Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Ministry of Education has decided to pay monthly bursaries to foreign students on scholarships in the Kingdom, according to a guide issued by the ministry on its rewards and emoluments for scholarship students.
These students are mostly from Arab and Islamic countries in addition to Muslim communities in non-Islamic countries.
According to the guide, payments will continue throughout the stay of students studying in the Kingdom.
According to the guide, approved by undersecretary for school affairs at the ministry Saad bin Saud Al-Fehaid, the ministry will make a monthly payment of SR250 to elementary students, SR525 for intermediate pupils and SR675 for secondary school students.
This is in addition to annual allowances of SR1,500 for clothing, as well as an annual allowance of SR2,000 for accommodation if students are not provided board by the ministry.
On arrival in the Kingdom for the first time, each scholarship student will be paid SR625 as an initiation allowance. Each of the general school students will also be given a return air ticket, while students on a special education program will be given tickets during the Eid holidays and also the mid-year vacation if they opt to spend the holidays with their families back home.
A number of education experts told Arab News the renewal of scholarships for general education is aimed at further boosting relationships between Saudi Arabia and the other countries of the world.
“It is also aimed at spreading Islam and the Arabic language and inculcating the concept of Islamic moderation,” one expert said. He did not want his name to be published.
The experts said scholarships offered by Saudi Arabia to foreign students to have their general education in the Kingdom will strengthen educational and cultural ties with other countries and enable students to learn more about the country’s political, economic, social, educational, cultural and health progress.
When granting visas to scholarship students, the Saudi diplomatic missions abroad make it very clear to them that the Kingdom will not accept terrorism in any form and that anyone caught for this crime will be punished according to Islamic law.
According to official statistics, there are 1,050 foreigners studying on government scholarships in the Islamic University in Madinah, accounting for 39 percent of the total number.
They account for 3 percent of students Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, and 4 percent at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah.
About 70 percent of scholarships go to undergraduate students, 20 percent for higher education students and 10 percent to general students.
© Arab News
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