Scholarships at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offers scholarships to non-Saudi students to pursue higher education at Saudi universities. These scholarships aim to convey the message of Islam, promote the learning of the Arabic language, disseminate knowledge, and strengthen cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and countries around the world in service of humanity.

The Scholarships Department at the Deanship of Admission and Registration at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University oversees the implementation of scholarship programs at the University. It also regulates admission procedures in accordance with the regulations approved by the Ministry of Education, as stipulated in the Council of Ministers Resolution No. (94) dated 29/3/1431 AH, which governs the admission of non-Saudi scholarship students to higher education institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Academic Scholarship:

An academic scholarship is awarded to eligible non-Saudi female students to pursue their studies at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

Types of Academic Scholarships:

·         External scholarships for non-Saudi female students residing outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

·         Internal scholarships for non-Saudi female students residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a valid residence permit (Iqama).

External Scholarships:

Admission Requirements for External Scholarships:

External scholarship students are subject to the same admission requirements and academic regulations applicable to Saudi students at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University and other higher education institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in addition to the following requirements:

1.      Applicants must be between 17 and 25 years of age for undergraduate programs and diploma programs at the Arabic Language Teaching Institute for Non-Arabic Speakers.

2.      Applicants must hold a high school diploma or its equivalent.

3.      Applicants must not have obtained a scholarship previously from a Saudi educational institution.

4.      Applicants must not have any prior academic record at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

5.      The applicant must have obtained her high school certificate within the past five years.

6.      Applicants must be medically fit and pass the required medical examination.

7.      Applicants must not have been dismissed from any educational institution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

8.      Applicants must meet any additional conditions determined by the University Council and announced at the time of application.

9.      Applicants from countries that require governmental approval for Saudi students studying abroad must submit official approval from their home government to study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

10.  The high school diploma must be authenticated by the Saudi Cultural Mission in the issuing country.

11.  Applicants must submit a certificate of good conduct (criminal record clearance) issued by the relevant authorities in their home country.

12.  The admission of female students from Arab countries in all available bachelor's programs, except for health specialties, is as follows:

·         Admission of the student to the programs (College of Engineering, College of Computer and Information Sciences, College of Science, College of Business Administration) is contingent upon meeting the following:

*Or any other equivalent international tests. 

·         For a student to enroll in programs of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the high school GPA must not be less than 95 out of 100. 

13. Admission of students from non-Arab countries is as follows: 

·         It is required for a student to enroll in the offered bachelor's programs to pass the B2 level in the Arabic Language Competency Test for Non-Native Speakers (Hamza Academic Test) while meeting the requirements of the program she applied for. 

·         Students who completed their high school in one of the countries where English is the official language may be admitted to programs offered in English before joining the university, provided that they meet conditions (1, 2, and 3) mentioned in paragraph (12). 

14. If the student does not meet the conditions stated in paragraph (13), she will be admitted to the Diploma Program in Arabic for Non-Native Speakers, and her admission to the Diploma Program in Arabic for Non-Native Speakers does not entail any obligation on the university to promote her to the bachelor's level.

Required Documents for External Scholarships:

1.      High school certificate or its equivalent, accompanied by an academic transcript, authenticated by the Saudi Cultural Mission in the country of issuance, along with an official Arabic translation.

2.      A certificate of good conduct; if unavailable, at least two letters of recommendation from recognized authorities in the applicant's home country.

3.      A valid passport for the applicant.

4.      An official government approval letter permitting the applicant to study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

5.      A recently issued criminal record clearance certificate obtained from the nearest security authority to the applicant's place of residence.

6.      A medical report confirming that the applicant is medically fit, issued no more than three months prior to the application submission date.

Original copies of the above-mentioned documents must be submitted upon receipt of final approval.

Benefits Offered to External Scholarship Students:

In accordance with the Regulations Governing the Admission and Welfare of Non-Saudi Students in Higher Education Institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, issued by Council of Ministers Resolution No. (94) dated 29/3/1431 AH, and without prejudice to any financial benefits stipulated in the Universities' Financial Regulations, external scholarship students are entitled to the following benefits:

·         Healthcare coverage throughout the duration of study.

·         A two-month preparation allowance upon arrival in the Kingdom.

·         A three-month graduation allowance for book shipping.

·         Access to discounted meals.

·         Provision of accommodation and appropriate academic, social, cultural, and training support.

·         Reimbursement of the cost of the travel ticket used to enter the Kingdom at the start of the scholarship, not exceeding the cost granted to students from the same country.

·         A monthly stipend equivalent to that granted to Saudi students.

·         An annual allowance equivalent to one month's stipend for the purchase of books and study-related references, limited to the regular study duration without extensions.

·         An excellence award of SAR 1,000 per academic year for students achieving an “Excellent" grade, distributed as SAR 500 per semester.

·         An annual travel ticket to the student's place of residence at the end of each academic year, usable at any time, provided that no other travel ticket has been issued to her and that it has not been provided by another entity.

Procedures for External Scholarship Applications at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University:

·         Applications must be submitted electronically through the 'Study in Saudi' Platform for the admission of non-Saudi applicants residing outside the Kingdom, in accordance with the application timelines announced annually on the platform. For more information, please visit the official website (Click here​). 

·         Applicants are required to upload all required documents through the platform as part of the application process, in PDF or JPEG format, and submit the application accordingly.

·         Upon successful completion of the application submission, the university—according to the directives of the Ministry of Education—will submit the final approval request for the applicant's acceptance.

General Provisions and Notices:

·         Any application that does not meet the required conditions and documentation will be excluded.

·         The applicant undertakes full responsibility for the accuracy of all information and documents submitted. Should any information be found inaccurate, the university reserves the right to exclude the application.

·         The applicant is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of all data and documents submitted in her application. If it is found otherwise, the university has the right to eliminate the application.

·         In accordance with the Regulations Governing the Admission and Welfare of Non-Saudi Students in Higher Education Institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, issued by Council of Ministers Resolution No. (94) dated 29/3/1431 AH:

Scholarship students are subject to the residency regulations applicable in the Kingdom.

·         The external scholarship student will remain registered with the university throughout the scholarship period, and the university will be responsible for her during her residence in the Kingdom.

·         External scholarship students are not permitted to transfer to another university, except in cases deemed appropriate and approved by the university.

·         The university will notify the relevant official authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of scholarship students whose requests for deferment or withdrawal have been approved, as well as those who discontinue their studies for any reason, in order to take the necessary measures.