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King Saud University crest

King Saud University

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia • Founded 1957 • QS 2027 #107

Updated May 2026 · Source: ksu.edu.sa

Overview

English Name: King Saud University
Local Name: جامعة الملك سعود
Acronyms: KSU
Founded: 1957
Institution Type: University
Control Type: Public
Entity Type: Non-profit
Rankings:
QS World University Rankings 2027 #107 Times Higher Education 2026 #251-300 ARWU (Shanghai) 2026 #151-200 CWTS Leiden 2025 #1040 SCImago 2026 #111
Motto: Read! In the name of your Lord Who created (Qur'an, C 96. V 1)
King Saud University crest

Founded in 1957, the King Saud University is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the large metropolis of Riyadh (population range of over 5,000,000 inhabitants).

Officially recognized by the Ministry of Education of Saudi Arabia, King Saud University (KSU) is a very large-sized coeducational Saudi Arabian higher education institution. King Saud University (KSU) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorate degrees in several areas of study.

This 67-year-old Saudi Arabian higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations. The acceptance rate range is 70-79% making this Saudi Arabian higher education organization a moderately selective institution.

International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.

KSU also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, housing, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, study abroad and exchange programs, online courses and distance learning opportunities, as well as administrative services.

Location & Contact

Address, phone, email, and online links for King Saud University are listed below.

Address: P.O. Box 2454
Postal Code: 11451
Phone: +966 (1) 467 0000
Fax: +966 (1) 468 4444
Social Media:

Academic Details

Below are the institutional metrics for King Saud University: scale, staffing, and accreditation.

Academic Year: September to August
Recognition: Ministry of Education of Saudi Arabia
Accrediting Agency: Ministry of Education
Admission Requirements: Secondary school certificate or equivalent
Student Enrollment: 35,000-39,999
Academic Staff Range: 4,000-4,499
Campus Setting: Urban
Memberships & Networks
Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) Saudi Pharmaceutical Society (SPS) Saudi Physical Therapy Association (SPTA) Saudi Dental Society (SDS) Saudi Orthodontic Society (SOS)

Academic Structures

King Saud University's faculties, schools, institutes, and constituent units are listed below.

Unit 24 items
  • Arabic Language Institute
  • College of Applied Medical Sciences
  • College of Applied Medical Sciences, AlKharj
  • College of Applied Studies and Community Service
  • College of Architecture and Planning
  • College of Arts
  • College of Arts and Science in Wady Addwaser
  • College of Business Administration
  • College of Computer and Information Sciences
  • College of Dentistry
  • College of Education
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Engineering in AlKharj
  • College of Foods and Agriculture
  • College of Languages and Translation
  • College of Law and Political Science
  • College of Medicine
  • College of Nursing
  • College of Pharmacy
  • College of Science
  • College of Science in AlKharj
  • College of Teaching
  • College of Tourism and Archaeology
  • Community College in Al Riyadh

Degrees

Also Intermediate Teaching Diploma, 1 yr; Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), Health Administration, Governance and Public Policies

