Equivalency of Qualifications Issued Outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Special Conditions for the Equivalency of the Second University Degree (Master's):

To equalize to the second university degree (master's degree and its equivalent), in addition to what is stated in the general principles, the following is required: 

1.       It should be preceded by the first university degree.

2.       The study period for obtaining it should not exceed one academic year.

3.       Passing several curricular courses of not less than 24 credit hours or its equivalent with submitting a scientific research (master's thesis) or studying several courses of not less than 30 accredited semester hours or its equivalent without submitting a thesis or being researched only.

4.       Regularity, full-time, and residence in the country of study for the period required to complete the curricular courses, if any, provided that the period of attendance, sabbatical, and residence in the country of study should not be less than “one academic year" after the first university degree.

5.       The degree holder should have achieved what the university requires of academic courses or written research.

6.       The subject of the master's study should be in the field of analysis of the student at the undergraduate level or a related major, or that the holder of the degree should have passed sufficient complementary courses in the event of a difference in the specialization, or that the committee finds a convincing justification for the difference in the specialization.

7.       The principle is that there is no overlap in the academic requirements for the bachelor's and master's levels, and in case of overlap, the following rules should be applied:

•          The overlap should not exceed nine hours, according to the

                semester system, or the equivalent of the master's

                requirements.

•          The courses of study in which the overlap occurred should be

                 within the advanced levels of the undergraduate program.

8.       The committee may consider the equivalence of the second university degree without the requirement to obtain the first university degree. This is done if the university system gives the first and second degrees and the university's system of study permits the continuation of studies to receive the second university degree without obtaining the first one if it meets the requirements of getting two degrees.

9.       For holders of a three-year Bachelor of Military Sciences after high school from the Kingdom or its equivalent and have not previously obtained a non-military bachelor's degree and wish to continue their studies to get a master's, the following should be observed:

• ​           Masters degrees in military disciplines or similar disciplines

                such as Master of Civil protection, risk management, police   

                sciences, criminal justice, criminal science, security sciences,   

               safety sciences or civil defense administration ... etc., from

               military or civil colleges that can be equivalent without   

               requiring to pass additional courses or study hours.

• Master's degrees in non-military majors or similar disciplines 

                that can be equalized for passing supplementary courses with

                no less than 30 semester hours or its equivalent in the

                specialization that will be studied before starting the master's   

                study.