--- url: 'https://kdinternational.com.au/saudi-scholarship-history-king-salman-scholarship-program/' title: 'Saudi Scholarship History: First Mission to King Salman Program' author: name: هند العمري url: 'https://kdinternational.com.au/author/hind-alamri/' date: '2026-10-06T10:00:00+00:00' modified: '2026-10-06T10:02:08+00:00' type: post summary: 'The history of Saudi scholarships: from 14 students sent to Egypt to the King Salman Scholarship Program''s four tracks, and Australia''s place in it.' categories: - Saudi scholarships tags: - Arruaad track - King Salman Scholarship Program - Ministry of Education - scholarship history image: 'https://kdinternational.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/kd-49-en-art-1.png' published: true --- # Saudi Scholarship History: First Mission to King Salman Program *[اقرأ هذا المقال بالعربية](https://kdinternational.com.au/ar/?p=2681)* ### Key takeaways - The first official Saudi mission abroad went to Egypt with 14 students; Al-Watan dates it to 1346 AH / 1927 CE while the Ministry page gives 1354 AH. - The first Saudi cohort graduated from US universities in 1952 — only 9 students — and by 1981 the Houston office alone supervised more than 11,000. - Royal Order No. 5387/M B launched the King Salman Scholarship Program on 26 May 2005. - The Ministry site now lists four tracks — Arruaad, Emdad, Research and Development, and Waaed — each with a different institution scope. - Australia has been an approved destination since the programme’s early years, with 20 Australian institutions on the Ministry’s list. ### In this article - [When was the first Saudi study mission abroad?](#s-1) - [How did Saudi scholarships evolve before 2005?](#s-2) - [When did the King Salman Scholarship Program launch?](#s-3) - [What does the programme look like today?](#s-4) - [What has changed in the conditions over time?](#s-5) - [Where does Australia sit among scholarship destinations?](#s-6) - [In short](#s-7) Saudi scholarships began with one mission of 14 students to Egypt, and grew into a programme supervising tens of thousands in more than 30 countries. This article traces that road to today’s King Salman Scholarship Program (برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث الخارجي) and its four tracks, and shows where Australia sits. ## When was the first Saudi study mission abroad? The first official Saudi mission went to Egypt with 14 students, according to the [Ministry of Education](https://www.moe.gov.sa/ar/mediacenter/MOEnews/Pages/hj-1441-65.aspx) (article dated 22/01/1441 AH). Saudi daily [Al-Watan](https://www.alwatan.com.sa/article/1087102) (16 September 2021) gives the same number and dates the mission to 1346 AH / 1927 CE, while the Ministry page gives 1354 AH. If you need the figure exactly as an official document states it, read the Ministry page itself. ### Who proposed it? [Al-Watan](https://www.alwatan.com.sa/article/1087102) (16 September 2021) reports that three citizens — Abdulwahab Ashi, Muhammad Al-Amoudi and Muhammad Bayari — proposed to King Abdulaziz that students be sent abroad for scientific fields not then taught inside the country. Scholarships began, in other words, as a practical answer to a skills gap. ### What did they study, and what did it cost? The first cohort studied Sharia law, technical education, agriculture, medicine and teaching. Tuition ran to 1,600 Egyptian pounds a year, with a 100-pound annual allowance for each student, per the [Ministry of Education](https://www.moe.gov.sa/ar/mediacenter/MOEnews/Pages/hj-1441-65.aspx) (22/01/1441 AH). [Al-Watan](https://www.alwatan.com.sa/article/1087102) (16 September 2021) records a second mission of 10 students in 1355 AH, a third of 15 in 1361 AH, and a fourth of 18. ## How did Saudi scholarships evolve before 2005? The centre of gravity moved from Egypt to farther destinations. The first official Saudi cohort graduated from United States universities in 1952 (1372 AH) — just 9 students, 3 with bachelor’s degrees and 6 with master’s — and the first official Saudi cultural office opened in New York in 1956 (1376 AH), according to [Al-Eqtisadiah](https://www.aleqt.com/2015/09/04/article_988112.html) (4 September 2015). Then came the expansion: scholarship numbers rose from about 800 in 1974 to roughly 2,039 in 1975, and by 1981 the Houston office alone supervised more than 11,000 students, per [Al-Eqtisadiah](https://www.aleqt.com/2015/09/04/article_988112.html) (4 September 2015). ## When did the King Salman Scholarship Program launch? Royal Order No. 5387/M B launched the programme on Thursday 17/4/1426 AH, corresponding to 26 May 2005, according to [Al-Jazirah](https://al-jazirah.com/2009/20090915/ln24.htm) (15 September 2009, issue 13501). That is the date usually given for the start of the largest scholarship programme in the kingdom’s history, known in its early years as