-point test. A score of 60 or higher is required to pass.
3. A Pass (NP) grade is recorded on the academic transcript and is not included in the cumulative GPA.
4. If the student does not pass the test, no grade is recorded on the transcript, and she must take the course according to her degree plan.
5. Failure to pass the acceleration test does not affect eligibility for honors.
6. The test may not be retaken in the event of failure or absence, as it is offered only once at the beginning of the semester.
7. Applications are submitted online through the Banner academic system during the announced registration period.​
   

Application Procedure​

The university requirement courses offered under the Partial Academic Acceleration pathway, along with the test dates, will be announced on the Deanship of Admission and Registration page on the official university website and through the Deanship’s account on the X platform (@admission_pnu), prior to the beginning of the academic semester.

Courses Covered and Test Dates (First Semester, 1448)

• Test locations will be announced later through the Deanship's official channels.
• Course materials are available through the Blackboard learning management system for students approved to take the test.
  

How to Apply through Banner

Detailed instructions on how to submit an Academic Acceleration request through the academic system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Comprehensive answers to common questions about the University General Requirements Acceleration pathway.

For Inquiries and Academic Support​​

Admissions and Registration Department– Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University

Admission-DTA@pnu.edu.sa​