At a glance
- Dates
- All year, digital, booked on Sadeed
- Fee
- SAR 150 in Saudi Arabia, SAR 200 abroad
- Sections
- Reading 40%, structure 40%, listening 20%
- Results
- 3 to 5 working days
- Validity
- 3 years from the test date
STEP at a glance (1448)
From ETEC's STEP test page and FAQs, checked on 6 October 2026.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Digital only, at ETEC test centres |
| Dates | Available all year; choose an appointment when booking |
| Fee | SAR 150 inside Saudi Arabia, SAR 200 outside |
| Change or cancel | Up to 48 hours before the appointment, after payment |
| Results | In the Qiyas beneficiary profile, 3 to 5 working days later (working days are Sunday to Thursday) |
| Validity | Three years from the test date |
| ID on the day | National ID or iqama, passport, or Saudi driving licence |
What STEP measures
| Section | Share of the test | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Reading comprehension | 40% | Passages followed by questions on main idea, detail, inference and vocabulary in context |
| Structure | 40% | Grammar in context: choosing the correct form or finding the error in a sentence |
| Listening comprehension | 20% | Short recordings followed by multiple-choice questions |
ETEC does not publish a pass mark. Each university or scholarship programme sets its own minimum, so check the admissions page of the programme your child is applying to.
Who needs STEP, and when to book
ETEC describes STEP as a test for secondary and university graduates, students joining English-taught programmes and preparatory years at Saudi universities, scholarship applicants, and anyone applying to a programme that asks for a set level of English. For a Grade 12 student, it usually comes up because a university's preparatory year or an English-taught programme lists STEP among its accepted English tests, often alongside IELTS or TOEFL.
Because there is no national sitting, the useful date is the university's application deadline. Count back: the result takes up to a week, so book at least three to four weeks before the deadline to leave room for a second attempt if the first score falls short. Book outside the busy December Qudurat week and the May and June Tahsili periods if your child is sitting those too.
Booking STEP on Sadeed
- Log in to Sadeed (sadeed.etec.gov.sa) with Nafath, or with the national ID or iqama number and password.
- Open the tests card and choose the digital test registration service.
- Select STEP and press book.
- Read the instructions, accept the terms, then choose the city, date, centre and time.
- Confirm the booking and pay by card or mada, SADAD bill or Apple Pay. The booking is not confirmed until payment is complete.
How one-to-one lessons help with STEP
Most marks on STEP sit in reading and structure, which together make up 80% of the test. Structure responds quickly to targeted work: a tutor finds the handful of grammar points your child keeps getting wrong, such as verb tense agreement, relative clauses or word forms, and drills them with exam-style items. Reading improves more slowly, so lessons focus on technique for long passages: reading the question first, locating the evidence, and not over-reading under time pressure.
Listening is a smaller share but often the weakest skill for students taught mostly through reading. A tutor can use short recordings in lessons and teach note-taking that works in a multiple-choice format. Four to six weeks of one or two lessons a week is a common block before a booked STEP date.
Check which English test your university accepts
Some programmes accept STEP, some accept only IELTS or TOEFL, and minimum scores differ. Confirm on the university admissions page before booking, and see our guide to IELTS, TOEFL or STEP for Gulf universities.
Common questions
When is STEP held in 1448?
There is no fixed date. STEP is a digital test available all year at ETEC centres. You choose the date, time and centre when booking on Sadeed.
How much does STEP cost?
SAR 150 inside Saudi Arabia and SAR 200 outside, according to ETEC's STEP page in October 2026.
How long is a STEP score valid?
Three years from the test date.
When do STEP results come out?
ETEC publishes digital test results 3 to 5 working days after the test, in the student's Qiyas profile on Sadeed.
How much do STEP lessons cost with LiveTutor?
Each 60-minute one-to-one lesson is $15, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons a week billed monthly. Tutors work on reading, grammar and listening for the test. The first lesson is free.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.