Special Program Launch To Admit Syrians Into Saudi Universities

Syrian students

A special program has been launched to enroll students from Syria at Saudi universities as a humanitarian gesture.

A special committee for student grants set up by the Council of Ministers will determine the regulations for enrollment of Syrian students, including girls, a local daily reported Monday.

“The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program has been set up to enroll Syrian students at Saudi universities in view of the tragic state of the country,” a source said.

Official approval has been granted to Syrian students who cannot continue their university education due to the worsening situation in their country.

The proposal to set up the committee was put forward by the Higher Education Ministry to benefit Syrians who have sought shelter in the Kingdom.

“The period of enrollment in any of the 25 universities in the Kingdom will be for one academic year but could be extended,” the source said, adding that the Higher Education Ministry put forward the suggestion following requests from members of the Union of Free Syrian Students.

The move is also part of the Kingdom’s efforts to support the Syrian people, who are living in constant fear under a regime that routinely uses globally banned substances to terrorize its people, the source said.

All 25 universities have been issued with orders to increase seats for various programs to accommodate Syrian students.

The crisis in Syria has created an academic emergency with the breakdown of the education system, particularly higher education, in the country and students and scholars who are studying or teaching inside and outside Syria are facing major obstacles.

A recent posting on a website of the Union of Free Syrian Students said that an organization called Syrian Social Gathering would accept applications from Syrian students wishing to enroll for higher education at foreign universities. The union will arrange stipends for Syrian students and also help to process their official documents for admissions into universities and facilitate their stay in those countries.