Key takeaways
- The first rule in any country is that the university is approved by the Ministry of Education and meets the track’s ranking rule: top 30 for the Pioneers track and top 200 for the Emdad and Research and Development tracks.
- An Australian PhD takes 3 to 4 years and UK studentships are usually funded for 3 to 4 years, while US PhDs combine coursework and research and run longer.
- Student visa fees are from AUD 2,500 in Australia and GBP 558 in the UK; the US SEVIS fee is USD 350.
- Work during study: 48 hours a fortnight in Australia with no cap for research students, 20 hours a week in the UK, and 20 hours on campus in the US.
- After graduation: the Australian 485 visa usually runs 2 to 3 years, the UK Graduate visa drops to 18 months from 1 January 2027, and US OPT gives 12 months plus a 24-month STEM extension.
In this article
There is no best destination for everyone, but there is a best fit for you. Australia offers research degrees with clear timelines, no work-hour cap for research students, and a two- to three-year graduate visa. The United Kingdom offers the shortest route to a degree and the shortest flight from Riyadh. The United States offers the widest academic market and the longest journey. This guide puts the official figures side by side so a Saudi scholarship student can decide.
What does the Saudi Ministry of Education accept in each country?
Before any comparison, the university must be on the Ministry of Education’s list of approved universities and its ranking must meet the rule of the track you are applying to. Under the King Salman Scholarship Program (برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث), the Pioneers track (مسار الرواد) requires an institution in the top 30, the Emdad track (مسار إمداد) the top 200, and the Research and Development track the top 200 for doctorates, according to the Ministry’s conditions page (as at 14 September 2026). All three countries are scholarship destinations; Australia alone has 20 approved universities across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and other cities, according to the program’s Australia page (as at 14 September 2026).
Details of every track are in our guide to Saudi scholarship programs and tracks, and the Pioneers track specifically in our Pioneers track article.
How long does the degree take in each country?
| Degree | Australia | United Kingdom | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor | 3 to 5 years depending on structure, per Study Australia | Degree-level study permits a stay of up to 5 years, per | Check the program length on the university website |
| Master’s | 1 to 2 years, per Study Australia | Check the program length on the university website | Combines coursework and research, per |
| PhD | 3 to 4 years, per Study Australia | Full-time studentship funding usually 3 to 4 years, per | Combines coursework and research, so usually longer, per |
All figures as at 14 September 2026. The essential difference: Australian and British PhDs are research from day one, while American PhDs begin with years of coursework before the dissertation. If you want the shortest route to a doctorate, Australia and the UK are close; if you want broad academic training before research, the US.
What does the visa cost and require?
| Item | Australia | United Kingdom | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa fee | From AUD 2,500 since 1 July 2026, per Study Australia | GBP 558, per | SEVIS fee USD 350 for F-1 students, per; check the visa application fee with the US Department of State |
| Health cover | OSHC mandatory for the whole stay, per Study Australia | GBP 776 a year for students, per | Insurance set by the university; check with the university |
| Proof of living funds | AUD 29,710 for the student for 12 months, plus AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 per child, per Department of Home Affairs (updated 1 July 2026) | GBP 1,529 a month in London or GBP 1,171 elsewhere for up to 9 months, per | Check the university’s requirements and Form I-20 |
| Published decision time | Varies; applications lodged from 14 November 2025 are processed under Ministerial Direction 115, per Department of Home Affairs | 3 weeks from outside the UK, per | Depends on the embassy interview date |
All figures as at 14 September 2026. A Saudi scholarship student presents the financial guarantee from the sponsoring body rather than bank statements; in Australia, evidence of funds may come from scholarships or similar financial support, per the same page. Australia’s Genuine Student requirement is covered separately in our step-by-step process.
Can you work during and after study?
During study
- Australia: up to 48 hours a fortnight while the course is in session, with no limit for research master’s and doctoral students and their families, per Department of Home Affairs (updated 1 July 2026).
- United Kingdom: up to 20 hours a week in term time at degree level and above, with research students treated as in term time all year except on approved leave, per (as at 14 September 2026).
- United States: on-campus work up to 20 hours a week while school is in session, per (as at 14 September 2026).
Remember that the scholarship rules have their own conditions on work regardless of what the visa allows; check with the Cultural Mission first.
