Study in Qatar, Saudi Arabia or Bahrain: Scholarships and Admission

The Gulf is not just Dubai. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain offer top-level universities, campuses of American universities and, above all, full scholarships for international students, including Tunisians. An Arabic-speaking environment, cultural proximity and regional job prospects: here is how to study in the Gulf.

Qatar: Education City and Qatar University

Education City

In Doha, Qatar Foundation hosts campuses of leading American and European universities, each specialised:

• international relations (Georgetown);

• computer science and business (Carnegie Mellon);

• medicine (Weill Cornell Medicine);

• journalism and communication (Northwestern);

• arts and design (Virginia Commonwealth University);

• as well as Hamad Bin Khalifa University (master's and doctorate).

The degree is that of the parent university. Admission is highly selective (application file, essays, tests such as the SAT, English), on the American model. Financial aid is available depending on the institution.

Qatar University

Qatar's public university offers programmes in Arabic and English and each year awards scholarships to a limited number of international students, based on grades and fields of study.

Saudi Arabia: full scholarships

Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in higher education and welcomes international students through full scholarships, which generally cover:

• tuition fees;

• accommodation;

• a monthly allowance;

• health insurance;

• often the plane ticket.

The universities

• King Saud University (Riyadh), King Abdulaziz University (Jeddah), Umm Al-Qura (Mecca);

• King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (engineering, energy);

• the Islamic University of Madinah, known for its full scholarships in Islamic sciences and Arabic language;

• KAUST, a research university in science and technology, which offers full scholarships for master's and doctoral studies to the most outstanding candidates.

The application

Applications generally go through a national platform dedicated to international students or through each university's portal. Usual documents: diplomas and transcripts, passport, medical certificate, recommendation letter, and sometimes a language test (Arabic or English depending on the programme). Selection is competitive: grades are decisive.

Bahrain: English-taught programmes at a moderate cost

Bahrain has a smaller but interesting offer:

• University of Bahrain, a public university;

• Arabian Gulf University, notably in medicine;

• a campus of an Irish medical school;

• English-speaking private universities.

The cost of living is more moderate than in other Gulf countries.

Admission at a glance

The visa

In all three countries, the university generally sponsors your student visa and residence permit after admission. A medical exam is required on arrival or before departure.

Points to watch

• Equivalence: check recognition in Tunisia for regulated professions. See Recognition of Tunisian diplomas abroad.

• Scholarship conditions: read the commitments carefully (attendance, minimum results).

• Timelines: applications often open in winter and spring for the following intake; don't miss them.

Typical timeline for a Gulf application

1. Summer – autumn of the final year: choosing universities, preparing for tests (English, SAT for Education City).

2. Autumn – winter: applications to Education City (a timeline modelled on American universities, with early deadlines).

3. Winter – spring: applications for Saudi scholarships and to the public universities of Qatar and Bahrain.

4. Spring – summer: results, possible interviews, accepting the offer.

5. Summer: university-sponsored visa, medical exam, departure.

How to maximise your chances of a Saudi scholarship

• Excellent grades: this is the first selection criterion.

• A complete, clean application: translations, legalisations, recent medical certificate.

• A choice of field consistent with your baccalaureate background.

• A good command of Classical Arabic for Arabic-taught programmes, or a good level of English for science fields.

• Several applications to different universities, as selection is competitive.

Education City: prepare as you would for the United States

The Doha campuses apply the standards of their parent universities. Prepare your application as you would for an American university:

• carefully written personal essays;

• recommendation letters from teachers;

• extracurricular activities (clubs, projects, competitions);

• SAT and an English test as required.

Our guide Study in the United States: SAT, F-1 visa and budget explains this application logic in detail.

Documents to prepare in Tunisia

• transcripts and baccalaureate diploma, translated and legalised;

• valid passport;

• medical certificate in the required format;

• criminal record extract;

• ID photos;

• language certificates;

• recommendation letters.

Student life in the Gulf

The living environment is safe and modern, with well-equipped campuses. Social codes are more conservative in some countries, particularly Saudi Arabia: find out about the rules of campus life. Summers are very hot, but life is organised around air-conditioned buildings. For a Tunisian student, linguistic and cultural proximity makes integration much easier.

Key takeaway: the Gulf offers full scholarships and prestigious campuses, but selection is tough. Excellent grades, an impeccable application and several applications in parallel are the best strategy.

Our support

Worldwide Studies helps you identify the universities and scholarships suited to your grades, prepare the application and tests, and follow the admission process through to the visa. Also compare with Dubai and the UAE and our scholarship overview.

👉 Gulf scholarships are competitive and their dates change: talk to an advisor to find out which ones match your profile.