Top Universities in Saudi Arabia: QS 2027 Rankings, Fees, and Scholarships for Indian Students

QS put out its 2027 World University Rankings back in June 2026, and honestly, Saudi Arabia had a year worth talking about. Twenty-two Saudi universities made the cut this time, and KFUPM pulled off something no Arab university had done before: holding a spot in the global top 100 for a second year in a row.

If you’re researching top universities in Saudi Arabia right now, this ranking is the table that actually matters, not last year’s numbers still floating around most guides.

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KAUST doesn't appear on this list because it's a graduate-only research university and sits outside QS's undergraduate-weighted methodology. That doesn't mean it's a weaker choice. In the U.S. News Best Global Universities 2027 rankings, KAUST holds #103 worldwide, and it has topped the Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings for three years running.

My insight: Students see KFUPM's rank and assume getting in is straightforward. It isn't for international undergraduates. Most first-year seats go to Saudi nationals, so check actual international admit numbers before building a plan around one ranking.

Each of these top universities in Saudi Arabia plays a different role in the country's higher education system, so here's where each one sits, what it's known for, and whether it's realistically budget-friendly before you look at specific programs.

The Kingdom's top-ranked university, built around engineering and applied sciences. It charges tuition for international students, so it isn't the cheapest option, but the ranking jump justifies the cost for engineering-focused applicants.

• Popular programs: Petroleum Engineering, Computer Science, MBA, Data Science & Analytics
• Entry requirements: Bachelor's degree with GPA 2.5/4.0 or higher, two letters of recommendation, IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 69, GRE quantitative score for some Computer Science tracks

A graduate-only research university on the Red Sea coast. It's effectively free once admitted, since every Master's and PhD student receives full funding.

• Popular programs: AI and Computer Science, Materials Science, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Environmental Science
• Entry requirements: Bachelor's degree with GPA 3.0/4.0 or higher, IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 81, three recommendation letters, no separate entrance exam

My insight: Most applicants assume KAUST is only for hardcore engineers, so they crowd into Computer Science and AI. Environmental Science and the water and food security tracks get fewer international applications, worth a look for the same fellowship with less competition.

The oldest university in the Kingdom, founded in 1957, and this year's biggest riser. Fees run higher for a full program here than at KAU or IAU, so budget accordingly.

• Popular programs: Computer Science, Agricultural Sciences, Chemistry, Public Law
• Entry requirements: Bachelor's degree with GPA 2.75/5.0 or higher, two letters of recommendation, IELTS or TOEFL score as per program

It is the largest university in Saudi Arabia by enrollment and offers one of the widest program ranges in the country. It's also one of the more affordable public options on a per-year basis.

• Popular programs: Law, Industrial Engineering, MBA, Medicine
• Entry requirements: Bachelor's degree, valid passport copy, two letters of recommendation, SOP, IELTS or TOEFL score

Known for health sciences and medicine, with dedicated support services for international students. It's the most budget-friendly of the public universities on this list.

• Popular programs: Clinical Nursing, Engineering Management, Environmental Engineering, Medicine
• Entry requirements: Bachelor's degree with GPA 3.0/4.0 or higher, under 30 years of age for Master's applicants, two letters of recommendation

A private university with smaller class sizes and a strong business and IT focus. Fees sit above the public universities but below KFUPM's total cost.

• Popular programs: Engineering Management, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Business Administration
• Entry requirements: Bachelor's degree with GPA 2.5/4.0 or higher, valid passport and national ID copy, IELTS 6.0

"Which is the best university in Saudi Arabia" doesn't have one answer, because the strongest choice among the top universities in Saudi Arabia depends entirely on what you're studying. Here's how the leading universities in Saudi Arabia actually stack up by subject:

If your priority is research depth over undergraduate rankings, KAUST is worth a closer look even though it won't show up in the ranking table above.

Cost is usually the deciding factor once rankings are settled for the top universities in Saudi Arabia, so here's tuition, living costs, and scholarships broken into three separate tables so nothing gets buried.

Rather than repeating the same per-university numbers from the ranking table above, here's how cost actually breaks down by the type of university you're choosing between.

Most international students share campus or off-campus housing rather than renting a full 1-bedroom apartment alone, which typically brings the real monthly cost well below the market rate shown here. Riyadh is still one of the more affordable Gulf capitals to live in.

My insight: Students budgeting off the Numbeo single-person figure often overshoot, since it assumes a private 1-bedroom rental. Most scholarship students land in university-arranged shared housing at a fraction of that rent, so get the real accommodation cost from your university before finalizing a budget.

For a full monthly budget breakdown, check our blog on the cost of living in Saudi Arabia for Indian students.

MBBS in Saudi Arabia for Indian students is worth serious consideration if English-medium medical training and modern clinical infrastructure matter to you, and several of the top universities in Saudi Arabia now offer it. The catch is that you can't figure out the recognition process after the fact, so understand it before you commit.

• Universities offering MBBS to international students: King Saud University, King Abdulaziz University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, and Alfaisal University
• Approximate total fee: Rs.25 to 45 lakh for the full 5- to 6-year program, covering tuition and hostel. Confirm the exact figure with each university directly, since it varies by institution and intake year.
• NEET requirement: Indian students generally need a valid NEET qualification before applying, and it's required later for practicing in India
• Recognition path: The National Medical Commission recognizes degrees from universities approved by Saudi Arabia's own regulator, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. After returning to India, graduates must clear the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination, or NExT before they can practice

If MBBS is genuinely your plan rather than just one option among several, treat this process as a starting point and verify NMC's current foreign medical graduate rules directly before applying anywhere.

My insight: Confirming SCFHS approval isn't the end of the check. A few colleges pause or shrink their international MBBS intake for a given year without much notice, so confirm the program is actually open for your target intake, not just that the university has approval in general.

Source: National Medical Commission, India, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties

Once you've chosen a university from this list, the practical steps are largely the same for all of them.

My insight: Document attestation through the Saudi Cultural Mission is usually the slowest part of this process, not the visa itself. Start attesting transcripts as soon as you have an admission letter, not after your visa appointment is booked.

Fall is the main intake at nearly every Saudi university, since it carries the widest program choice and most of the scholarship seats among top universities in Saudi Arabia. Spring exists but with fewer options, so plan around Fall unless a specific program only opens in January.

Here's the realistic calendar if you're targeting Fall 2027 admission, the next full cycle ahead:

1. This year's rankings actually moved, so throw out anything quoting old numbers. KFUPM and King Saud University both climbed hard in QS 2027. If a guide you're reading still has KFUPM outside the top 100 or King Saud below 140, it hasn't been touched since last year, and you should treat the rest of it with suspicion too.

2. Don't write off KAUST just because it's missing from the ranking table. It sits out of QS entirely since it's graduate-only, but full funding for every student and a genuine research reputation make it worth a serious look, especially if AI or a PhD is where you're headed.

3. MBBS is a real path here, but the recognition steps aren't optional. NEET before you go and FMGE or NExT after you return are both non-negotiable if practicing in India is the plan, so build that into your decision now rather than after enrollment.

Verified by: LeapScholar's Middle East counseling team, with hands-on experience guiding Indian students through Saudi Arabia admissions.

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