71,773 foreign students studying in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: According to a report on the US News Education website, there are 71,773 international students studying in the Kingdom’s universities, a local publication reported.
As the largest Arab country in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia places great emphasis on education with the existence of more than 25 public universities and 65 private colleges, as well as many technical colleges.
The website specializes in education and health news. It reported that Saudi Arabia places great emphasis on the study of science and technology which attracts many international students to seek education in the country.
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, there were 71,773 international students studying in the Kingdom during the 2012-2013 academic year, the majority of them from Yemen, Syria, Egypt, Palestine and Jordan.
The report of US News Education website said Saudi Arabia invests significantly in education by allocating about 23 percent of its overall spending to the sector.
The report said there are three key facts concerning education in the Kingdom that all international students should know about. The first is that Saudi universities use the English language in its disciplines.

The second is that Saudi universities provide for special scholarships to encourage international students, males and females, and some universities such as King Abdullah University for Science and Technology, to support students throughout their studies, covering the tuition and providing an allowance of $20,000 to $30,000 annually.
Abdulmonem Al-Hayani, dean of student affairs at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, said the credit-hour system at the university is nearly the same as at American universities but with a little different structure in the programs and the teaching strategies.
“For example most US doctoral programs require passing a comprehensive exam before moving to the thesis, which is not the case in most doctorate programs at KAU,” he explained.
Al-Hayani added that KAU has off-campus housing that accommodates 3,500 male students.
“The housing is about five minutes away and students can transport by the free university shuttle bus service. The housing is the same for Saudi students and international ones, and students can choose their roommates freely,” he said.
As for housing the female students, he said there is on campus accommodations which can accommodate 1,500 female students. “The premises include access to a gym, swimming pool and spa, as well as a central restaurant and mini-market,” he added.
“The accommodation is fully furnished and provided to all Arab students in the scholarship program for free,” says Al-Hayani. “There are all facilities to support students and make their experience great.”