Associate 16 programs
  • Accountancy
  • Banking
  • Business Administration
  • Computer Engineering
  • Education
  • Educational and Student Counselling
  • Health Sciences
  • Insurance
  • Laboratory Techniques
  • Law
  • Medicine
  • Multimedia
  • Radio and Television Broadcasting
  • Secretarial Studies
  • Special Education
  • Treatment Techniques
Bachelor's 78 programs
  • Accountancy
  • Administration
  • Agricultural Economics
  • Agricultural Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Arabic
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Architecture and Planning
  • Art Education
  • Biochemistry
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Botany
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Community Health
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Networks
  • Computer Science
  • Curriculum
  • Dental Hygiene
  • Dental Technology
  • Dentistry
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Educational Administration
  • Educational Psychology
  • Educational Technology
  • Electrical Engineering
  • English
  • Finance
  • Fine Arts
  • Food Science
  • Geography (Human)
  • Geology
  • Geophysics
  • Heritage Preservation
  • History
  • Horticulture
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Information Management
  • Information Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • Islamic Studies
  • Koran
  • Law
  • Literature
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Media Studies
  • Medicine
  • Microbiology
  • Modern Languages
  • Natural Sciences
  • Nursing
  • Nutrition
  • Operations Research
  • Petroleum and Gas Engineering
  • Physical Education
  • Physical Therapy
  • Physics
  • Political Sciences
  • Psychiatry and Mental Health
  • Psychology
  • Rehabilitation and Therapy
  • Social Studies
  • Software Engineering
  • Special Education
  • Sports
  • Surgery
  • Surveying and Mapping
  • Tourism
  • Town Planning
  • Translation and Interpretation
  • Zoology
Master's 63 programs
  • Accountancy
  • Agricultural Economics
  • Agricultural Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Arabic
  • Architecture
  • Biochemistry
  • Botany
  • Business Administration
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Community Health
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Dentistry
  • Economics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Energy Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English
  • Finance
  • Food Science
  • Geography (Human)
  • Geology
  • Geophysics
  • Health Administration
  • History
  • Horticulture
  • Human Resources
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Information Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • Literature
  • Materials Engineering
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Media Studies
  • Medicine
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Operations Research
  • Optometry
  • Petroleum and Gas Engineering
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Physics
  • Political Sciences
  • Polymer and Plastics Technology
  • Private Law
  • Psychotherapy
  • Public Administration
  • Public Law
  • Radiology
  • Rehabilitation and Therapy
  • Social Studies
  • Software Engineering
  • Soil Science
  • Town Planning
  • Toxicology
  • Zoology
Doctoral 43 programs
  • Accountancy
  • Agricultural Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Arabic
  • Architecture
  • Biochemistry
  • Botany
  • Business Administration
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • English
  • Food Science
  • Geography (Human)
  • History
  • Horticulture
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Information Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Media Studies
  • Medicine
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Optometry
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Physics
  • Plant and Crop Protection
  • Radiology
  • Social Studies
  • Software Engineering
  • Soil Science
  • Statistics
  • Town Planning
  • Toxicology
  • Zoology
Diploma & Certificate 3 programs
  • Education
  • Foreign Languages Education
  • Safety Engineering

Faculties & Divisions

All faculties operate under Ministry of Education of Saudi Arabia.

University Level Studies for Women Students (Centre) Faculty details available

Specialisations & Subjects

No specified subjects listed.

Applied Medical Sciences (College) 7 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Community Health
  • Dental Hygiene
  • Laboratory Techniques
  • Optometry
  • Radiology
  • Rehabilitation and Therapy
  • Traditional and Complementary Medicine and Therapy
Applied Studies and Community Service (College) 5 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Administration
  • Engineering
  • Health Sciences
  • Natural Sciences
  • Welfare and Protective Services
Architecture and Planning (College) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Architecture and Planning
  • Town Planning
  • Urban Studies
Arts (College) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Arabic
  • Arts and Humanities
  • English
  • Geography
  • History
  • Library Science
  • Mass Communication
  • Social Studies
Community (College) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Computer Science
  • Natural Sciences
Community (College) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Computer Science
  • Natural Sciences
Community (College) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Computer Science
  • Natural Sciences
Community (College) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Computer Science
  • Natural Sciences
Computer and Information Science (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Computer Science
Dentistry (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Dentistry
Education (College) 9 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Art Education
  • Curriculum
  • Education
  • Educational Administration
  • Educational Technology
  • Islamic Studies
  • Physical Education
  • Psychology
  • Special Education
Engineering (College) 7 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Petroleum and Gas Engineering
Food and Agricultural Sciences (College) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Agricultural Economics
  • Agricultural Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Food Science
  • Nutrition
  • Plant and Crop Protection
  • Soil Science
Health Sciences (College) 5 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Health Administration
  • Laboratory Techniques
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Radiology
Languages and Translation (College) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • European Languages
  • Modern Languages
  • South and Southeast Asian Languages
  • Translation and Interpretation
Law and Political Science (College) 5 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Civil Law
  • Commercial Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Political Sciences
  • Public Law
Medicine (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Medicine
Nursing (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Nursing
Pharmacy (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Pharmacy
Physical Education and Sports (College) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Physical Education
  • Sports
Science (College) 6 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Chemistry
  • Geology
  • Natural Sciences
  • Physics
  • Statistics
  • Zoology
Science (College) 10 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Astronomy and Space Science
  • Biochemistry
  • Biology
  • Botany
  • Chemistry
  • Geology
  • Mathematics
  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Zoology
Teachers (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Teacher Training
Tourism and Antiquities (Faculty) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Archaeology
  • Heritage Preservation
  • Tourism
Arabic Language (Institute) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Arabic
Environmental Research, Water and Desert (Institute) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Arid Land Studies
  • Environmental Studies
  • Water Management
Research and Consulting Studies (Institute) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Medicine

