Key takeaways
- Change for a scholarship student doesn’t start with travel; it starts with earlier administrative stages: choosing a pathway, applying via Safeer, and preparing language and financial proof
- The English language requirement for the Australian student visa rose from IELTS 5.5 to 6.0, effective 23 March 2024
- The eligibility criterion shifted from Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) to Genuine Student on the same date
- From 1 January 2025, Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) – not the offer letter – must be attached when applying for a visa from within Australia
- There is no recent, unified official figure for the current number of Saudi scholarship students in Australia; verification should go through the Cultural Attaché directly
- Years of English language preparation are not covered under the scholarship for English-speaking destinations such as Australia
In this article
- What is the #HearItFromAScholar series?
- What actually changes from the decision to the first semester?
- What has changed in scholarship and visa requirements over the past two years?
- How many Saudi scholarship students are currently in Australia?
- How do you prepare for this transition before you travel?
- How does an admissions office like KD help with this transition?
- What about family and children?
Every episode of the #HearItFromAScholar series tries to answer one question: what changes in a student from the moment of decision to the first semester? The short answer is that change doesn’t start on the plane. It starts with the administrative and academic steps every scholarship student goes through: choosing a pathway, meeting the language requirement, proving they are a "Genuine Student" to Australian authorities, and then managing daily life independently after arrival.
What is the #HearItFromAScholar series?
It’s a series published by KD International on its official account, featuring students who talk about their scholarship experience. One post on the official account read: "Our students… talk about their scholarship experience with KD 😎" KD International on X. The full episodes are published on the company’s own channels, so if you want to hear the details exactly as the students told them, the right source is the @kdiaus account, not a written summary.
What we can confirm here is the general framework: the change that nearly every scholarship student goes through, confirmed by the official rules every student must follow, regardless of their personal story.
What actually changes from the decision to the first semester?
Three stages repeat in almost every scholarship journey, regardless of major or city.
Before applying: choosing the pathway and the platform
The first real decision a scholarship student makes is choosing the right pathway from among the four tracks of the King Salman Scholarship Program ("برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث"): Al-Ruwad, Research and Development, Imdad, and Waed Saudi Ministry of Education. This is submitted exclusively through the Safeer electronic platform (منصة سفير) run by the Ministry of Education; no paper or email applications are accepted. This is where the first observation many scholars share comes in: dealing with organised official bureaucracy demands a discipline students aren’t used to during their undergraduate years. You can read more about this stage in Safeer Scholarship Application Stages 2: From Review to Financial Guarantee and in Saudi Scholarship Programs: A Complete Guide to All Pathways.
During preparation: language, financial requirements, and the "Genuine Student"
Most scholarship students describe this stage as the hardest psychologically. According to the official FAQ of the scholarship program – as cited in a non-government guide summarising the Ministry’s content, not a direct link to its site – the scholarship does not cover years of English language preparation for English-speaking destinations like Australia. This means the student bears this effort alone before being officially accepted. To view the official FAQ directly, check the Ministry of Education’s scholarship program page. On the Australian side, the student must prove they are a "Genuine Student" instead of the previous "Genuine Temporary Entrant" (GTE) requirement — an official shift that took effect on 23 March 2024. Writing this statement forces the student to articulate their study goal clearly for the first time, and many describe this as a turning point in itself. For details on how to answer this requirement, see The Genuine Student Requirement for Australia’s Student Visa: How to Answer It.
After arrival: daily independence
From day one in Australia, entirely new administrative obligations begin: notifying the education provider of the residential address within 7 days of arrival, a condition of the student visa subclass 500 Study Australia, and managing a bank account, housing, and health insurance independently without family support. This is why many scholarship students describe the first semester as a "school of life" more than an academic school.
What has changed in scholarship and visa requirements over the past two years?
The table below summarises the key official changes to the student visa subclass 500 that have directly affected every recent scholarship student’s experience:
| Change | Previous status | Current status |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum IELTS score | 5.5 | 6.0, effective 23 March 2024 |
| Eligibility criterion | Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) | Genuine Student, effective 23 March 2024 |
| Proof of enrolment when applying from within Australia | Offer letter sufficient | Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) mandatory, effective 1 January 2025 |
| Visa application fee | AUD 2,000 per application | AUD 2,500 per application, effective 1 July 2026 Study Australia |
All these changes explain part of the difference between the experience of a scholarship student who applied before 2024 and one applying today. The pathway has become stricter in terms of language and financial requirements, which raises the level of seriousness and preparation needed before travel. For more details on these shifts, see Australian Student Visa Changes Since 2024: Bans, Fees, and Financial Proof.
