What are the key facts about King Faisal University?
The key facts about KFU in one table, from the Ministry of Education list1 and the university's official pages23; each one is detailed in the sections below.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | King Faisal University |
| Also called | KFU |
| Type and city | Public, Al-Ahsa |
| Founded | 1394 AH |
| Majors | 49 bachelor and diploma programmes in 13 colleges |
| Admission rules | 15 published |
| Official website | https://www.kfu.edu.sa |
What colleges and majors does King Faisal University offer?
KFU spreads 49 bachelor and diploma programmes over 13 colleges2. The largest is the College of Arts with 9, and the smallest is the College of Law with 1.
| Major | College | About the major |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery | College of Medicine | Medicine guide |
| Clinical Pharmacy | College of Clinical Pharmacy | Pharmacy guide |
| Dental Medicine and Surgery | College of Dentistry | Dentistry guide |
| Public Health | College of Applied Medical Sciences | Public health guide |
| Health Informatics | College of Applied Medical Sciences | - |
| Clinical Nutrition | College of Applied Medical Sciences | Clinical nutrition guide |
| Nursing | College of Applied Medical Sciences | Nursing guide |
| Civil Engineering | College of Engineering | Civil engineering guide |
| Mechanical Engineering | College of Engineering | Mechanical engineering guide |
| Electrical Engineering | College of Engineering | Electrical engineering guide |
| Chemical Engineering | College of Engineering | Chemical engineering guide |
| Biomedical Engineering | College of Engineering | - |
| Computer Science | College of Computer Sciences and Information Technology | Computer science guide |
| Computer Information Systems | College of Computer Sciences and Information Technology | Information systems guide |
| Computer Networks and Communications | College of Computer Sciences and Information Technology | - |
| Computer Engineering | College of Computer Sciences and Information Technology | - |
| Veterinary Medicine | College of Veterinary Medicine | - |
| Mathematics | College of Science | Mathematics guide |
| Physics | College of Science | Physics guide |
| Chemistry | College of Science | Chemistry guide |
| Biology | College of Science | Biology guide |
| Management Information Systems | College of Business Administration | - |
| Finance | College of Business Administration | Finance guide |
| Business Administration | College of Business Administration | Business administration guide |
| Supply Chain Management | College of Business Administration | Supply chain management guide |
| Business Economics | College of Business Administration | Economics guide |
| Risk and Insurance | College of Business Administration | - |
| Accounting | College of Business Administration | Accounting guide |
| Plant Protection | College of Agricultural and Food Sciences | - |
| Poultry Science | College of Agricultural and Food Sciences | - |
| Ruminant Science | College of Agricultural and Food Sciences | - |
| Fisheries Science | College of Agricultural and Food Sciences | - |
| Applied Agricultural Economics | College of Agricultural and Food Sciences | - |
| Food Processing Engineering | College of Agricultural and Food Sciences | - |
| Plant Biotechnology | College of Agricultural and Food Sciences | - |
| Food Science and Technology | College of Agricultural and Food Sciences | - |
| Law | College of Law | Law guide |
| Arabic Language and Literature | College of Arts | - |
| English Language | College of Arts | English language guide |
| Strategic Communication | College of Arts | Media and communication guide |
| Media and Arabic Language | College of Arts | - |
| Journalism and Digital Publishing | College of Arts | - |
| Audio-Visual Media | College of Arts | - |
| Tourism and Hospitality | College of Arts | Tourism and hospitality guide |
| Sociology and Social Work | College of Arts | Social work guide |
| Geography and GIS | College of Arts | - |
| Sharia | College of Sharia and Islamic Studies | Sharia guide |
| Usul al-Din | College of Sharia and Islamic Studies | - |
| Sharia and Islamic Studies | College of Sharia and Islamic Studies | - |
27 of these majors have a full tiswa guide on the courses and the job market, linked in the last column. The names are copied as KFU writes them on its own page2.
What are the admission requirements at King Faisal University?
King Faisal University is a public university in Al-Ahsa with about fifty regular bachelor programmes across thirteen colleges, from medicine and engineering to agriculture and sharia. Regular admission runs through the national unified admission platform; alongside it the university publishes the rules of its paid qualifying-year route, which we summarise here from its official guide.
KFU publishes the following admission rules3, which we carry over as the official page states them:
- Regular admission to King Faisal University runs through the national unified admission platform; the qualifying year is an extra route for secondary graduates who were not admitted through it.
- You must be Saudi, or a non-Saudi with a Saudi mother.
