University of Washington Admission: Scholarship Guide for Saudi Students

Looking for University of Washington admission information? This guide covers what Saudi students need to know before applying: an overview of the university and its location in Seattle, Washington, United States, whether it is on the recommended lists of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, the scholarship tracks and fields it is approved for, and the steps to apply. Every official detail here comes from the published lists (last updated in Mubta on 16 October 2026), so always check the official source before you decide.

About University of Washington

University of Washington is a public university in Seattle, Washington, United States, founded in 1861. It has about 48,000 students. Teaching is in English, so applicants are usually asked for proof of their language level. Official website: washington.edu.

Is University of Washington recognised in Saudi Arabia?

• Ministry of Education: University of Washington is on the recommended list of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program for the 2026-2027 cycle, in Rowad (Pioneers) Track and Research and Development Track tracks.
• Ministry of Culture: University of Washington is on the cultural scholarship list for a number of cultural and creative fields.

Being on a list means the university is accepted for scholarships in the listed fields and degrees only, not in every subject it teaches. Check that your subject falls within the fields of the track you apply to, as set out below.

University of Washington scholarship: tracks and fields

If you plan to study on a University of Washington scholarship, these are the tracks that include it in the official lists, with the degrees and fields approved for each.

Rowad (Pioneers) Track (Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program)

Degrees in this track: Bachelor's degree and Master's degree. Fields approved for University of Washington and the ministry's rank in each:

Research and Development Track (Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program)

Degrees in this track: Doctorate. Fields approved for University of Washington and the ministry's rank in each:

Cultural scholarship (Ministry of Culture)

The university is listed for the cultural scholarship at all degree levels, in these fields:

• Film Industry
• Heritage And Archeology
• Museums

Studying at University of Washington

What it is like to study at University of Washington depends on your degree and subject, but a few things matter to every Saudi student before applying:

• City: the university is in Seattle, United States. To study in Seattle means planning early for housing and living costs, so check the student housing options on the university's website.
• Language of study: English. Most universities ask for a recognised test such as IELTS or TOEFL and set the score each programme needs.
• Degree level: bachelor's requirements differ from master's and doctoral ones; postgraduate programmes usually ask for recommendation letters and a research proposal or a statement of purpose.
• Visa and documents: once admitted, you need a student visa from the embassy or consulate of United States. Requirements differ from country to country, so check them on the embassy's official website well before you travel, and have your certificates attested and translated where needed.
• Subject: before applying, match the programme's name with the approved fields of your track, so that it counts for the scholarship.

International admissions at University of Washington

University of Washington publishes its admission requirements and dates for international students on its official website; they are the reference for the grades, language score and documents required. These official pages are the place to start:

• University of Washington official admissions page: requirements, documents and application dates.

How to get University of Washington admission

1. Choose your programme: decide on the subject and degree, and make sure both are within what the ministry's list includes for University of Washington.
2. Check the official entry requirements on the university's website: academic qualification and grades, language test, required documents and application dates.
3. Prepare your documents: transcripts and certificates (translated where needed), passport, statement of purpose, recommendation letters and CV.
4. Apply through the university's portal before the deadline, keep your application number and watch your email.
5. After admission: complete the scholarship procedures with the relevant authority under your programme's rules.

In Mubta you can follow your path to University of Washington admission in one place: the University of Washington page shows its recognition and tracks, and you can add it to your applications, track its dates, compare it with other universities and use the browser extension to fill application forms quickly. To learn about the scholarship programmes themselves, see the programmes page.

Other universities in United States on the scholarship lists

If you are weighing your options, these other universities in United States are also on the official lists, and you can compare them with University of Washington in Mubta:

• Washington State University
• DigiPen Institute of Technology
• University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Georgetown University
• University of Texas - Austin
• University of Pennsylvania

Sources

• Ministry of Education: the official lists of recommended universities.
• Ministry of Culture: the official lists of recommended universities.
• University of Washington official website: programmes, entry requirements and dates.

This article is based on the official lists as published by the ministries and scholarship bodies; the lists and holds can change at any time. The official source has the final word.