Khaberni - The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mohannad Al-Khatib, confirmed that 550 partial scholarships and loans will be allocated to each district of the kingdom, distributed as 250 loans and 150 scholarships for undergraduate students, and 150 partial scholarships for students in intermediate diploma levels in professional and applied specialties.
Al-Khatib said on Wednesday to the program "Voice of the Kingdom" that the total of these scholarships and loans will constitute 50% of the total number of scholarships and loans provided by the University Student Support Fund annually, with the remaining 50% to be distributed among the various 56 districts where not all the applying students were covered, based on population density and the number of students who met the criteria and were not nominated for scholarships or loans.
He explained that this mechanism is fairer for districts with larger population densities, as it will increase the number of students nominated for scholarships and loans, and will reduce the points required for students to be nominated to benefit from a scholarship or loan, while the mechanism will preserve the share of districts with a smaller population density which will not be negatively affected by applying the new system.
Al-Khatib pointed out that the opportunities for students in districts with high student density will see a significant increase due to the higher share of scholarships and loans, confirming that the implementation of the new system will begin from the academic year 2026-2027.
He emphasized that the new amendments will not affect the legal position of students who have previously applied for benefits from the fund, explaining that the purpose of the amendments is to institutionalize the distribution of scholarships and loans according to annual changes in student numbers.
Al-Khatib mentioned that these amendments come in response to the need to develop the social protection system for students and to direct support towards technical and professional specialties in alignment with labor market requirements and the economic modernization vision.
The Cabinet approved on April 26, 2026, the justifying reasons for a draft amendment to the system of the University Student Support Fund for the year 2026; with the aim of establishing a new and clear mechanism for distributing partial scholarships and loans across all districts of the kingdom, in a manner that ensures justice and equal opportunities among the benefiting students, taking into consideration the population density of each district.
