Qassim University
جامعة القصيم
The public university of Saudi Arabia's farming heartland, with free housing for international scholarship students.
- Founded
- 2004
- QS World Ranking
- 781-790
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Suburban
- Main campus of about 7.8 million square metres (Study in Saudi)
About QU
Qassim University was created by royal order in the 1423/1424 AH academic year (the Study in Saudi platform gives 2004 as its founding year) by bringing together seven colleges that had been branches of Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University and King Saud University in the Qassim region; some of those colleges had taken students since 1401 AH (1981). It later absorbed the region's colleges of education and four health colleges, and a 2024 restructuring merged its colleges into 17.
Today the university reports more than 66,000 students from over 80 nationalities and 3,305 faculty members. Its main campus, University City in Al-Mulaida, lies about 15 km west of Buraydah beside the region's airport, and branch colleges operate in towns such as Unaizah and Ar Rass. Colleges cover Sharia, Languages and Humanities, Business and Economics, Education, Arts and Design, Science, Computer, Engineering, Architecture and Planning, Agriculture and Food, Veterinary Medicine and five health colleges, supported by a university medical city and a veterinary hospital.
International undergraduates are admitted through the Ministry of Education's Study in Saudi platform onto scholarship places, most of them taught in Arabic (Computer Science, Engineering, Architecture, Interior Design and Veterinary Medicine are listed as Arabic and English). It suits students with good Arabic who want a quieter, provincial setting and practical support, since the university says housing is free for international scholarship students.
Why students choose QU
International scholarship students live in university housing free of charge, according to the student housing office, which reports more than 1,000 scholarship residents.
Bachelor's scholarship places listed on Study in Saudi include a tuition waiver, a monthly stipend and travel tickets.
A dedicated College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture and Food sit in Al-Qassim, a region the university describes as the Kingdom's agricultural heartland.
The university runs 20 central student clubs, from robotics and cybersecurity to theatre and translation.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (academic year 1449 AH)
Selectivity
Qassim does not publish an acceptance rate. Saudi applicants are ranked on a composite score through the national Unified Admission Platform; international applicants compete for a limited number of scholarship places per programme on Study in Saudi.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school certificate | High school diploma or equivalent, accredited in the country where it was earned; science programmes require the scientific track |
|---|---|
| International scholarship applicants (Study in Saudi) | Pass the university's Arabic language test and a personal interview; scientific-track certificate for science and agriculture programmes |
Deadlines
No 2027-28 dates were published on the pages checked in September 2026. Unified Admission Platform dates are announced each year, and international programmes open on Study in Saudi, so check both regularly.
How to apply
International applicants apply online through the Ministry of Education's Study in Saudi platform (studyinsaudi.sa), which Qassim's international admissions page names as its route for international students: create a profile, choose a Qassim programme, and upload your secondary certificate. Qassim reviews the application and sets an Arabic test and interview; the Ministry then completes final admission. Saudi applicants apply through the national Unified Admission Platform (uap.sa) on the announced dates.
What admissions looks for
- A recognised secondary school certificate, in the scientific track for science, agriculture and similar programmes.
- For international applicants, a pass in the university's Arabic language test and personal interview.
- For Saudi applicants, a competitive composite score built from school grades and national aptitude and achievement tests.
- Age limits for some colleges: applicants must be 25 or under for Sharia, Business and Economics, Engineering, Computer Science, Architecture and Planning and health programmes.
Tips for applying to QU
- 1 Work on your Arabic before applying: most bachelor's programmes listed for international students are taught in Arabic (a few, such as Computer Science and Engineering, in Arabic and English), and you must pass the university's Arabic test.
- 2 Check the gender listing: many programmes on Study in Saudi are offered separately to men and women, and some only to one.
- 3 If you want medicine, note that you must reach a 4.0 GPA in the foundation year to continue, and Saudi applicants must have finished school no more than a year earlier.
- 4 Ask about housing when you accept: international scholarship students live in university housing free, while others pay a semester fee and a refundable 500 SAR deposit.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in SAR
International students join bachelor's programmes on scholarship places through Study in Saudi, listed with a tuition waiver, a monthly stipend and travel tickets; accommodation is included in the men's listings checked, and the housing office states that international scholarship students live in university housing free of charge. Qassim does not publish paid bachelor's fees for international students.
