Key takeaways
- Transferring from Canada to Australia is not systemically banned, but it requires a compelling, justified circumstance and a new academic offer from a recommended university, per the Ministry of Education.
- The request is submitted via Safeer2 by selecting the ‘Transfer from a Country’ service, with the new offer, a recent transcript, and a clearance letter attached.
- English language study time in Canada counts toward your total duration in Australia, provided the new offer is in the same degree and major.
- The Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia oversees academic and financial matters after transfer, currently serving more than 10,000 scholarship students.
- Certification and equivalency are separate processes: certification is handled by the Cultural Mission, equivalency by a specialised Ministry committee within six months of graduation.
- KD International historically (2018) supported Canada-based scholarship students seeking transfer, and continues offering admissions and consulting services for students on approved scholarship programmes.
In this article
- Can you transfer a Saudi scholarship from Canada to Australia?
- What are the steps to apply for a country transfer via Safeer2?
- Who supports Canada scholarship students after transferring to Australia?
- How do you certify or recognise your degree after graduation?
- What if you need to change universities after arriving in Australia?
- How does KD International support you through the transfer journey?
- Your next step
Yes, a Saudi scholarship student in Canada can apply to transfer to Australia, but it is not automatic. The general rule is that scholarship students complete their studies in their original country. A transfer is only considered for a compelling, justified circumstance, and it requires a new academic offer from a recommended university before submitting the request via the Safeer2 platform Ministry of Education. This is the official pathway you need to understand before taking any further steps.
Can you transfer a Saudi scholarship from Canada to Australia?
There is no formal ban on transferring a scholarship from one country to another, but the Ministry sets clear conditions for approving the request. Key conditions include being unable to obtain an entry visa, being unable to secure an academic offer in the current country, and the new university being on the recommended, non-suspended list Ministry of Education.
Both Canada and Australia are included among the 17 approved countries under the King Salman Scholarship Program "برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث", which in principle makes it easier to approve a transfer between the two countries, provided other conditions are met. Important note: the closure of new scholarship applications for most pathways, and the continued use of the Qabol platform Ministry of Education, does not apply to current scholarship students wanting to change their study country. The "Transfer from a Country" request remains an ongoing service for students who are already on scholarship.
What are the steps to apply for a country transfer via Safeer2?
The request is submitted electronically via the Safeer2 platform, from the Academic Services icon, by selecting the "Transfer from a Country" service Ministry of Education. The practical steps are:
- Confirm you have a reason that is accepted as a compelling or justified circumstance (visa refusal, or no offer available in Canada).
- Obtain an academic offer from a recommended Australian university, in the same degree level and major you were originally sponsored for.
- Log into Safeer2 and select "Transfer from a Country", attaching the new academic offer, a recent academic transcript, and a clearance letter from your current institution in Canada Ministry of Education.
- Wait for a response from your sponsoring body.
- After approval and your arrival in Australia, submit a "Commence Studies" request, followed by a study plan and financial guarantee request Ministry of Education.
Securing the academic offer is usually the longest step in this process. It helps to review University Admission in Australia for Saudi Students: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide and check Documents Required for University Admission in Australia before applying to any university.
Does your English language study period carry over after the transfer?
The time you spent studying English in Canada counts toward your total scholarship duration in Australia, and does not reset to zero. This is conditional on securing an academic offer from a recommended university, in the same degree level and major Ministry of Education. English language requirements vary between Australian universities, so check English Language Requirements for the Saudi Scholarship to Australia: IELTS, PTE, and TOEFL Scores Required before choosing your new university.
Who supports Canada scholarship students after transferring to Australia?
Once the Ministry approves the transfer and you arrive, academic and financial oversight shifts to the Saudi Cultural Mission "الملحقية الثقافية السعودية" in Australia, the body responsible for supervising scholarship students across all categories and supporting the educational relationship between the two countries. The scale of this responsibility is significant: the number of Saudi scholarship students in Australia has grown from fewer than 200 in 2005 to more than 10,000 today, and the Cultural Mission’s team has expanded to around 150 staff to serve them.
