King Saud University

About

King Saud University (KSU) is Saudi Arabia's oldest and largest university, established as a leading research institution in the Middle East. It is particularly renowned for its strong programs in health sciences, engineering, and natural sciences, with a significant focus on scientific research and innovation. For international students, KSU offers a growing number of postgraduate programs and some undergraduate courses taught in English, alongside dedicated support services through its Deanship of Admission and Registration, which assists with applications, visas, and integration into university life. A distinctive characteristic is its commitment to pioneering research in areas critical to national development, such as renewable energy and biotechnology, often involving international collaborations.

Background

King Saud University (KSU, Arabic: جامعة الملك سعود, romanized: Jāmiʿa al-Malik Saʿūd) is a public university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Established in 1957 by King Saud bin Abdulalziz to address the country's skilled worker shortage, it is the first university in Saudi Arabia. It was known as Riyadh University from 1964 until it was reverted to its inceptive name in 1982. It was converted into an independent non-profit academic institution in 2023. The student body of KSU today consists of 40,000 students, 7% of which are international. Female students have their own disciplinary panel, and there is a center supervising the progress of female students, either personally by female faculty members or by male faculty members via a closed television network. The university offers courses in the natural sciences, the humanities, and professional studies, and many courses are tuition-free. The medium of instruction in undergraduate programs is English and Arabic depending on the chosen major.

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