How many Saudi scholarship students are currently in Australia?
There is no unified, recent official figure for the current number of Saudi scholarship students in Australia. The closest documented figure is from a table published around 2013 by the Ministry of Higher Education, as part of the eighth phase of the King Salman Scholarship Program (which opened registration in 2012), indicating around 8,789 scholarship students in Australia. This figure is over 13 years old and does not represent any recent period, let alone today’s actual numbers. If you’re looking for an accurate, up-to-date figure, check directly with the Saudi Cultural Attaché (SACM) in Australia, the body responsible for managing ongoing scholarship affairs in coordination with the Safeer platform.
How do you prepare for this transition before you travel?
- Identify the right pathway for you among the four scholarship tracks, and review each pathway’s requirements before applying through the Safeer platform.
- Start improving your English early; years of language preparation are not covered by the scholarship for English-speaking destinations.
- Write your response to the Genuine Student requirement clearly and precisely, as it is now a core factor in the visa decision.
- Prepare your financial proof early, in line with the increased visa fees and current requirements.
- Enrol in the online orientation programme offered by the Scholarship Services Centre for those heading to Australia.
- Arrange your initial address in Australia in advance, since notifying the university of your address is required within 7 days of arrival.
How does an admissions office like KD help with this transition?
This is exactly the role KD International describes itself as playing: accompanying the student from choosing a major and university through to settling in Australia. The company describes itself as a network of over 6,500 students whose academic journeys it has transformed and accelerated KD International, with offices in Riyadh and Sydney. It offers free admissions services to those wishing to enrol in scholarship-eligible majors at Ministry-approved universities, alongside visa guidance and help with accommodation and NAATI-certified translation. We help you understand and organise these steps at this stage, but the final admission decision always rests with the university and the relevant official authorities. If you want to understand how an admissions office works from the inside and exactly what it offers you, we covered that in Why KD International: How a Study Admissions Office Works and What It Offers You.
What about family and children?
One change rarely mentioned but very real: formal education following the Saudi curriculum is not available inside Australia. This leads scholarship students’ children to enrol with Al Haramain Academy in Jakarta or Saudi schools in Kuala Lumpur, depending on the Australian city where the family resides Saudi Cultural Attaché in Australia. On the other hand, student clubs organise regular classes to teach scholarship students’ children the Holy Qur’an and Arabic language with the help of volunteers Saudi Cultural Attaché in Australia — a small detail, but one that explains part of the cohesion many scholarship students feel within the Saudi community there.
If you’re planning your next step and want to start from where others left off, begin with one move: review the pathway that suits you in The Difference Between Scholarship Pathways, then submit your details via the registration form to get a consultation and find out exactly where you stand.
Frequently asked questions
It’s a series published by KD International on its official account, featuring students who talk about their scholarship experience in Australia. The full texts are published on the company’s official channels.
It’s usually the shift from relying on family to managing daily life independently: housing, bank accounts, and administrative duties such as notifying the university of your address within 7 days of arrival.
Yes. The minimum IELTS score rose from 5.5 to 6.0, and the eligibility criterion shifted to "Genuine Student", both effective 23 March 2024. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) also became mandatory from 1 January 2025.
No. According to the official FAQ of the King Salman Scholarship Program, years of language preparation are not covered for English-speaking destinations such as Australia, the US, and the UK.
There is no recent, unified official figure. The closest documented number is around 8,789 scholarship students, from a Ministry of Higher Education table for the eighth phase of the programme, but this dates back to an earlier period. It’s best to verify the current number with the Cultural Attaché.
KD International offers free educational consultations and university admissions for those enrolling in scholarship-eligible majors at approved universities, alongside visa guidance and help with accommodation and certified translation.
Official sources
- برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث — وزارة التعليم السعودية
- Student visa subclass 500 guide — Study Australia – الحكومة الأسترالية
- أبناء المبتعثين في أستراليا — الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا
- KD International — KD International
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Last updated: 15 September 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.
