By the tiswa editorial team, from the official sources listed at the end of this guide. How we write our guides
A student who lives inside the Al-Ahsa governorate cannot apply for King Faisal University's student housing, because the places go to students from outside it.1 Everyone else meets a price list that does not agree with itself. The Deanship page puts a shared room at 1,125 SAR per semester and a deposit at 500 SAR, while the women's PDF and a 2024 news report put the deposit at 1,000 SAR.
Who qualifies for KFU housing in Al-Ahsa?
Only students from outside the Al-Ahsa governorate can apply, and places depend on vacant beds.1 The Deanship's English page covers male and female students on that basis. The women's conditions PDF sets the tests that decide the rest.3
- Regular enrolment at KFU. Scholarship students qualify, and so do students in the visitor system (نظام زائر).
- At least three courses totalling 9 credit hours. If you have not registered yet, see course registration at King Faisal University.
- Living at least 70 km from Al-Ahsa. The 2024 news report says 20 km, but its wording is garbled, so the PDF's figure stands.4
- No infectious disease, and no psychological condition that needs full care. The university clinic can review the case.
- No earlier exclusion from housing for breaking university or housing rules.
- Clinical students doing hospital training need an approved letter from both institutions, stating the training type, time, days and place.
No source explains how the 70 km line is measured. If you live in a town near the boundary, call the office on 920002366 before you fill in the form.1
How much does KFU housing cost for a semester?
A shared room costs 1,125 SAR per semester, and a single room costs 1,575 SAR if one is free.1 The Deanship's English page also says rent is subject to change at the university's discretion.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shared room (سكن مشترك) | Two or three students, furnished, 1,125 SAR per semester1 |
| Single room (سكن مفرد) | 1,575 SAR per semester, only if one is free. This rate appears on one page only1 |
| Housing deposit (تأمين السكن) | 500 SAR, refunded after you leave, per the Deanship page1. 1,000 SAR per the women's PDF and the 2024 report34 |
| Summer semester | 500 SAR listed in the women's PDF. It does not say whether this is rent or a separate charge3 |
We did not find a 1448 price list, so treat 1,125 SAR as the only rate we could open, not the one you will pay in 2026 to 2027. For the wider monthly picture in the city, read the student budget in Al-Ahsa.
Do I get the KFU housing deposit back when I leave?
Yes. The Deanship's English page says the 500 SAR deposit is refunded after the student leaves.1 The 2024 report describes 1,000 SAR as a one-time room insurance payment, and the women's PDF lists 1,000 SAR for new students. None of the sources explains the refund rules or any deductions.43
How do I register for KFU housing online?
Registration starts online and ends with payment at the housing buildings, according to the 2024 report on the 1446 cycle.4 The report gives the steps but not the timetable, so read them as the shape of the process, since the portal you use now may differ.
- Log in
Open the electronic housing system and sign in with your academic number and password.
- Accept the regulation
Read the housing regulation and accept it before you continue.
- Check your data and upload
Confirm the details on screen, then attach each file as a JPG.
- Wait for the answer
Applications are answered within 3 working days. If yours is under review, fix the noted items and follow the instructions.
- Pay at the buildings
If accepted, go to the housing buildings beside gate 7, show the notice to security, then see the registration staff from 9 am to 1 pm and pay on the electronic device.
When does housing registration open?
New students register in the first two weeks of each semester, or until vacant rooms run out.3 Returning students and students who suspended enrolment register before the end of each semester, once the renewal notice is issued.3 Registration only reserves a place. Move-in comes after all procedures are complete, so do not pack the car because you have a reservation.
Returning students cannot register before the renewal notice appears, so check the electronic portal every day as the instructions require. The 2024 report says an accepted or under-review application with no action for 3 days is cancelled.4
What documents do I upload?
Four JPG files go into the electronic application.4 The 2024 report lists them as follows:
- An official personal photo, similar to the national ID photo.
- A clear copy of the national ID.
- A clear high-school certificate.
- A salary certificate for the guardian, or a GOSI printout (the social insurance record).
Every student also needs a timetable or training letter. New students add a family card, a national ID, an admission notice, proof of living outside Al-Ahsa and the certified form, plus a visitor-system or scholarship letter where it applies.3
Do I need a guardian to attend in person?
Not always. The guardian can attend in person, or the data and the guardian's consent can be certified at a municipality office or a district police station.3 An in-person guardian is a first-degree male relative, and a legal guardianship document covers an absent guardian. A student who lives independently after a guardian's separation or death attaches other documents, as the 2024 report describes.4 The PDF does not explain how the municipal certification works, so ask 920002366 which papers to bring.
Can men apply for KFU housing in Al-Ahsa?
The Deanship's English page says it covers male and female students, but we could not check the men's conditions, because the file it links to is a Word document we did not open.1 The 1446 list above therefore comes from the women's PDF and the news report. Men should compare that file with the list line by line before they apply.
What mistakes do students make with KFU housing?
The costliest mistake is treating 1,125 SAR as the full bill.
- Leaving out the deposit and the summer charge, which the sources list separately.3
- Waiting for a reply without logging in. An accepted or under-review application is cancelled after 3 days with no action.4
- Using the 20 km figure from the 2024 report, whose wording is garbled.
- Arriving outside the registration hours of 9 am to 1 pm.4
What if I am away for a while?
Tell the housing office if you will be away for more than 3 days. A student absent for two weeks or more without notice can be excluded.3 At the end of each semester's exams you vacate the room and hand it back in good condition. The exit and entry rules also run through a guardian or an authorised agent.
Which KFU housing page should I trust?
None of the four pages is dated 1448. The women's application page mixes 1444 and 1446 material, and its links still show a 1444 registration notice, so treat it as out of date.2 Use the PDF for the conditions, the English page for the posted fees, and the phone line for anything that changes. To compare women's housing at other Saudi universities, see female student housing at Saudi universities.
What is still unknown for 1448?
Five things are missing from every source we opened.
- The 1448 fees and the deposit amount.
- The first-semester registration dates, and when the second semester opens.
- Whether a single room is open to women. Only the English page lists the 1,575 SAR rate.
- Whether water, electricity, internet, meals or maintenance are included in the rent.
- The selection criteria used when rooms run short. The 2024 report mentions them but does not list them.4