- No more than five years may have passed since you finished secondary school.
- You need a valid score in the General Aptitude Test (Qudrat) and the Achievement Test (Tahsili) from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission.
- A weighted score is built from your secondary average and Qudrat, plus Tahsili for science and veterinary medicine and for female applicants; you need at least 70% to enter the competition for seats.
- You must not be enrolled at another university or college; if you are, you withdraw and show proof before confirming your place.
- Anyone academically dismissed from any university is not admitted, and an admission is cancelled if this comes to light later.
- Priority goes to this year's secondary graduates, then to students who withdrew from a university if seats remain.
- The College of Veterinary Medicine requires you to pass a personal interview.
- The College of Sharia and Islamic Studies requires a personal interview.
- Sport and Physical Activity Sciences in the College of Education requires a fitness test and a personal interview.
- You upload clear scans of the original documents: secondary certificate and national ID, plus birth certificate and mother's ID for children of Saudi mothers.
- Fees are paid in advance before each semester; admission becomes final only after the documents are matched and the fee is paid, and then you get your university number.
- To move into your college you must pass every qualifying-year course and reach the minimum cumulative GPA set for placement.
- If you miss the placement conditions, you can move to one of the paid diploma programmes, subject to seats.
Which language are King Faisal University majors taught in?
Medicine, clinical pharmacy, dentistry, applied medical sciences, engineering, computing, veterinary medicine and science are taught in English, and so are most business majors, including accounting, business administration, management information systems, supply chain and business economics. If your major is one of these, English is part of your day from the first course.2
Finance, risk and insurance, every agricultural and food sciences major, law, sharia, usul al-din and most arts majors except English are taught in Arabic. All regular bachelor programmes are taught on campus, except strategic communication, which is blended.2
How much does the King Faisal University qualifying year cost?
The qualifying year is paid: SAR 10,000 per semester, so SAR 20,000 for the two semesters. A student who needs an extra semester to finish pays SAR 2,500 per course. You can pay through the university's channels, including Tamara.3
Withdraw before the semester starts and you get the full fee back. After that a share is kept: 5% in the first three weeks, 25% from week four to six, 50% from week seven to nine, and the whole fee after week nine.3
How does the qualifying year work?
The qualifying year is one academic year of two semesters. You take the level one and two courses of the college that admitted you, the grades count in your GPA, and the courses you pass stay in your bachelor plan. The timetable is fixed, with no add or drop.3
Colleges open on this route: veterinary medicine, science (physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics), agricultural and food sciences, arts, sharia and Islamic studies (sharia, usul al-din) and education (fine arts, sport and physical activity sciences). Pass every course with the required GPA and you become a regular student, and can then ask for an internal transfer to another college if seats allow.3
How do non-Saudi students apply to King Faisal University?
Students from outside the Kingdom apply through the Study in Saudi platform; the university reviews the scholarship request and the Ministry of Education processes it after the university approves. You must be 16 or older, with a valid passport, a medical report showing you are free of infectious diseases, and attested certificates. You cannot get two scholarships for the same degree.4
Before you apply, check the rules for your route on the King Faisal University admission portal and the teaching language of the major you want, since that decides how to prepare over the summer before your first semester.
How much is the King Faisal University stipend?
KFU pays a monthly stipend that depends on the type of major5: SR 1,000 a month (monthly stipend, scientific majors) and SR 850 a month (monthly stipend, humanities majors).
The stipend compared across eight universities, with pay day and the IBAN steps, is in the student stipend guide.
Campus housing has its own page: the residence conditions, how to apply and the housing rules, on the KFU housing page.
Where else can you study the KFU majors?