the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. ### How far did it reach? Four years in, more than 60,000 students were enrolled, with destinations including the United States, Japan, China, South Korea, Western Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, per [Al-Jazirah](https://al-jazirah.com/2009/20090915/ln24.htm) (15 September 2009). The [Ministry of Education](https://www.moe.gov.sa/ar/mediacenter/MOEnews/Pages/hj-1441-65.aspx) (22/01/1441 AH) later put the figure at more than 77,533 students in 31 countries. Between those two numbers the programme’s philosophy changed. The aim stopped being volume and became fit — between field, institution and labour-market need. That is where the tracks come from. ## What does the programme look like today? The [programme site at the Ministry of Education](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/) lists four tracks (page last updated 13 January 2024): | Track | Who it is for | Institution scope | | --- | --- | --- | | Arruaad (الرواد) | Bachelor’s and master’s, all fields | Top 30 institutions worldwide on the programme list | | Emdad (إمداد) | Bachelor’s and master’s in high-demand labour-market fields | Top 200 universities and institutes worldwide | | Research and Development (البحث والتطوير) | Priority research fields | Top 200 institutions | | Waaed (واعد) | Study plus training for re-skilling in promising sectors | Depends on the partner employer and programme | The [Arruaad track](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/paths/path-arruaad/) (page last updated 18 March 2025) requires a final, unconditional offer from a university on the programme list — the exception being non-English-speaking countries, where a conditional offer with prior language study is allowed. The [Waaed track](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/paths/path-waaid/) pairs study with employment at partner entities such as flynas, Riyadh Air and the National Housing Company. The Ministry also publishes the [guide to university lists by field for academic year 2026-2027](https://object.moe.gov.sa/nasaq/cm/files/aldlyl-alastrshady-ltrtyb-qwaaem-aljamaeat-hsb-almjalat-2027-2026.pdf), which ranks institutions inside each field. A further "Excellence" track appears on the Ministry’s [scholarship services page](https://www.moe.gov.sa/ar/education/Pages/Scholarship.aspx), so check which tracks are open at the time you apply directly with the Ministry — lists change from year to year. For a track-by-track breakdown see our [guide to all Saudi scholarship tracks](https://kdinternational.com.au/ar/?p=2318), and for the most competitive one, [the Arruaad track: conditions, fields and universities](https://kdinternational.com.au/ar/arruaad-track-scholarship-australia/). ## What has changed in the conditions over time? In the earliest missions the test was simple: the field had to exist abroad and not at home. Today the test is layered — the university must sit on a defined list, the field must sit inside a defined discipline, and the offer must be final and unconditional. The [Arruaad track](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/paths/path-arruaad/) (last updated 18 March 2025) also specifies face-to-face study only, at bachelor’s and master’s level. That shift changes the order of your steps. University admission now comes before the scholarship application rather than after it, and English test results sit inside the admission file itself. Hence the time pressure many applicants describe: offers take weeks, lists have deadlines, and documents need attestation and certified translation. ## Where does Australia sit among scholarship destinations? Australia has appeared in scholarship destinations since the programme’s first years, as reported by [Al-Jazirah](https://al-jazirah.com/2009/20090915/ln24.htm) (15 September 2009). Today the Ministry of Education lists 20 Australian institutions on its [approved universities page for Australia](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/countries/australia/) (page last updated 14 January 2024): | City | Approved institutions | | --- | --- | | Sydney | Australian Catholic University, Macquarie University, University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney | | Melbourne | Deakin University, Monash University, RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Melbourne | | Brisbane | Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Queensland | | Perth | Curtin University, University of Western Australia | | Other cities | The Australian National University (Canberra), Flinders University (Adelaide), University of Wollongong, Western Sydney University (Penrith), Charles Darwin University (Darwin), Charles Sturt University (Bathurst), University of New England (Armidale), Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (Leura) | Saudi students in Australia are served by the [Saudi Cultural Mission](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/cm/au/), which handles financial affairs, attestation, equivalency, student services and student clubs. Note that this is a country list, not a field list: a university can sit on the general list while your specific field is absent from its discipline list in the academic-year guide. Checking both lists is what saves time. KD International put the question to its own followers in a [post dated 25 April 2024](https://x.com/kdiaus/status/1783477834306011547), asking how scholarships began and when the first mission left the kingdom — a question that keeps coming back, because knowing the road makes the next step clearer. ## In short This history is not trivia. It explains why a final unconditional offer became a requirement, and why lists are now ordered by field rather than by name. If Australia is your destination, start with three steps: - Confirm that both the university and the field appear on the Ministry list for the academic year you intend to start. - Prepare English test results and attested documents before applying for admission, not after. - Apply early enough to convert your offer into a final unconditional one before the track’s selection round. If you want your file reviewed and your dates mapped out, see [how we work](https://kdinternational.com.au/ar/%d8%ae%d8%b7%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a9/) or [submit an application](https://kdinternational.com.au/applynow/) and we will help you match an approved university to your field. ## Frequently asked questions When did Saudi scholarships start? With an official mission of 14 students to Egypt, per the Ministry of Education. Al-Watan dates it to 1346 AH / 1927 CE, while the Ministry page gives 1354 AH. When did the King Salman Scholarship Program begin? Royal Order No. 5387/M B launched it on 17/4/1426 AH, corresponding to 26 May 2005, according to Al-Jazirah. It was known in its early years as the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. Is the King Abdullah Scholarship Program the same as the King Salman one? Yes — it is the same programme, now published by the Ministry of Education as the King Salman Scholarship Program. Its structure changed into tracks; its origin did not. How many scholarship tracks are there now? The programme site lists four: Arruaad, Emdad, Research and Development, and Waaed. An Excellence track also appears on the Ministry’s scholarship services page, so check which tracks are open when you apply. How many Saudi scholarship students are there? The Ministry of Education reported more than 77,533 students in 31 countries in an article dated 22/01/1441 AH. The figure changes yearly, so the current one sits with the Ministry and the cultural missions. Is Australia an approved scholarship destination? Yes. The Ministry of Education lists 20 approved Australian institutions on its Australia page (last updated 14 January 2024), and Saudi students there are served by the Saudi Cultural Mission. What did the first Saudi scholarship students study? Sharia law, technical education, agriculture, medicine and teaching, per the Ministry of Education — fields that were not available inside the country at the time. ## Official sources - [رحلة الابتعاث.. من 14 طالباً إلى 78 ألف مبتعث في 31 دولة](https://www.moe.gov.sa/ar/mediacenter/MOEnews/Pages/hj-1441-65.aspx) — وزارة التعليم - [البعثات الدراسية إلى مصر في عهد المؤسس](https://www.alwatan.com.sa/article/1087102) — صحيفة الوطن - [الابتعاث إلى أمريكا.. من 9 طلاب في الخمسينيات إلى 125 ألفاً عام 2015](https://www.aleqt.com/2015/09/04/article_988112.html) — صحيفة الاقتصادية - [برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث الخارجي](https://al-jazirah.com/2009/20090915/ln24.htm) — صحيفة الجزيرة - [برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/) — وزارة التعليم - [مسار الرواد](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/paths/path-arruaad/) — وزارة التعليم - [مسار واعد](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/paths/path-waaid/) — وزارة التعليم - [قائمة الجامعات المعتمدة في أستراليا](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/scholarship-program/countries/australia/) — وزارة التعليم - [الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا](https://sites.moe.gov.sa/cm/au/) — وزارة التعليم - [الدليل الاسترشادي لقوائم الجامعات حسب المجالات 2026-2027](https://object.moe.gov.sa/nasaq/cm/files/aldlyl-alastrshady-ltrtyb-qwaaem-aljamaeat-hsb-almjalat-2027-2026.pdf) — وزارة التعليم - [خدمات الابتعاث](https://www.moe.gov.sa/ar/education/Pages/Scholarship.aspx) — وزارة التعليم ### 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](https://kdinternational.com.au/applynow/) or [message us on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/966582357717). *Last updated: 14 September 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.*