After graduation
- Australia: the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) usually runs 2 to 3 years depending on qualification, per Department of Home Affairs (updated 8 September 2026).
- United Kingdom: the Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, 18 months from 1 January 2027, and 3 years for PhD holders, for a fee of GBP 937, per.
- United States: Optional Practical Training (OPT) up to 12 months, with a 24-month extension for STEM fields, per (as at 14 September 2026).
This matters if you want work experience before returning: Australia and the UK give a fixed period after the degree, the US ties it to the field.
What about climate, distance and daily life?
Distance is a real factor that never shows in tables. The UK is closest to Saudi Arabia; the US and Australia are further. Australia sits in the southern hemisphere, so its seasons are reversed: summer in December and January, winter in June and July. If you like warmth and outdoor life, cities such as Brisbane, Perth and Sydney suit you; if you want short trips home in brief holidays, the UK is easier.
On the other side, the Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia is based in Canberra, per the Ministry’s Australia page (as at 14 September 2026), and Saudi students there find a community, graduation ceremonies and events in the major cities; KD International has held graduation ceremonies for scholarship students in Newcastle, Melbourne and Sydney.
Where do the universities rank?
Nine Australian universities made the QS World University Rankings 2027 top 100, per Study Australia on 22 June 2026, led by UNSW Sydney at 19, then Melbourne 22, Sydney 28, ANU 29, Monash 31 and Queensland 40, per ABC News on 18 June 2026. That means six Australian universities meet or sit close to the top-30 rule of the Pioneers track, and most approved universities meet the top-200 rule of the Emdad and Research and Development tracks. The UK and the US have universities at the very top too; what matters is that your specific program sits in a university that meets your track’s rule.
How do you decide?
- Start with the track: fix your scholarship track and field, then pull the list of approved universities that meet the ranking rule.
- Compare degree length: for the shortest PhD, Australia and the UK; for coursework before research, the US.
- Add up the full cost: visa fee, health cover and proof of funds, then tuition from the university website.
- Decide what you want after the degree: a fixed period of work experience, or a direct return.
- Weigh distance, climate and family, especially if dependants are coming with you.
Summary
Australia suits students who want a research degree with a clear timeline, flexible work for research students, a post-study pathway and many universities in the top 100. The UK suits those who want the shortest duration and the shortest distance. The US suits those who want the broadest academic training and do not mind a longer stay. KD International focuses on Australia, describes itself as the leading intermediary between Saudi students and Australian universities, and offers its admission service free to students enrolling in scholarship-program fields at universities approved by the Ministry of Education. The practical step: register your application with your track and field, or contact us to compare the universities that meet your track’s rule.
Frequently asked questions
There is no single answer. Australia suits students who want a research degree with a clear timeline, flexible work and a post-study pathway; the UK suits those who want the shortest duration and distance; the US suits those who want broad academic training and accept a longer stay. Start from your track’s ranking rule.
The UK Student visa costs GBP 558 plus a GBP 776 annual health surcharge; the Australian student visa is from AUD 2,500 plus mandatory OSHC. Compare the full cost including tuition and living expenses, not the visa fee alone.
In Australia, 3 to 4 years according to Study Australia; in the UK, studentships are usually funded for 3 to 4 years according to UKRI; in the US, the PhD combines coursework and research and usually takes longer.
The visa allows it: 48 hours a fortnight in Australia with no cap for research students, 20 hours a week in the UK, and 20 hours on campus in the US. The scholarship rules have their own conditions, so check with the Cultural Mission first.
Australia: the Temporary Graduate visa (485) usually 2 to 3 years. UK: 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, then 18 months, and 3 years for PhD holders. US: OPT up to 12 months with a 24-month STEM extension.
Twenty, according to the Australia page of the King Salman Scholarship Program as at September 2026, spread across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and other cities. The list changes, so check it before applying.
Official sources
- الشروط: برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث — وزارة التعليم
- أستراليا: قائمة دول الابتعاث — وزارة التعليم
- Subclass 500 Student visa — Department of Home Affairs
- Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream — Department of Home Affairs
- Student visa (subclass 500) — Study Australia
- Postgraduate qualifications — Study Australia
- Undergraduate qualifications — Study Australia
Ready to start?
KD International helps you choose a university, prepare your admission and visa file, and answers your questions about Saudi scholarships and studying in Australia. Apply now or message us on WhatsApp.
Last updated: 14 September 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.
