Saudi Arabia Study Abroad Market Overview, 2029

Located at the junction of cultural heritage and modern education, Saudi Arabia attracts international students by various academic streams ranging from state-of-the-art healthcare education and deep studies in Islamic theology to vibrant vocational training programs. Saudi Arabia is the land of origin of Islam and hosts some of the holiest sites in the Islamic world; therefore, it becomes a center for Islamic studies and studying the Arabic language. Some institutions, like Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University and Umm Al-Qura University, offer comprehensive programs in fields such as Islamic law, theology, Quranic studies, and Arabic language proficiency. Saudi Arabia offers a unique academic experience to international students who wish to have further exposure to a more rigorous presentation of the Islamic culture and theology, and for improving Arabic language skills. Technical and vocational education has been one possible path through which Saudi Arabia has had to deliver on its economic diversification objectives enshrined in its Vision 2030. The country has technical and vocational training institutes specializing in programs across the kingdom, such as engineering technology, automotive technology, hospitality management, and information technology. This has been coupled with an emphasis on practical skills development, industry certifications, and internships—qualities that will make the graduates very relevant in careers specific to high demand sectors within Saudi Arabia and the rest of the global world. The country has done much toward women's education and empowerment in the recent past. More and more women send their applications to join universities for higher education, and the female student community can be found in huge numbers in almost every discipline, including those considered to be the monopoly of men, such as engineering and law, or even business. Institutions like the world's biggest women's university, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, extend a friendly atmosphere for the girls to excel academically and participate in leadership and professional development programs. Saudi universities engage actively with both local and international industry partners willing to support strong educational outcomes and the effective placement of students in internship or apprenticeship arrangements. The partnerships provide opportunities for hands-on experience, access to industry best practice, and networking chances to maximize the ability to find employment post-graduation. Internship opportunities range across the industries of energy, petrochemicals, finance, and telecommunications, which are in line with Saudi Arabia's priorities in economic development and global market needs.

According to the research report, "Saudi Arabia Study Abroad Market Outlook, 2029," published by Bonafide Research, the Saudi Arabia Study Abroad market is anticipated to add to more than USD 1800 Million by 2024–29. The Saudi government is very supportive of higher education and has several policies enacted to enhance the quality of education, to elevate the ranking of universities, and to encourage international partnerships. Government scholarships, such as the Abdullah Scholarship Program, fund scholars from Saudi Arabia and other countries for education in Saudi Arabia are serving as a booster for the country's vision of becoming a regional education hub. Saudi Arabia offers quality healthcare education with specialized trainings in the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy. This entails advanced medical education and research activities in institutions such as King Saud University's College of Medicine and King Faisal University's College of Medicine. Advanced facilities and opportunities for clinical training within the Saudi Arabian modern healthcare system can accommodate international students' interests in healthcare professions. In entrepreneurship and innovations, Saudi universities support entrepreneurial education and the incubation of startup initiatives in keeping with Vision 2030. Through centers in entrepreneurship at universities, students are guided on developing business ideas, financing, and finally launching their startups. By establishing the Entrepreneurship Center within King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the Misk Innovation Center, students are nurtured and oriented to apply their academic knowledge for constructive solution-finding in the real world and toward fostering an innovation ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia emphasis is on lifelong learning and professional development. Its universities and vocational training institutes offer continuing education programs that enable working professionals to acquire updated skills, specialized certifications, or higher qualifications through part-time or online learning arrangements. The continuing education programs offered are relevant, as they are tailored to meet industry and labor market requirements, making their graduates relevant for changing job markets.

Based on the report, the Saudi Arabia Study Abroad market is categorized by education level which is segmented as undergraduate programs, postgraduate programs, high school programs, vocational and technical programs. Saudi Arabia offers a wide range of undergraduate programs in different disciplines in its universities and colleges. The typical duration of undergraduate education is four years, and programs in the fields of engineering, business administration, humanities, and social sciences are offered, among others, in the natural sciences and Islamic studies. Some of the major universities that offer undergraduate programs with academic and research rigors include King Saud University, King Abdulaziz University, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. Saudi postgraduate education is rapidly developing, with several programs offered at the master's and doctoral levels. Master's programs span a wide area, such as engineering, MBA, education, health sciences, and Islamic finance. Doctoral programs at the Ph.D. level are provided thereafter to enable students to advance and follow through with advanced research in specialized fields, hence advancing Saudi Arabia's knowledge economy and enhancing its research capabilities. In terms of graduate education and research, and global partnership, an example includes KAUST. High school education is patterned according to the national curriculum dictated by the Ministry of Education. Generally, Saudi students complete their secondary studies within three years and consequently graduate with a General Secondary Education Certificate, popularly known as Tawjihi. High schools in Saudi Arabia prepare young people for university entrance examinations and provide vacancies in higher education programs both in Saudi Arabia and foreign countries. The programs emphasize the acquisition of working skills and certification in specialized careers. With courses being offered by technical colleges, vocational training institutes, and specialized centers, they are spread all over the kingdom. Some of the vocational areas include automotive technology, electrical engineering, hospitality management, culinary arts, information technology, and health care services. Most of these programs incorporate internships or apprenticeships, which are conducted to foster practical learning and job readiness.


Based on the report, the Saudi Arabiastudy abroad program type is segmented as direct enrollment programs, exchange programs, third-party provider programs, internships and work-study programs, short-term programs. Direct enrollment programs allow international students to enroll directly in universities and institutions in Saudi Arabia in full-time academic programs. These are programs that provide education, housed inside Saudi Arabia's cultural and academic setting. For instance, international students can directly enroll for undergraduate or graduate studies at King Saud University in Riyadh. This is known for its comprehensive range of disciplines and a package of options available for research. These exchange programs provide a way through which Saudi Arabian universities can send and receive students and faculty from international partner institutions. These are generally reciprocal agreements that involve students from the partner universities coming to Saudi Arabia for studies in one semester or the whole academic year. Saudi Arabian universities include King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, which has exchange programs with several global universities that enhance cooperation in academics and cultural exchange between the two countries. Third-party provider programs are run by private companies or organizations that do study abroad programming. One example is programs provided by Study in Saudi Arabia, a company that partners with local Saudi universities to provide quality, customized study abroad experiences. This includes a language learning component, cultural excursions, and academic credits. Internships and work studies in Saudi Arabia give an opportunity for international students to engage in practical work related to the courses they are pursuing. Normally, the arrangement is made via college career centers or through an industry partnership that places students for them to engage learned material around a real environment. Examples of areas offering internships can relate to oil and gas, finance, hospitality, and technology—sectors whose experience will pay off both professionally and culturally on the part of students. These short-term study abroad programs in Saudi Arabia combine to deliver an intensive academic or cultural experience in a relatively very short and compact period—usually a few weeks to a few months. Such programs could be thematically oriented toward Arabic language immersion, Islamic Studies, or Cultural discovery. An example is the Prince Sultan University Islamic Finance and Banking Summer School, which provides international students with insights into principles and practices, including workshops and industrial visits.

Considered in this report
• Historic year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029



Aspects covered in this report
• Study Abroad market Outlook with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Education Level
• Undergraduate Programs
• Postgraduate Programs
• High School Programs
• Vocational and Technical Programs

By Program Type
• Direct Enrolment Programs
• Exchange Programs
• Third-Party Provider Programs
• Internships and Work-Study Programs
• Short-Term Programs

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary and secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and list the companies that are present in it. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual reports of companies, and government-generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources, primary research was conducted by conducting telephone interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducting trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this; we have started making primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting them in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us, we can start verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations, and organizations related to the Study Abroad industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing and presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.