Dar Al-Hekma University

About Dar Al-Hekma University

Dar Al-Hekma combines the scale of an independent Jeddah university with a professionally oriented selection of bachelor's and master's programs. It originated as Dar Al-Hekma College, admitted its first students in September 1999, and became a university in 2014. The official licensing record states that the Ministry of Education authorizes it to operate and grant degrees. Its unconditional institutional accreditation from the National Center for Academic Accreditation and Assessment covers 2024–2031. The university was established as a nonprofit project of Al-Elm Foundation and remains a private nonprofit institution. It was founded around women's education, a distinction that still shapes its identity. Access has broadened over time: graduate programs began accepting men in 2019, and the university reports that selected bachelor's programs opened to men in 2023. Prospective male students should confirm current availability at the program level. Teaching is organized into the School of Business and Law, School of Engineering, Computing and Design, and School of Education, Health and Behavioral Sciences. The official history describes a 25,000-square-metre integrated campus with classrooms, computer and science laboratories, offices, and a library. This compact structure may suit students seeking a focused campus environment rather than a large, dispersed university. Dar Al-Hekma's official materials consistently emphasize professional preparation, applied projects, community engagement, and leadership development, but applicants should evaluate the curriculum and professional recognition of their intended degree individually.

Bachelor's admission is competitive and program-specific. Most listed programs require at least 80% in the secondary-school certificate, while architecture lists 85%. Conditional consideration may be possible in some cases. Applicants educated outside the Saudi secondary system must provide the required Saudi equivalency, cultural-mission authentication, or Apostille documentation, depending on their circumstances. The university accepts applicants of all nationalities. Undergraduate applicants normally demonstrate English through the university's English Skills Test or an accepted equivalent. For direct entry to most majors, the published thresholds are TOEFL iBT 61 or IELTS 5.5; computer science and cybersecurity list TOEFL iBT 32 or IELTS 4. Applicants below the stated level may be referred to the Language Center. Law applicants need Arabic and English proficiency, science-track schooling is required for computer science and cybersecurity, and some programs require a mathematics test or interview. Master's applicants generally need an appropriate recognized bachelor's degree, with specific academic backgrounds required for some programs. The general published benchmark is a 3.75/5 undergraduate GPA, though conditional admission may be considered. English thresholds vary by master's program, and proof is waived for the Arabic versions of Educational Leadership and the MBA. Applications are submitted online with documents, followed by applicable tests or interviews. The current undergraduate application fee is SAR 1,500 including VAT. An offer is confirmed through a SAR 13,500 down payment, including a SAR 5,000 non-refundable registration fee. Applicants should confirm current dates directly because no reliable 2026–27 closing deadline was established.

Dar Al-Hekma awards bachelor's and master's degrees through three academic schools. Current undergraduate listings include banking and finance, marketing, law, diplomacy and international relations, architecture, interior design, visual communication, computer science, cybersecurity, information systems, psychology, and speech, language and hearing sciences. Several subjects offer specialized tracks, including areas within finance, marketing, computer science, cybersecurity, law, diplomacy, and visual communication. Master's options listed by the university include business administration, international relations, commercial law, educational leadership, architecture, information systems, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. The live admissions pages should be treated as the best guide to current availability because different official program pages are not fully synchronized. No current doctoral program was found, so prospective graduate students should not rely on the database's stored PhD designation. Language varies by course and program. The university says its original degree programs used English, while current materials identify Arabic and English versions of the MBA, an Arabic Educational Leadership master's, and bilingual requirements for commercial law. Undergraduate law requires proficiency in both Arabic and English. Applicants should therefore verify the teaching and assessment language for the exact program and track they intend to enter. Program-specific preparation matters. Undergraduate computer science and cybersecurity require a science-track secondary background, architecture applicants from a literary track must pass a mathematics placement test, and speech, language and hearing sciences applicants face an interview. These distinctions make program-level admissions and curriculum review essential.

Key Highlights

• Private nonprofit university licensed by the Saudi Ministry of Education to operate and grant degrees
• Institutional accreditation from NCAAA is valid for 2024–2031
• Admitted its first students in 1999 and gained university status in 2014
• Selected bachelor's programs and graduate study are open to men

Student Life & Environment

Student life is structured around first-year programming, clubs and committees, extracurricular activities, sports and fitness, community service, and academic support. The university describes recurring activities such as a clubs fair, student council elections, a career fair, volunteer events, cultural occasions, workshops, trips, and sports tournaments. These offerings indicate a campus-based student experience with organized opportunities beyond coursework. Academic Support and Wellness Services provides study-skills coaching, assistance for learning difficulties, psychological counseling, basic medical and first-aid services, health awareness, and referrals when needed. Students with disabilities may apply, and the admissions office refers relevant cases to the Health Center. Applicants who need accommodations should discuss their circumstances directly with the university before enrollment to establish what support can be provided. Career preparation begins while students are enrolled. The Career Development Office offers interest assessment, individual career counseling, résumé and interview support, career-planning workshops, an annual career fair, and a student employment program with hourly campus roles. These services can help students explore majors, seek internships or employment, and build practical job-search skills. The reviewed official pages did not establish university-managed housing, so students who require accommodation should ask admissions about current options and commuting implications before committing.

Location & Surroundings

Dar Al-Hekma is located at 6702 Prince Majed Street in the Al-Faiha district of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Jeddah is a major Red Sea city and commercial center, so students can study within a large urban economy rather than an isolated university town. That context is relevant to programs connected with business, law, design, technology, health services, and international affairs, although the university does not promise any particular internship or employment outcome. The university describes an integrated 25,000-square-metre campus containing teaching rooms, computer and science laboratories, administrative and faculty offices, and a library. Prospective students should assess travel time from their intended accommodation and ask the university about access arrangements, especially if they will not drive. No current official housing page or verified residence inventory was found during this review. International and non-Saudi applicants should therefore clarify housing, transport, immigration documentation, health coverage, and arrival arrangements directly with admissions before paying non-refundable fees.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For students newly admitted in 2026–27, undergraduate regular tuition is generally charged by credit. The published standard rate is SAR 2,700 per credit for several listed programs, with higher regular pricing for architecture. The university also publishes lower educational-support and 40% scholarship rates, but eligibility should be confirmed rather than assumed. Total listed Saudi-student tuition varies by program and required credits; examples range from SAR 334,800 for Marketing to SAR 396,900 for Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences before separate semester charges. Non-Saudi totals include 15% VAT. Additional educational fees differ by school. The 2026–27 page lists SAR 2,300 per semester for Business and Law and SAR 2,875 for Engineering, Computing and Design and for Education, Health and Behavioral Sciences. Master's pricing also varies: regular tuition is commonly SAR 3,400 or SAR 4,050 per credit on the current table, with a SAR 1,725 semester educational fee. Applicants should use the exact program row and ask for a personalized calculation, since total cost depends on credits, support or scholarship status, VAT, and additional fees. Housing and living costs were not verified. The Career Development Office provides individual coaching, career-interest assessment, résumé and interview preparation, employer engagement, an annual career fair, and an hourly student employment program. These are useful career-building resources, but no independently verified salary or placement outcome is presented here.