Saudi Arabia
Be part of Saudi Arabia’s transformation and unlock your global potential through world-class education and career-ready skills.
- Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ at a university consistently ranked among the world’s top 40 (QS).
- Integrated 4-year degrees, with foundation year included for many science and engineering programmes.
- A welcoming university that has been supporting Saudi Arabian students for 75+ years.
Welcome
Admissions alerts and notices
We recognise that conflict and war in some regions may affect schooling, examinations, or access to official documentation. Please be assured that the University is actively monitoring these situations and working closely with awarding organisations to support applicants who may be impacted. Further details can be found by following the link below.
A welcoming community for students from Saudi Arabia
The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ has increasingly been the preferred destination for many Saudi Arabian students, and we have excellent relations with a variety of leading Saudi Arabian sponsors across the public, private and higher education sectors.
Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ has a long history of welcoming students from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The first Saudi Arabian student graduated from Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ in 1949; since then, alumni from the Kingdom have had considerable impact and influence in the nation.
They have worked across a range of sectors and organisations, including Al Rajhi Capital, Capital Market Authority, the Ministry of Health, SABIC, Saudi Arabian National Guard, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Food & Drug Authority, and Saudi Telecom Company, among others.
We enjoy strong links with the Ministry of Education and offer students from the Kingdom an outstanding education and experience in a world-class environment and welcoming community.
Academic excellence
The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ is ranked among the world’s best academic institutions. According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, we are the 35th best university in the world, and 7th in the UK.
Students from the Kingdom regularly express interest in our , as well bachelor's, master's and research degrees in a wide range of subjects spanning engineering, humanities, health and medicine, science and the social sciences.
You can view our rankings for individual subjects on the .
Life at Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ
The Kingdom’s students make and enjoy a 'home-from-home' where that which is different excites and interests, and that which is familiar comforts and supports.
We understand the needs of our Muslim staff and students, as well as those of other faiths and beliefs. Our food outlets sell halal food, and prayer rooms are widely available on campus. In addition, mosques are located close to the University and within the city itself, together with Islamic stores offering adhaan clocks, hijabs, jilbabs, Islamic books, and much more.
The University has nearly 500 clubs and societies, including the Saudi Students’ Club, the Saudi Scientific Society, the Arab Society, the Islamic Society, the Madinah Society, and many more. Students from the Kingdom play and enjoy an active role in the University and the wider community.
World rankings
Using different methodologies, international rankings typically compare universities from across the globe for their research performance and academic reputation.
| League table | World | Europe | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 16 | 8 | |
| 9 | |||
| 46 | 13 | 6 | |
| 56 | 8 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 9 | 6 | 4 |
Entry requirements
General requirements
Undergraduate courses
If you are studying A-levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB) then you can apply for ‘direct entry’ to the first year of a bachelor’s degree. Please note that only A-levels or IB will be considered for admission to Medicine or Dentistry.
Due to differences in the UK and Saudi education systems, students with the Thanaweyyah A’ama/Tawjihi/General Secondary Education Certificate will be required to follow an approved international foundation course.
Students who have an overall average of 93% or above in the l-Thanawaya Al-Aama or Tawjihi (including 93% in Maths and Physics) would be considered for many of the University's though the requirements for those foundation programmes in Computer Science, Maths and Physics is higher (95% overall including 95% in final year Maths and Physics).
Applications for the University’s Biosciences with a foundation year programme would be considered following completion of the Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama/Tawjihi/Genwral Secondary Education Certificate will need to have attain at least 91% overall with 91% in science subjects.
Students who have achieved an overall Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama, secondary school certificate grade of 85% or higher would be considered for the foundation programmes (Engineering and Science, Humanities and Social Sciences (including Management and Law), Biosciences, Pharmacy and Psychology) run in partnership with the University by INTO Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ. Subject-specific requirements may apply.
If you are completing three GCE A-level subjects, or the International Baccalaureate, you will be considered for direct entry to Year 1 provided that your predicted grades meet the minimum requirements stated on the individual webpages.
