14,500 Saudis studying in US: Education Minister

Yousef Al-Benyan, Minister of Education

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan said that around 14,470 Saudi students are currently studying in the US, with most of them enrolled through the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program.

The US has been a key education destination for Saudis for over 70 years, he told the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Since the scholarship program began, hundreds of thousands of students have been sent to American universities.

Al-Benyan noted that this academic presence helped build a strong base of Saudi professionals in medicine, engineering, science, management, and other fields.

Universities like King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), King Saud University, King Abdulaziz University, and King Faisal University have over 120 research agreements with US institutions, he added.

These cover areas such as renewable energy, biotech, and artificial intelligence (AI).

The minister noted that more than 15 joint training and cooperation programs are ongoing with American universities and research centers.

They focus on AI, cybersecurity, and clean energy, alongside partnerships aimed at researcher exchange and developing technical and academic capabilities.