Programs Offered

King Saud University's programme list, with search and degree-level grouping.

253 programmes on record. Each level below shows a sample. Compare these on the programs page All programs in Saudi Arabia

Bachelor's Degree 58 programmes

Showing 10 of 58.

Master's Degree 123 programmes

Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics
Linguistics & Language Studies · 2 years

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Master of Arts in Arabic Language and Literature
Literature · 2 years

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Master of Arts in Archeology
Liberal Arts · 2 years

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Master of Arts in Art Education
Education & Teaching · 2 years

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Showing 10 of 123.

Doctorate 68 programmes

Showing 10 of 68.

Higher Diploma 4 programmes

Higher Diploma for Training Teachers of Arabic to Non-Native Speakers
Education & Teaching · 2 semesters

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Higher Diploma in Athletic Physical Rehabilitation
Physiotherapy · 2 semesters

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

How to apply to King Saud University

A short guide to applying to King Saud University — five steps.

  1. 1
    Research programmes at King Saud University

    Start by exploring the programmes section on this page. King Saud University runs 253 active programmes across multiple degree levels. Narrow by qualification tier and read each programme description before shortlisting.

  2. 2
    Review admissions criteria

    Before applying to King Saud University, confirm you meet the academic, language, and document requirements for your chosen programme. International applicants should also check visa eligibility for Saudi Arabia.

  3. 3
    Gather supporting documents

    Standard documents: official transcripts, identity proof, language test results, personal statement, and references. Confirm exact requirements with King Saud University's admissions office before assembling, as expectations vary by programme.

  4. 4
    Lodge your application

    Lodge your application through the official website (www.ksu.edu.sa). Online forms are the standard route. Save your draft frequently and submit before the programme deadline.

  5. 5
    Confirm receipt and track progress

    Verify your application has been received by the admissions team. Reach the institution by phone at +966 (1) 467 0000. Monitor the portal for status updates, interview invitations, or document requests, and respond within the stated deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions about King Saud University

Common questions about King Saud University — answers from its published profile.

In what year was King Saud University established?

King Saud University was founded in 1957 (approximately 69 years ago).

Where can I find King Saud University?

The institution is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

What is King Saud University's control type?

It is a public higher-education institution.

How many students does King Saud University have?

The institution has a student body of 35,000-39,999.

How is King Saud University ranked?

It ranks QS 2027 #107.

What qualification levels does King Saud University offer?

King Saud University delivers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes across its academic units.

How is King Saud University organised academically?

King Saud University is organised into 24 academic units across its disciplines.

Who recognises King Saud University?

The institution holds recognition from Ministry of Education.

What is King Saud University's official website?

You can find King Saud University online at www.ksu.edu.sa.

Members of Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW)

These universities are also members of Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW).

Faculties at nearby universities

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Where Else to Study Biological Sciences

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