Background: the 2018 campaign supporting Canada scholarship students
This issue is not new. In August 2018, the official account of the King Salman Scholarship Program "برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث" posted on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag "دعم_مبتعثي_كندا" (Supporting Canada Scholarship Students), covering facilitation measures for students transferring from Canada to other scholarship-approved countries King Salman Scholarship Program via X. This is historical information from that period, tied to the official sponsoring body itself. It remains best practice to verify the current transfer procedures directly with the Safeer2 platform and the Cultural Mission before relying on any older arrangement.
How do you certify or recognise your degree after graduation?
After graduating in Australia, you will need either certification or equivalency recognition — two different procedures. Certification is the Cultural Mission’s stamp on your degree after verifying its authenticity, while equivalency is an academic evaluation carried out by the University Degree Equivalency Committee at the Ministry Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia.
| Procedure | Responsible Body | Purpose | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree certification | Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia | Verifying the degree’s authenticity after certification by a notary public, then the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs | Submitted immediately after graduation |
| Degree equivalency | University Degree Equivalency Committee at the Ministry | Formal academic evaluation of the degree | Within 6 months of the graduation date Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia |
Basic documents required for the certification request for self-funded students include: the original degree certificate, a graduation or completion letter, and the original academic transcript Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia. If your degree is in a profession requiring additional professional assessment, note that Australia does not have a single body for recognising all professions — each profession has its own assessing authority, the largest of which is VETASSESS, covering a wide range of general occupations.
What if you need to change universities after arriving in Australia?
This is a different request from "Transfer from a Country", and it is governed directly by the Cultural Mission’s regulations in Australia. The key condition is that changing universities must not increase your English language study period by more than 18 months, nor extend your scholarship duration by more than one semester, and by no more than six months overall Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia. In terms of timing, the Academic Affairs Department typically reviews the request within 5 to 7 working days, after which it is forwarded to the sponsoring body, whose response usually takes between 6 and 10 weeks Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia. There is no equally precise official timeframe published for the "Transfer from a Country" request itself, so check the Safeer2 platform directly for the current status of your application.
How does KD International support you through the transfer journey?
KD International is a Saudi-Australian education consultancy, founded in 2016 to support Saudi students at Australian universities, with an office in Riyadh and an office in Sydney.
What KD International says about itself today is that its admissions service is free for students wishing to enrol in scholarship-eligible majors at universities approved by the Ministry of Education, alongside educational consulting, visa assistance, document certification, and NAATI-certified translation. If you are a Canada scholarship student considering a transfer, you can review Why KD International: How the University Admissions Office Works and What It Offers You to understand how the process works, then read Stages of the Scholarship Application in Safeer2: From Document Review to Financial Guarantee to understand what to expect after submitting your transfer request.
Your next step
If you are a Saudi scholarship student in Canada seriously considering a transfer to Australia, start with two steps without delay: confirm your reason for transferring meets the Ministry’s "compelling or justified circumstance" requirement, and secure an academic offer from a recommended university in the same degree level and major before submitting your request on Safeer2. You can contact the KD International team via the registration form to discuss the right offer for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, in principle, but the Ministry requires a compelling, justified circumstance and a new academic offer from a recommended university before approving a ‘Transfer from a Country’ request via the Safeer2 platform.
The Ministry of Education is officially responsible via Safeer2 for issuing approval. Afterwards, the Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia handles academic and financial supervision following arrival.
Certification is the Cultural Mission’s stamp on the degree after verifying its authenticity. Equivalency is an academic evaluation carried out by the University Degree Equivalency Committee at the Ministry, requested within six months of graduation.
Yes, it counts toward your total duration in Australia, provided you obtain an academic offer from a recommended university in the same degree level and major you were originally sponsored for.
What KD International says about itself is that its admissions service is free for students wishing to enrol in scholarship-eligible majors at universities approved by the Ministry of Education. Verify current details directly with their team.
The request is reviewed by the Cultural Mission within 5 to 7 working days, then forwarded to the sponsoring body, whose response typically takes approximately 6 to 10 weeks.
Official sources
- ضوابط الإشراف الدراسي — وزارة التعليم
- منصة سفير — وزارة التعليم
- الأسئلة المتكررة — الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا
- تصديق الشهادات — الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا
- ضوابط تغيير الجامعة — الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا
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: 11 October 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.
