Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship (Safeer) 2026: Complete Eligibility Guide

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program, known locally as the Safeer (سفير) programme, remains the single most important funding pathway for Saudi students pursuing higher education abroad. If France is your destination, the 2026 round of eligibility has tightened in some areas and broadened in others. This guide walks you through every criterion you will need to meet, from academic grades to language proficiency, along with the common pitfalls that disqualify otherwise promising candidates.

What is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship?

Launched in 2005 under the direction of the Ministry of Education, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship is the Kingdom's flagship international scholarship. It fully funds tuition, monthly living stipends, annual return flights, medical insurance, and thesis or research allowances for Saudi nationals accepted into accredited universities worldwide. France has become one of the top five destinations under the programme, thanks to affordable tuition at public institutions, world-class Grandes Écoles, and strong Franco-Saudi diplomatic ties.

The 2026 cycle covers four academic levels: bachelor's (licence), master's, doctorate (PhD), and medical fellowships. Certain priority majors, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, renewable energy, aerospace engineering, and public health, receive preferential scoring during the selection process, reflecting Vision 2030 priorities.

For a current snapshot of French scholarships recently opened to Saudi candidates, see our latest scholarships in France 2026 overview. If you are applying close to a deadline, the Grandes Écoles still accepting late applications guide lists institutions that remain open this cycle.

Who qualifies in 2026

The Ministry of Education updates its eligibility matrix each year. For the 2026 cycle, applicants must meet all of the following baseline conditions before any field-specific scoring applies:

• Saudi nationality, sons and daughters of Saudi mothers married to non-Saudi fathers are now explicitly eligible under the revised 2025 framework
• Clean judicial record, no criminal convictions in Saudi Arabia or abroad
• Medical fitness, verified through a Ministry-approved health examination
• Not currently enrolled on another government-funded scholarship
• No prior rejection from the programme within the last two cycles (a cooling-off period applies)
• Commitment to return to Saudi Arabia and serve in the public or private sector for a period equal to the scholarship duration

Academic requirements

Academic performance is the single most heavily weighted criterion. The programme uses the Saudi 5.0 or 4.0 GPA system, but accepts equivalences from foreign high-school and university systems. Here are the minimum thresholds for 2026:

Candidates applying to highly selective French Grandes Écoles (HEC, Polytechnique, Sciences Po, ENS) are expected to exceed the minimum thresholds significantly. In practice, scholarship holders admitted to these institutions typically show GPAs above 4.7/5.

Age and nationality rules

Age ceilings remain among the most common sources of disqualification. As of the opening date of the application window, candidates must not exceed:

• 25 years for bachelor's-level applicants
• 30 years for master's-level applicants
• 35 years for doctoral applicants
• 40 years for medical fellowships and speciality training

Language proficiency

France is a unique case within the Safeer programme because its universities operate in two languages. You must demonstrate proficiency in the language of instruction for your chosen programme:

• French-taught programmes: minimum DELF B2 or TCF B2 (level B2 across all four skills)
• English-taught programmes: minimum IELTS 6.5 (no band below 6.0) or TOEFL iBT 90
• Medical specialities: French C1 is strongly recommended, even for research-oriented fellowships, because clinical rotations require fluent patient interaction

If you do not yet hold the required language certificate, the Ministry may grant a one-year preparatory extension during which you attend an approved language school in France (such as Alliance Française or a university language centre) with the scholarship covering tuition and living expenses.

Required documents

Document preparation is where most applications stall. Every document in Arabic must be translated into French or English by a sworn translator (traducteur assermenté) and apostilled when required. The 2026 master checklist includes:

Identity and civil status

• Saudi national ID (original and translated copy)
• Passport with at least 18 months remaining validity
• Family register (kartat al-aila)
• Birth certificate (translated)

Academic records

• Highest diploma (high school, bachelor's, or master's) with official transcripts
• Equivalence certificate from the Ministry of Education if the qualification was obtained outside Saudi Arabia
• Official ranking or class position statement when available

Language and health

• Valid language test certificate (DELF/TCF/IELTS/TOEFL)
• Medical fitness report from an approved clinic
• Recent passport-size photographs (white background, ICAO standard)

Programme-specific documents

• Letter of admission or conditional offer from the French institution
• Campus France attestation (pre-consular step)
• Research proposal (PhD applicants only)
• Two to three academic reference letters
• A structured personal statement outlining your motivation and career plan

Application timeline for 2026

The Safeer application portal typically opens twice per year. For the 2026–2027 academic year starting in September, the key dates are:

• March–April 2026: application window opens on the Ministry of Education portal
• May 2026: document verification and initial screening by the Ministry's academic committee
• June 2026: shortlisted candidates invited for interviews (in person in Riyadh and Jeddah, or online)
• Early July 2026: preliminary selection results announced
• July–August 2026: successful candidates finalise their Campus France file and visa application
• September 2026: arrival in France and start of the academic year

Common disqualifications

Every year, hundreds of otherwise promising candidates are eliminated at the document screening stage. The most frequent causes:

1. Outdated language certificate. DELF, TCF, IELTS, and TOEFL results are valid for two years from the test date. Ensure yours will still be valid on the programme start date, not just on the application date.
2. Missing apostille. Foreign diplomas and transcripts require apostille legalisation via the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Unlegalised documents are rejected outright.
3. Incomplete Campus France file. Your Safeer application must be aligned with a complete Études en France procedure. A conditional or unfinalised Campus France status weakens the dossier significantly.
4. Insufficient GPA evidence. If your Saudi high-school transcript uses a percentage and your target French programme expects a 20/20 or a 4.0 system, the Ministry requires an official equivalence, not a self-calculated conversion.
5. Vague personal statement. Generic statements about "wanting to study abroad" carry almost no weight. Selection committees value specific, research-backed motivation tied to Vision 2030 priorities.

How to maximize your chances

Meeting the baseline criteria makes you eligible. Getting selected is a different challenge. Based on the profiles of Saudi students recently placed in France through the Safeer programme, these five strategies consistently separate winners from the rest:

The Safeer programme rewards candidates who treat it as a two-year project, not a two-week form to fill. Every successful applicant I have worked with started preparation at least 18 months before the application deadline.

If you are still weighing up whether France is the right destination for your Safeer application, take our free 10-minute orientation test. It compares your profile against the admissions criteria of 60+ French universities and Grandes Écoles, and outputs a personalised shortlist of programmes.

Frequently asked questions about the Custodian (Safeer) Scholarship

Does the Custodian Scholarship require the Qudurat and Tahsili exams?

In most tracks, yes. Sponsoring bodies generally expect Qudurat (General Aptitude) and Tahsili scores from bachelor's-level applicants, since they are used to rank candidates. At master's and doctoral level, your university GPA and academic record carry more weight. Always confirm the current cohort's requirements on the official portal, as they change yearly.

What are the Custodian Scholarship conditions for a master's degree?

For a master's, typical conditions include an accredited bachelor's degree with a competitive GPA, an admission (or conditional admission) from a target university, proof of the required language level, and alignment with priority fields. Thresholds vary by cohort and field, so review the official conditions before applying.

Does the scholarship cover studying in France?

Yes. France is a recognised destination within the scholarship programmes, especially in engineering, medicine, business, and the sciences. Tuition at French public universities is already low, so coverage goes mainly to living costs and language. Al Qantara Institute helps you align your profile with both the scholarship and French university requirements.