If you are currently doing a US Diploma at school we would generally consider you for the international foundation course, and the minimum requirement will be a GPA of 3.0/4.0. SAT I and SAT II tests are not required but will be considered a bonus (provided you have the minimum GPA). Under certain circumstances, three Advanced Placements (AP) subjects with high grades on top of SAT I/II may be considered for direct entry into Year 1.
Postgraduate/research courses
For master’s programmes, we consider a first degree from a recognised Saudi university with a high percentage or GPA.
Master’s degrees from recognised universities in Saudi Arabia (classified as Merit or above, or equivalent) are generally considered for PhD entry at The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ.
When assessing your academic record, we may consider not only your overall grade average, but also your performance relative to peers (such as class rank or percentile), the academic rigour of your programme and the reputation and standards of the institution at which the qualification was completed. Applications are particularly welcomed from candidates evidencing academic excellence demonstrated within a demanding educational context who also demonstrate future potential.
English language requirements
All applicants to the University (from the UK and overseas) are required to show evidence of English language proficiency.
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student from outside the UK and the EU must show evidence of a minimum level of English language in order to be granted a UK visa (Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level. This level is often referred to as the ‘B2 level’.
Additionally, individual Schools may ask for specific English language proficiency levels that are necessary for their academic programmes. In most cases, these requirements are likely to be higher than the B2 level. Further information about our English language policy, including a list of some of the English language qualifications we accept, can be found on our English language requirements page.
Some Schools ask that the appropriate score has been met before you apply for a course, while others give conditional offers subject to applicants achieving our general entry requirement level of English language proficiency before starting the course.
Pre-sessional English language courses
Our offers pre-sessional English language courses that can last up to 10 weeks prior to the start of the academic course. They are only available for students who nearly meet our English language requirements but have fallen short by a small amount (for example, half a score in IELTS). They are also subject to approval by the academic School to which you apply (some programmes do not accept pre-sessional English language and require applicants to achieve the required IELTS/TOEFL grades). Please, therefore, enquire from the School as to whether you would be eligible for a pre-sessional course. Read more about .
If you require a longer English language course, you can apply for one of our courses. Although students cannot generally progress automatically from these language courses to the academic degree, they provide excellent preparation for IELTS. In many cases, the PhD applicant can obtain a conditional offer for a PhD (based on achieving a certain IELTS score) and then enrol in one of the English for University Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ courses with a view to taking IELTS at the end of the language course.
Applying for a PhD
Application and decision process
To maximise your chances of a successful PhD application, you need to first meet the minimum academic requirements and these are mainly related to your bachelor’s and master’s degrees (both need to be from a recognised university with a sufficiently high GPA). You'll also require an English language qualification that we accept.
The second part is related to your chosen research. In the majority of cases, you'll need to identify a research idea on which you should be able to write a detailed research proposal. While in some countries a PhD candidate can start writing their research proposal after they enrol, in the UK generally you have to finalise your proposal (and get it approved by a supervisor) before enrolling on the course.
Find some general advice on writing research proposals.
It is important to match your research proposal and interests to those of an academic member of staff who would be your potential supervisor. Therefore, you might want to read about the research interests of our academics (in the School or Faculty that you're interested in) as you prepare to write your proposal. You can usually find their research profiles, biographies and a list of projects and publications in the Research section within our individual School webpages.
Once ready, you'll need to submit an online application where you upload all the relevant academic documents as well as the research proposal itself. You may also mention as part of your application if there are any specific academic members of staff to whom you feel your proposed work is relevant.
Sponsored students applying to Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ
A large number of our PhD students from Saudi Arabia are sponsored by key government institutions, universities and corporations in Saudi. Often, the sponsor requires a very specific title, topic or area of research for the PhD project. In some cases, they require the supervisor to be from a specific background or discipline.
To avoid disappointment, it's strongly suggested that prospective PhD applicants keep their sponsors informed about the following information during their discussions with The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ School, Faculty or potential supervisor:
- The precise title of the subject area of the PhD programme.
- PhD project topic and proposed thesis title.
- The background of the potential supervisor and which School/Faculty they're based in.
By ensuring the sponsor’s approval of such details in the early stages of discussions between you and the University, late rejections by the sponsors (based on, for example, a mismatch with their desired project title) could be avoided.