If KFU does not admit you, the same majors appear at other universities on our list:
- Medicine: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), AlMaarefa University (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), IAU (Dammam), IMSIU (Riyadh), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), REU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), Sulaiman Alrajhi University (Al-Bukayriyah), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Pharmacy: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), AlMaarefa University (Riyadh), IAU (Dammam), Jazan University (Jazan), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), REU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Dentistry: IAU (Dammam), Jazan University (Jazan), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), REU (Riyadh), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UOH (Hail), Mustaqbal University (Buraidah) and UQU (Makkah)
- Public health: University of Bisha (Bisha), IAU (Dammam), Jazan University (Jazan), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), SEU (Riyadh), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Clinical nutrition: University of Bisha (Bisha), Jazan University (Jazan), KSU (Riyadh), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Nursing: AlMaarefa University (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), IAU (Dammam), IMSIU (Riyadh), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), REU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), Sulaiman Alrajhi University (Al-Bukayriyah), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Civil engineering: University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UBT (Jeddah), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail), Mustaqbal University (Buraidah), UPM (Madinah) and UQU (Makkah)
- Mechanical engineering: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KAUST (Thuwal), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UBT (Jeddah), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Electrical engineering: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KAUST (Thuwal), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UBT (Jeddah), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail), Mustaqbal University (Buraidah), UPM (Madinah) and UQU (Makkah)
- Chemical engineering: IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), KAU (Jeddah), KAUST (Thuwal), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin) and UOH (Hail)
- Computer science: AlMaarefa University (Riyadh), AOU (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), Dar Al-Hekma University (Jeddah), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KAUST (Thuwal), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), SEU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail), Mustaqbal University (Buraidah) and UQU (Makkah)
- Information systems: AlMaarefa University (Riyadh), AOU (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), Dar Al-Hekma University (Jeddah), IMSIU (Riyadh), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UBT (Jeddah), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail), UQU (Makkah) and Al Yamamah University (Riyadh)
- Mathematics: University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KAUST (Thuwal), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Physics: University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Chemistry: University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KAUST (Thuwal), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Biology: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KAUST (Thuwal), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Finance: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), AlMaarefa University (Riyadh), Dar Al-Hekma University (Jeddah), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), PMU (Khobar), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), SEU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), Sulaiman Alrajhi University (Al-Bukayriyah), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UBT (Jeddah), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail), Mustaqbal University (Buraidah), UPM (Madinah), UQU (Makkah) and Al Yamamah University (Riyadh)
- Business administration: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), IAU (Dammam), IMSIU (Riyadh), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), SEU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), Sulaiman Alrajhi University (Al-Bukayriyah), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail), Mustaqbal University (Buraidah), UPM (Madinah), UQU (Makkah) and Al Yamamah University (Riyadh)
- Supply chain management: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), AlMaarefa University (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), UJ (Jeddah), Majmaah University (Majmaah), PNU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), Taibah University (Madinah), UBT (Jeddah) and Mustaqbal University (Buraidah)
- Economics: IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Taif University (Taif) and UQU (Makkah)
- Accounting: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), AlMaarefa University (Riyadh), AOU (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KFUPM (Dhahran), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), SEU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), Sulaiman Alrajhi University (Al-Bukayriyah), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UBT (Jeddah), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail), Mustaqbal University (Buraidah), UPM (Madinah), UQU (Makkah) and Al Yamamah University (Riyadh)
- Law: Alfaisal University (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), Dar Al-Hekma University (Jeddah), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KAU (Jeddah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PMU (Khobar), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), SEU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UBT (Jeddah), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), Mustaqbal University (Buraidah), UQU (Makkah) and Al Yamamah University (Riyadh)
- English language: AOU (Riyadh), University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Media and communication: University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), UJ (Jeddah), KAU (Jeddah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), SEU (Riyadh), Taibah University (Madinah), Taif University (Taif), UBT (Jeddah), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Tourism and hospitality: University of Bisha (Bisha), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), KAU (Jeddah), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Majmaah University (Majmaah), PNU (Riyadh), Shaqra University (Shaqra), Taibah University (Madinah), UBT (Jeddah), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Social work: IMSIU (Riyadh), KSU (Riyadh), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
- Sharia: University of Bisha (Bisha), IMSIU (Riyadh), Islamic University of Madinah (Madinah), Jazan University (Jazan), UJ (Jeddah), Jouf University (Sakaka), KKU (Abha), KSU (Riyadh), Najran University (Najran), PNU (Riyadh), QU (Buraidah), Shaqra University (Shaqra), UT (Tabuk), Taif University (Taif), UHB (Hafar Al-Batin), UOH (Hail) and UQU (Makkah)
Which fee mistakes do students make at King Faisal University?
- Missing this rule: An excellence award of SAR 1,000 goes to bachelor students with a semester GPA of 4.5 or more in two semesters of the same year.5
- Missing this rule: The stipend stops for a student on academic warning and is not paid back; a postponed semester is not paid but is compensated later.5
- Missing this rule: New students must enter their bank details in Banner within one month, using a current account in their own name.5
Where does the KFU information on this page come from?
Every figure and name on this page was copied by hand from official pages. These are the sources we used,:
- services.kfu.edu.sa
- kfu.edu.sa
Before you apply, read the unified admission guide and the university transfer guide.