King Abdulaziz University

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 6 November 2026.

About King Abdulaziz University

King Abdulaziz University was established in 1967 as a private university by a group of businessmen led by Muhammad Bakhashab. In 1974 the Council of Ministers merged it with the government, which made it a public university.^[1] Its main campus is in south Jeddah.^[1]

Size figures differ by source. KAU’s homepage lists more than 100,000 students, students from 100 countries, 33 faculties and institutes and 419 programmes.^[2] Wikipedia gives 117,096 students for the 2022/23 session and counts 24 faculties, 15 of them on campus and 9 off campus.^[1] Treat both as orders of magnitude and ask KAU for current figures.

How is King Abdulaziz University ranked?

Saudi and regional press reports on the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published in June 2026) place King Abdulaziz University 200th in the world.^[3][7][8] Within Saudi Arabia, the same reports put King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals at 63rd and King Saud University at 107th.^[3]

Wikipedia lists KAU at 163rd in the QS edition of 2026.^[1] Compare the editions with care, because QS changes its method and the number of ranked institutions between years. QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access, so we rely on these press reports. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at King Abdulaziz University?

KAU’s homepage lists 419 programmes and names Medicine, Environmental Sciences, Applied Medical Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy, and Economics and Administration among its featured faculties.^[2] Wikipedia adds Law, Arts and Humanities, and Computing and Information Technology.^[1] The homepage also reports 30 research centres, more than 200 research groups and more than 11,000 postgraduate students.^[2]

Which programmes are open to international students depends on the route. The scholarship page speaks of scholarships in various fields at undergraduate and graduate level,^[4] and the undergraduate admission page links the fee-based programmes for non-Saudis separately.^[9] Check the programme list for your route before you apply.

How much does King Abdulaziz University cost for international students?

There are two routes, and they differ completely in cost.

• Scholarships: KAU says scholarships for international students typically cover tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses, and that the university provides support such as housing, health insurance and academic guidance.^[4] Its benefits page lists housing for scholarship students, health care for the student and his family, annual tickets for regular students and a travel-ticket compensation for new students, airport reception in Jeddah and reduced food prices. It does not give stipend amounts.^[10]
• Fee-based programmes: The undergraduate admission page lists “Admission of Non-Saudis with a Financial Fee” as a separate track.^[9] The page “Available Programs for Non-Saudi Admission (with Fees)” points to a downloadable admission guide for the fee-based programmes and does not show amounts itself.^[5]

We could not read fee amounts for the fee-based programmes, so we give none. Ask KAU’s admission office for the guide’s current figures, and note the academic year with every amount you receive. Residents of Saudi Arabia with a valid residence permit are covered by a separate rule: KAU’s general requirements page says full scholarships are offered to such students.^[11]

How do you apply to King Abdulaziz University?

KAU announced in September 2026 that non-Saudi students living inside or outside the Kingdom could apply for undergraduate and graduate programmes through the StudyInSaudi platform.^[6] The external-scholarship page of KAU leads to an “Admission Portal for External Scholarships” on the Study in Saudi portal.^[12] Fee-based applicants log in to the same kind of portal and use the “Admission Guide – Fee-Based Programs for Non-Saudi Applicants”.^[5]

We give no dates here, because they change every year. The windows are announced on KAU’s announcements page and on the platform. The pages we read do not state age limits, gender rules or required documents for international applicants, so confirm these with KAU before you plan your application.

Which language do you need for King Abdulaziz University?

The KAU pages we read do not state the language of instruction or an English or Arabic test score for international applicants. KAU’s general requirements page mentions an English-language requirement only for specialised and tuition-based executive graduate programmes, without details we could use.^[11] Ask the programme you are interested in which language it uses and which proof it accepts.

More about studying in Saudi Arabia

• Saudi Arabia: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Saudi Arabia

• Alfaisal University
• King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
• King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
• King Saud University