A guide to the Saudi Arabia education system and how your credentials compare to US standards for immigration, university admissions, and employment.
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Apply Now →Saudi Arabia operates a 12-year system of general education overseen by the Ministry of Education. Arabic is the official language of instruction. The academic year runs from September to June. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in education reform through its Vision 2030 initiative, expanding university capacity and internationalizing curricula. The country has a large expatriate population, and private international schools following British, American, and Indian curricula are common.
Compulsory and free. Covers Arabic, Islamic Studies, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and English (from Grade 4). No national examination at this stage.
Students study a broad curriculum. Culminates in the Intermediate School Certificate after school-based examinations.
Students choose Science or Humanities tracks. Culminates in the General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi / Shahadat al-Thanawiyya al-Amma), awarded after national examinations. University admission is through the National Centre for Assessment (Qiyas) using the SAT-equivalent Aptitude Test and Achievement Tests.
King Saud University, King Abdulaziz University, and KAUST are major institutions. Bachelor's degrees take 4 years. Master's degrees are 2 years. Saudi Arabia has sponsored tens of thousands of students abroad through the King Abdullah Scholarship Program.
| Grade Scale | Description | US Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent (Mumtaz) | A |
| 80–89 | Very Good (Jayyid Jiddan) | B |
| 70–79 | Good (Jayyid) | C |
| 60–69 | Pass (Maqbool) | D |
| 0–59 | Fail (Rasib) | F |
A formal credential evaluation is required for US university admissions, employment-based immigration petitions (H-1B, EB-1A, EB2-NIW, O-1, L-1), and professional licensing.
All Saudi Arabia academic documents must be accompanied by certified English translations. Evaluation World offers Arabic-to-English translation services combined with your evaluation order.