By the tiswa editorial team, from the official sources listed at the end of this guide. How we write our guides
One hundred and twenty-five minutes, no calculator and no scheduled break: that is the Qudurat test as the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) describes it1. The score can carry as much weight as your whole high school GPA. At Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Qudurat counts for 30% of the composite score in applied majors, the same share as high school4.
What is the Qudurat test and who takes it?
Qudurat is an aptitude test of analysis, reasoning and inference in language and maths. It does not test memorised high school content1. ETEC aims it at high school graduates from every track, anyone applying to higher education, and anyone an organisation asks to sit it. Students in grade 11 or 12 can register, as can graduates.
It runs on paper and on computer, and every question is multiple choice. University graduates applying for a master's sit a different exam, covered in Qudurat for university graduates.
What are the Qudurat sections and weights?
Two sections, verbal and quantitative. ETEC publishes the weight of every domain, and your study time should follow this table1:
| Section | Domain | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal | Reading comprehension | 21% |
| Verbal | Verbal analogies | 17% |
| Verbal | Contextual error | 10% |
| Verbal | Sentence completion | 7% |
| Quantitative (science track) | Arithmetic | 23% |
| Quantitative (science track) | Geometry | 10% |
| Quantitative (science track) | Data analysis | 8% |
| Quantitative (science track) | Algebra | 4% |
Add the two biggest rows and you get 44%. Algebra appears only in the science section and is worth 4%, so a full week on it is a poor trade. Arithmetic covers fractions, ratios, percentages, powers, roots, averages and probability. Geometry covers angles, areas, volumes, Pythagoras, circles and the coordinate plane1.
The verbal section has four question types. Analogies ask for the relationship between two words. Sentence completion turns on linking words and negation, and contextual error asks you to spot the word that breaks the meaning. Reading comprehension, the heaviest, asks about main ideas, details and words in context.
How long is the Qudurat test?
Two hours and five minutes on both formats, with about 20 extra minutes before a paper test to fill in the answer sheet1. Each section is timed and there are no scheduled breaks. On computer you cannot go back to a section once you move on, which changes how you pace: finish checking a section before you press next. The computer test runs year-round; paper sittings follow periods that ETEC announces. The full comparison is in Qudurat paper vs computer.
How much does the Qudurat test cost?
Between SAR 100 and SAR 200, depending on format and location, per the ETEC page1:
| Format | Fee |
|---|---|
| Paper, early registration | SAR 100 |
| Paper, late registration | SAR 150 |
| Computer-based | SAR 150 |
| Outside Saudi Arabia | SAR 200 |
You can pay by SADAD, mada, credit card or Apple Pay. ETEC also runs a fee exemption for some support beneficiaries, including Social Security recipients1. Once paid, a booking can be cancelled or moved up to 72 hours before a paper test and 48 hours before a computer test.
How do I register for Qudurat?
- Open your beneficiary profile
Sign in to the ETEC e-services portal, or create a profile if you do not have one yet3.
- Choose the test
Select the General Aptitude Test, then paper or computer.
- Pick a centre and slot
Choose the city, whether Riyadh, Jeddah or elsewhere, then the centre and an open slot. Book early in admission season to get the time you want.
- Pay
The booking is not confirmed until payment goes through, so wait for the confirmation message.
- Check your profile the day before
Confirm date, centre and arrival time. Paper candidates get their seat number by message one day before1.
When do Qudurat results come out?
Within 3 to 5 working days for the computer test and about a month for paper, and the score is valid for five years from the test date1. So a grade 11 student who sits early still has a valid score years after graduating, which matters if you later switch university or major.
What is a good Qudurat score?
There is no pass mark. The test is norm-referenced, so the score shows where you stand among test takers. ETEC publishes this scale1:
| Your position | Score |
|---|---|
| Top 5% | 81 or above |
| Top 10% | 78 or above |
| Top 20% | 73 or above |
| Top 30% | 70 or above |
| Average | 65 |
| Bottom 30% | 60 or below |
A 70 is not weak. It puts you in the top 30%. ETEC also warns against comparing the score with your high school percentage, because the two scales differ.
How do universities weight Qudurat?
Each university sets its own formula, and the number that matters is the Qudurat weight in the major you want. Imam University's 1447 admission guide is a clear example4:
- Applied majors: 30% high school, 30% Qudurat, 40% Tahsili.
- Health track: 30% high school, 20% Qudurat, 40% Tahsili and 10% STEP, with a minimum high school percentage of 90%.
- To run your own numbers, the university's Deanship of Admission and Registration offers a composite score calculator5.
In both cases Tahsili outweighs Qudurat, so do not drop it: see the Tahsili test guide. Other universities' rules are in Saudi university admission requirements.
What do I need on test day?
- Arrive 30 minutes early for paper and 15 for computer. Nobody enters after the start.
- Original, valid plastic ID: national ID, iqama, passport or Saudi driving licence. University and work cards are refused.
- Paper candidates get a pencil from the centre; ink pens are banned and only a sealed bottle of water is allowed.
- No phones in the room. A ringing phone can end the test and cancel the result.
- Computer centres take a fingerprint and photo, and give you an on-screen scratchpad1.
The rest of the kit list is in the exam day checklist.
How to study for GAT in four weeks?
Build the plan on the weights table and start with a full timed practice test so you know where marks leak. ETEC posts a trial test and a test taker guide with worked examples on the GAT page; use them before any commercial book1.
| Week | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1 | One full timed practice test, then file every mistake under its domain in the weights table. |
| 2 | A timed reading passage daily and twenty mental arithmetic problems without a calculator. |
| 3 | Analogies and contextual error, then geometry and data analysis. |
| 4 | Two full tests with a review of every mistake, and a rest day before the test. |
Keep one error log and note the cause beside each mistake: understanding, speed or a slip. After two weeks you will see which of the three costs you most.
What mistakes do students make on Qudurat?
Three cost the most. Students spend weeks on algebra and geometry and skip reading comprehension, which alone is 21%. They practise with a calculator, then lose time on test day without one. And they wait until grade 12, so a disappointing score leaves little time before applications close.
A smaller one: turning up with a student card or a photo of the ID on a phone. ETEC wants the original plastic card, and without it you do not sit the test.
