By the tiswa editorial team, from the official sources listed at the end of this guide. How we write our guides
The Ministry's program page and its tracks page both send applicants to Safeer through an apply-now button. Safeer's own intake notice says new intake is closed for every track except Waaid and the health agreements track, and that new requests go through Qabool.124
What are the four tracks?
The program has four tracks: Pioneers (الرواد), Research and Development (البحث والتطوير), Imdad (إمداد) and Waaid (واعد). The Ministry describes the aim as raising human capital and sustainable development.1 The table shows the admission rule each track sets, as far as the Ministry states it.2
| Track | Who it targets | Admission rule | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneers (الرواد) | Top 30 institutions worldwide, all disciplines including humanities | Direct, unconditional acceptance from a listed institution | Bachelor's and master's |
| Imdad (إمداد) | Top 200 universities and institutes worldwide, in fields with high labour-market need | Final, unconditional acceptance from a university on the list | Bachelor's or master's |
| Research and Development | Universities on the track's list | Direct, unconditional acceptance | PhD, per the conditions page |
| Waaid (واعد) | Rehabilitation and capacity building in promising sectors | No admission rule on the tracks page | Not stated |
Two cells need a second look. The tracks page says any university on the R&D list qualifies, while the conditions page requires a PhD from a top-200 institution, so confirm the level on the track page before you apply.23 Waaid is the only track whose admission rule the pages we checked leave unstated.2
Can I apply to more than one track?
Yes. You may submit more than one request on the same track, and you may apply across tracks, universities and specialties. The Ministry selects one acceptance by ranking (المفاضلة), and only one acceptance is finally taken.2 You may hold up to three acceptances, and seat availability decides which one is selected, with your preference counted where possible.3
Who is eligible under the general conditions?
These conditions apply to every track, and each track adds its own rules on top.3
- Saudi nationality, and good conduct.
- An acceptance from an institution designated under your track's rules, in a specialty on the list for that application year.
- Full-time regular enrolment, with residence in the host country.
- Passing the Ministry's ranking and its anti-congestion policies.
- Bachelor's applicants no older than 30. Pioneers applicants are exempt.
- No unfinished scholarship for the same degree, and no degree already held. Pioneers is exempt from both.
The FAQ on the same page adds two points. No aptitude (قدرات) or achievement (تحصيلي) test is required, and no minimum percentage (نسبة) is set, but the general and track conditions must still be met.3
Is there an age limit?
Yes for bachelor's applicants under the general conditions: the limit is 30, and Pioneers is exempt. The conditions page FAQ, however, says no age requirement applies to the tracks.3 The two statements conflict, and the pages we checked do not settle it. Plan around the limit of 30 until the Ministry says otherwise, and if your file depends on it, put the question in writing to Safeer support at Safeer2@moe.gov.sa.4
Which acceptance letters count as unconditional?
For Pioneers, Imdad and R&D, the acceptance must be final and unconditional, and it must come from a listed institution. The one exception is a conditional acceptance that depends on a language course, which is allowed in non-English-speaking countries, with the scholarship covering the language study.3
The pages do not explain how the Ministry reads unconditional for a university that requires a language course first. The exception is the only rule on the point, so read your letter line by line and ask the university to confirm in writing what the condition means for your file.
Do the 2025-2026 extra conditions still apply?
The conditions page lists four extra rules that apply from the 2025-2026 academic year. It does not say whether they carry into later years, so check the page for your intake before you apply.3
- Preparatory-year entry for a bachelor's: a high school GPA of at least 90% and IELTS 5.5 or equivalent.
- China bachelor's on conditional language acceptance only: a GPA of at least 85% and IELTS 4.5. The rule does not cover direct acceptance in the specialty.
- China master's: a bachelor's GPA of 2.75 out of 4, 3.75 out of 5 or 80 out of 100, plus IELTS 4.5.
- Germany: A2 in German.
How do I apply through Safeer and Qabool?
The Safeer notice decides the route, so read it before you touch anything else.4
- Read the intake notice
New intake is closed for every track except Waaid and the health agreements track. Your track decides which screen you use next.4
- Log in with a national account
Use the unified login, or the national single sign-on (النفاذ الوطني الموحد، أبشر). New users register through the Ministry's registration form.4
- For Waaid, use the apply-now button
The Waaid entry in Safeer shows an active apply-now button.4
- For the other tracks, use Qabool
New applications for those tracks come through قبول (Qabool), which the Safeer notice links. The pages we checked do not list the Qabool steps or the documents to upload, so follow the screens there and save a copy of every file you submit.4
- Issue the sending decision after nomination
Electronic services open once your nomination is confirmed. They include the financial guarantee for admission, the sending decision and the embassy letter.3 Nominees who miss the sending decision after the study start date lose the services, unless they have already enrolled, in which case a registration certificate goes with it.3
How much is the stipend?
The Ministry pages we checked publish no figure for a stipend, tuition or allowance, so this page gives none. The program page describes the aim of the tracks without any money figure.1
Some third-party sites call the program fully funded and quote riyal amounts. The Ministry's own pages do not back either claim, so treat those numbers as unverified until the Ministry publishes them.
Can employees, self-funded students or families apply?
Yes, under the same track rules. Self-funded students may apply, and government and private-sector employees may apply under the same condition, subject to their employer's rules, with the applicant bearing full responsibility.3 The children and spouse of a seconded person in a host country may apply under the track's rules, and children may accompany the student during the mission.3
A master's can be applied for without a bachelor's in the same specialty. A person currently on an ongoing mission may not be sent, but may still apply.3
What do applicants get wrong?
- Clicking the apply-now button for a track the notice shows as closed, instead of using Qabool for the other tracks.
- Expecting the scholarship to cover a year of English in the US or the UK. It does not, where study is in English.3
- Assuming the age limit does not apply because the FAQ says there is no age requirement for the tracks.
- Missing the sending decision after the study start date, which closes the services.
- Treating a conditional letter as unconditional. The language exception works only in non-English-speaking countries.
For the steps inside the portal before your first login, read the Safeer platform guide. For the wider picture of government scholarships, see scholarships for Saudi students, and if Pioneers is your track, read the Pioneers deadline post before you decide.