Visa information
All Saudi Arabian nationals who wish to study in the UK will need to apply for a study visa before they are eligible to enter the UK and begin their programme of study.
More detailed information about applying for a visa can be found on the .
Biometric Residence Permit
As part of the student visa application process, you'll need to schedule an in-person appointment at a Visa Application Centre in order to have your fingerprints and a digital photo of your face taken.
Numerous visa application centres are located throughout Saudi Arabia. Details about these (locations and opening times) can be accessed at .
Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ Abroad
If you are currently enrolled as a degree-seeking student at any accredited university or college of higher education outside of the UK, you can apply to spend a semester or full year here at The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ.
We offer year/semester abroad programmes as well as participating in a number of exchange partnerships with key European and worldwide universities. Most students joining us for study abroad do so in their third year (of a four-year degree) although we do also accept applications from second and final-year students.
Minimum entry requirements for study abroad students are a cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0.
Finance
Scholarships
Ministry of Education Scholarships
We are currently listed under both the 'Imdad' and 'R&D' tracks of the Ministry’s scholarship programme. 
It's within the gift of the Ministry to amend scholarship lists at their discretion. For more details, see the .
Global Futures Scholarship 2026
The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ is pleased to offer more than 300 awards to outstanding international students starting their studies in September 2026.
The total value of scholarships offered will be more than £6 million and are open to students applying for undergraduate and master’s degrees.
Undergraduate awards
We're proud to offer more than 100 merit-based undergraduate scholarships of up to £30,000 (£10,000 per year over three years) to international students from a selection of countries across the globe.
Our prestigious Global Futures Scholarships for the Middle East are open to overseas fee-paying applicants of any nationality who are ordinarily domiciled in Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates.
Please note: the application form will only be available once you've applied for an eligible course and received an offer.
Each award comprises £10,000 for the first year of study with a further £10,000 in the second and third years. Continuation of the award is conditional on attainment of 60% in final exams and assessments each year. Scholarships will be awarded as a discount on published international tuition fees.
You must be taking one of the following qualifications:
- A-level
- French Baccalaureate
- IB Diploma
- Indian XII Standard
Scholarships will be awarded based on academic excellence, predicted and achieved grades, and your online application form, which will be emailed to all eligible offer-holders.
Awardees will be selected based on academic merit, but we'll try to achieve a balance in the allocation of the awards by gender, domicile, qualification type and course of study.
- Applications will be considered from international fee-paying students domiciled in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
- To be considered as 'domiciled' in these countries, you must've predominantly lived there during the last three years
- We consider your permanent country of residence to be the country in which you're ordinarily resident, not a country where you're only living for full-time education.
You must be applying for direct first-year entry in 2026 and have, or be working towards, one of the following qualifications:
- A-levels
- French Baccalaureate
- IB Diploma
- Indian Standard XII (CBSE, CISCE, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat)
Scholarship applications will be assessed on any previous exams, predicted grades in the above-listed qualifications and the strength of the personal statement.
- You must be self-funded (not sponsored).
- You must have selected The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ as your 'Firm' UCAS choice by 21 May 2026.
- The award only applies to full-time courses delivered at The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ’s UK campus.
The application form will be emailed automatically to all eligible applicants shortly after an academic offer is made. Forms will be emailed from December 2025 until the closing date.
Not eligible
- Applicants for Medicine (MBChB), Dentistry (BDS), Architecture, or any courses with an integrated foundation year.
- Applicants who've previously studied in the UK.
- Applicants for blended and distance learning programmes.
The above is provided as a summary but please ensure that you download and read our .
The application deadline is 21 May 2026, you'll also need to have selected The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ as your 'Firm' UCAS choice by this date to be considered.
- You can apply before the 21 May 2026 deadline.
- Late applications won't be considered.
- Successful applicants will be notified by 23 June 2026.
Where exam results aren't available by the deadlines, awards offers will be conditional on academic performance as outlined in the full terms and conditions.
Master's awards
We're proud to offer more than 200 merit-based master’s scholarships to prospective international students from a range of countries across the globe.
The value of The Global Futures Scholarships for overseas fee-paying students of any nationality from eligible Middle East countries is £10,000.