- Free of charge
- University housing for international scholarship students
- 500 SAR, refundable on clearance
- Housing deposit (non-scholarship residents)
- 16 buildings, 2,900 students
- Housing capacity
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Sharia and Islamic Studies
Sharia, Islamic Studies and Law in the College of Sharia are all open to international men and women on scholarship places in Buraydah.
Arabic Language and Literature
Offered to international men and women on scholarship places in Buraydah.
Veterinary Medicine
A dedicated college backed by the University Veterinary Hospital on campus.
Agriculture and Food (including Food Science and Human Nutrition)
Taught in Al-Qassim, which the university describes as a leading source of the Kingdom's dates and vegetables; open to international applicants.
Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics
College of Science programmes open to international scholarship students.
Medicine
Trains doctors alongside the University Medical City, with a personal interview and a 4.0 foundation-year GPA required to continue.
Research
- The university lists 5 research centres, 12 scientific journals and 13,706 published research papers (1447 AH data).
- Two agricultural testing and research stations support its agriculture and food programmes.
- The University Medical City and University Veterinary Hospital provide clinical training; the university lists 300 clinics, 400 beds and 155 dental clinics.
Schools & faculties
- College of Sharia
- College of Languages and Humanities
- College of Business and Economics
- College of Education
- College of Arts and Design
- College of Science
- College of Computer
- College of Engineering
- College of Architecture and Planning
- College of Agriculture and Food
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- College of Medicine
Student life
Most international students live in the university's housing near the main campus: 16 buildings of 12 suites each, with bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms, plus sports halls, laundry, restaurants, a cafe, a grocery store and a mosque for 2,000 worshippers. Buses run students from housing into Buraydah three times a week. The Deanship of Student Affairs supervises 20 central clubs, including robotics, cybersecurity, theatre, media, languages and translation, and a student law society, and a Student Union represents students. The campus also has a driving school and the King Abdulaziz Conference Centre.
- 20 central student clubs, from the Robot Club to the Student Theater Club.
- Free university housing for international scholarship students, with over 1,000 scholarship residents.
- University buses to Buraydah three times a week.
- An on-campus driving school, medical city and veterinary hospital.
Housing. University housing (16 buildings, capacity 2,900) is free for international scholarship students; others pay a semester fee that depends on room type plus a 500 SAR refundable deposit.
Location
Al-Qassim sits on the Najd plateau in the centre of Saudi Arabia and is known for groundwater-fed farming, dates and vegetables; Buraydah is its capital, with a population of about 571,000 in 2022. The climate is hot desert, with very hot summers and mild winters. The region is linked to Riyadh, Madinah and Hail by expressways and rail, and Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport sits next to the main campus.
Nearest airport: Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Buraydah (ELQ)
Notable alumni
- OA Omar Al-MuqbilSaudi Islamic scholar and writer; alumnus of Qassim University and Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University
- AA Abdullah Al-OudaSaudi legal scholar; bachelor's in Islamic law from Qassim University
Frequently asked questions
How can international students apply to Qassim University?
Through the Ministry of Education's Study in Saudi platform (studyinsaudi.sa). Qassim reviews applications and requires international applicants to pass its Arabic language test and a personal interview.
Does Qassim University offer scholarships to international students?
Yes. Bachelor's places for international students on Study in Saudi are scholarship places with a tuition waiver, monthly stipend and travel tickets, and the housing office says international scholarship students live on campus free of charge.
What language are Qassim University courses taught in?
Mostly Arabic. Of the bachelor's programmes listed for international students on Study in Saudi, most (including English Language and Translation) are taught in Arabic, while Computer Science, Engineering, Architecture, Interior Design and Veterinary Medicine are listed as Arabic and English.
What is the admission score formula at Qassim University?
For Saudi applicants, most science, engineering and health majors use 30% secondary school, 30% General Aptitude Test and 40% Achievement Test; other majors for men use 50% school and 50% aptitude test.
Where is Qassim University?
Its main campus is in Al-Mulaida, about 15 km west of Buraydah in central Saudi Arabia, next to Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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