The Islamic University of Madinah is a Saudi public university that reserves places for international students living outside the Kingdom. Its external scholarship is a tuition-free bachelor’s seat granted by the Saudi government and administered by the university.
Applications run through the Ministry of Education’s Study in Saudi platform. The university nominates candidates from that platform, then final scholarship approval and the study visa are completed there as well.
Teaching is on campus in Madinah and in Arabic, so applicants from non-Arabic-speaking countries study Arabic before starting the degree. Colleges cover Islamic sciences and Arabic alongside engineering, science, computing, law, economics, and media; postgraduate scholarships are open only to graduates of the university’s own bachelor’s programs.
Benefits & funding
- A tuition-free bachelor’s place — described by the university as a “free seat” granted by the Saudi government — plus financial benefits and campus services from the university.
- Ministry of Education rules for full scholarships at public universities add housing, health care for the student (and family members where the regulations allow), a financial reward on arrival, and annual travel tickets.
- Partial scholarships carry less: the university decides whether they cover a study place alone or a place with housing.
- Degrees run four years in most colleges and five years in the engineering programs; Arabic-language study comes first for applicants who do not speak Arabic.
Eligibility
- Open to non-Saudi applicants; full-scholarship applicants must not be residing in Saudi Arabia at the time of application.
- Age 17 to 25 for the bachelor’s route.
- A general secondary certificate or its equivalent obtained no more than five years earlier, in a scientific specialization for the scientific colleges.
- Good conduct and behaviour, medical fitness, a certificate from the home country’s security authorities confirming no criminal record, and a recommendation from an organization, institution, or academic figure.
- No previous disciplinary dismissal from a university, and no other scholarship held from an educational institution in the Kingdom.
- The College of the Holy Qur’an requires memorization of the entire Qur’an and a pass in its designated test; the Holy Qur’an and engineering programs admit male students only.
- Employed applicants for a partial scholarship must supply their employer’s approval.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Education required
High School
Age requirement
17–25 yrs
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Application process
- 1Apply on the Ministry of Education’s Study in Saudi platform and select the Islamic University of Madinah.
- 2Enter personal, academic, and language details, then upload the certificate, passport, conduct, medical, and recommendation documents.
- 3Sit the Arabic language test if you come from a non-Arabic-speaking country.
- 4Follow the application status; nominated applicants are published in batches and shown as “preliminarily accepted”.
- 5Complete final scholarship approval and the study visa on the Study in Saudi platform.
Program timeline
Applications open (2 Dhul-Qi’dah 1447).
Apr 19, 2026
Application deadline (4 Dhul-Hijjah 1447).
May 21, 2026
After the deadline
nominations are published in batches, then final approval and the study visa are issued through the Study in Saudi platform.