Saudi Universities Unified Admission 2026: Portal, Weighted Score, and Differences

Unified admission to Saudi universities is a major higher-education reform that rolled out gradually from 2017. Before it, students applied to each university separately, jumping between multiple sites with different deadlines. Today one application is submitted at the regional level and distributed smartly across universities based on the student's preferences and score.

Regional admission systems

Each education region has its own unified portal:

| Region | Portal | Universities covered | |---|---|---| | Riyadh region | qiyas.sa and Riyadh universities' channels | King Saud, Imam, Princess Nourah, Majmaah, Shaqra | | Makkah region | uqu.edu.sa (sometimes unified) | Umm Al-Qura, KAU, Jeddah U, Taibah, Taif | | Eastern region | iau.edu.sa | KFU, Imam Abdulrahman, Hafr Al-Batin | | Southern region | kku.edu.sa | KKU, Jazan, Al-Baha, Najran, Bisha | | Northern region | ju.edu.sa | Jouf, Tabuk, Northern Borders |

Some universities are independent: KAUST, Prince Sultan University, Arab Open University — each has its own portal.

The weighted-score formula

Most universities use three scores for the final weighted percentage:

| Component | Weight (approximate) | Source | |---|---|---| | High school GPA | 30-50% | Ministry of Education (Noor) | | General Aptitude Test (GAT) | 20-30% | Qiyas | | Achievement Test (SAAT) | 20-40% | Qiyas |

Example (most common Riyadh universities formula):

• High school: 90% × 30% = 27.0
• GAT: 85 × 30% = 25.5
• Achievement: 80 × 40% = 32.0
• Weighted score = 84.5

Some universities' science tracks weight Achievement higher, and humanities weight it lower. The student should compute each university's formula individually.

Qiyas tests

General Aptitude Test (GAT):

• Two sections: quantitative and verbal.
• 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Score out of 100.
• Offered twice yearly (per admission season).
• Score valid for 5 years.

Achievement Test (SAAT):

• Measures high school achievement (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, English — science track; History, Geography, English, etc. — humanities track).
• 3 hours.
• Score out of 100.
• Offered twice yearly.
• Score valid for 5 years.

Registration for both tests: via qiyas.sa with National Access or Absher.

Steps to apply for unified admission

| Step | Detail | |---|---| | 1 | Complete high school and record grades in the system | | 2 | Take GAT and Achievement tests (months of preparation recommended) | | 3 | Watch for your regional portal opening (announced officially) | | 4 | Sign in with Absher — data and scores pulled automatically | | 5 | Rank your preferences from first (best) to last (least preferred) — usually 10-15 slots | | 6 | Avoid choosing majors your score cannot support — counted as rejections | | 7 | Review the summary and submit. No edits after submission except in specific window | | 8 | Wait for match results — usually announced within 2 weeks |

Matching result

The system places you in your top preference if your score qualifies. If not, it moves to the second, and so on. Order is critical: a student who ranked "Medicine" as the tenth preference may not get it even if their score qualifies — because seats filled with students who ranked it first.

Once accepted at a higher preference, you don't drop lower. The system stops searching at the first matching preference.

Bachelor vs diploma

| Criterion | Bachelor | Diploma | |---|---|---| | Duration | 4-6 years | 2-3 years | | Institutions | Universities | Technical colleges, training institutes | | Career path | Administrative / research / advanced technical | Executive / technical | | Minimum admission | Higher scores generally | Lower scores accept for diploma | | Unified portal | Most | Technical & Vocational Training Corporation (tvtc.gov.sa) |

Tips to raise your admission chance

• Prepare for Qiyas early: GAT and Achievement matter more than school GPA in many specialties.
• Rank preferences wisely: put "the dream" first, then lower ones to guarantee an offer.
• Don't repeat one specialty in 10 slots: diversify (Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing instead of Medicine at 3 universities).
• Review last year's admission averages: most universities publish cut-offs by specialty.
• Don't rely on middlemen: any "guaranteed admission" offer is a scam.

Related articles

• Noor system — enrolling children
• Madrasati platform
• Doroob — free courses

Alternative Path — Applying to Private Universities

The unified admission covers government universities only. Saudi private universities have independent paths:

| Private university | Portal | Distinctive feature | |---|---|---| | Prince Sultan University | Direct application | First private university in Saudi Arabia, English-medium environment | | Al Yamamah University | Direct application | Business and law programs | | Effat University | Direct application | Female university in Jeddah, accredited British programs | | Dar Al Uloom University | Direct application | Multi-disciplinary in Riyadh | | Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University | Direct application | Dammam, American environment | | Alfaisal University | Direct application | Research-focused with global standards, medicine and engineering | | KAUST | Direct application | Graduate studies only, full scholarship with stipend |

Private universities are typically paid (fees range from 40,000 to 90,000 SAR annually), but offer scholarships for top students and employee dependents. Many arts-stream students find better opportunities than in public universities.

The Academic Path After Admission

After admission to university, you pass through sequential stages before graduation:

1. Preparatory Year: most public universities require a preparatory year for scientific majors (medicine, engineering, computing, health). The GPA there determines your admission to your target major — not just the initial admission suffices.
2. Final major selection: after preparatory year, students distribute across majors by cumulative GPA and preferences. Those with the highest GPA get their first choice.
3. Major stage (4-6 years): study in the department under the major curriculum.
4. Internship/practical training: for majors like medicine (internship year), dentistry (training), pharmacy (pharmacy training).
5. Graduation and professional exam: some majors (medicine, pharmacy, nursing, law) need a professional exam run by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) to practice the profession.

Understanding the full path before choosing a major matters — some appear attractive but require years of training before employment.

Sources:

• Education and Training Evaluation Commission (Qiyas) — qiyas.sa
• Ministry of Education — moe.gov.sa
• Technical and Vocational Training Corporation — tvtc.gov.sa