The awards are open to eligible applicants domiciled in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
These scholarships of £10,000 will be awarded based on academic excellence and the quality of your online application form.
Scholarships will be awarded as a discount on published overseas tuition fees.
- Applications will be considered from international fee-paying students domiciled in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
- To be considered as 'domiciled' in these countries, you must have predominantly lived there during the last three years.
- We consider your permanent country of residence to be the country you're ordinarily resident, not a country where you're only living for full-time education.
- You must hold an offer to study a full-time, on-campus master’s course at The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ starting in September 2026 by 4 June 2026 and submit an online scholarship application form by the same deadline. The form will be emailed to all eligible offer-holders.
- You'll be considered based on academic merit and the quality of your application, but we'll try to achieve a balance by gender, domicile and course in the allocation of the awards.
- You must be self-funded (not sponsored).
Not eligible
- Applicants for MBA, MPhil, Master of Architecture (MArch), Architecture and Urbanism (MA), Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA), Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE),
- Clinical Medicine and Dentistry degrees.
- Some ‘Master’s by Research’ courses are also ineligible (see terms and conditions below).
- Applicants for blended and distance learning programmes.
The above is provided as a summary so make sure that you download and read our full (Word, 291KB).
You must hold a conditional or unconditional offer to study a full-time master’s course at The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ and submit an online scholarship application form by 4 June 2026.
All successful applicants will be notified by 10 July 2026.
The application form will be directly sent to all eligible offer-holders.
Other opportunities
- A number of other faculty, school and programme-specific scholarships are available to students.
- For PhDs, the University offers a number of competitive bursaries via individual Schools and research groups for well-qualified candidates. Check with your prospective academic School for details and the University’s postgraduate research .
Careers and alumni
Sami Meshal Ibn Shamsah
PhD Mechanical Engineering.
Embracing Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ’s diversity.
Global Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ
Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ welcomes students from all over the world, creating a vibrant, inclusive community you can quickly feel part of.
With a rich cultural mix, global food scene and friendly atmosphere, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to connect with others, celebrate your own culture and experience new ones.
Through our strong international partnerships with universities, organisations and global networks, you’ll also benefit from opportunities such as study abroad, collaborative research and global career connections.
Together, this makes Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ an exciting and supportive place to call home during your studies.
Meet us
Virtual Open Days
If there are no current opportunities to meet us, you can still discover what it’s like to study at Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ.
By joining one of our virtual open days, you can explore the campus, accommodation and the city, join live sessions and Q&As with staff and current students - and get a real feel for student life and support available to you from application to graduation. It’s your chance to connect and ask questions.
- Undergraduate virtual open days
- Postgraduate taught information sessions
- Postgraduate research virtual open days
Campus tours
Thinking of visiting campus? Learn more about our international student campus tours.
Contacts
The International Team is here to help.
Please complete the form below to contact us with any questions you may have.
We also welcome enquiries from schools and invitations to any planned events.
British Council
Website:
Educational advisers (agents)
Our official agent in Saudi Arabia, UKUni, will be able to provide you with advice on applying to The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ.
Their contact details in Al Khobar, Jeddah and Riyadh are:
Riyadh Office | Tel +966 11 275-4606 | |
Office 7, 3144 King Abdullah Br Road, Riyadh 6181-12481, RHRA3144
Jeddah Office | Tel +966 12 602-2214| Location [maps.app.goo.gl] |
Office 11, First Floor, 7807 Prince Sultan Street, As Salamah district Jeddah 23437-2117
Al Khobar Office | Tel +966 13 837-2228 | | Office 701, Seventh Floor, 6125 Prince Turkey Street, Al-Yarmouk, Al Khobar 34412-3155
Their website is:
Working with an educational adviser or agent
If you are planning to seek the support of an educational adviser or ‘agent’, we would strongly recommend that you first refer to British Councils' .
The University of Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ’s contracted educational advisers are trusted, trained representatives of the institution. If you are dissatisfied with your experience, please email international@manchester.ac.uk.
Contact a student
If you would like to speak to a current student from your home country to hear about student life at Ô°ÇøÒùÂÒ, please contact the International Office via email international@manchester.ac.uk – please include your name and subject of interest.