At a glance
- 1448 dates
- Not yet published (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- 2026 pattern
- 13 to 17 May and 5 to 9 June
- Scientific test
- 110 questions, 2 h 5 min, paper
- Content
- Maths, physics, chemistry, biology: 25% each
- Fee
- SAR 100 early, SAR 150 late, SAR 200 abroad
Last year's Tahsili timetable (the pattern for 1448)
These are ETEC's published dates for the 2026 paper test, which fell in Hijri 1447. Use them as a guide to when 1448 registration and test windows are likely, not as the 1448 dates.
| Step | Gregorian | Hijri |
|---|---|---|
| Registration opened (boys) | 23 February 2026 | 6 Ramadan 1447 |
| Registration opened (girls) | 2 March 2026 | 13 Ramadan 1447 |
| Late registration, period 1 | From 13 April 2026 | 25 Shawwal 1447 |
| Test period 1 | 13 to 17 May 2026 | 26 to 30 Dhu al-Qa'dah 1447 |
| Late registration, period 2 | From 5 May 2026 | 18 Dhu al-Qa'dah 1447 |
| Test period 2 | 5 to 9 June 2026 | 19 to 23 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 |
Source: ETEC Achievement Test page, checked 6 October 2026. The 1448 window has to fit around the Ministry of Education calendar: Eid al-Adha holiday from 7 May 2027 and the end of the school year on 24 June 2027.
The two Tahsili tests
| Scientific tracks | Theoretical tracks | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sits it | General, Health and Life Sciences, Computer and Engineering tracks | Sharia and Business Administration tracks |
| Content | Biology and ecology, chemistry, physics, maths | Tawhid, Hadith, Fiqh, literary and rhetorical studies, grammar and spelling, social studies, history, geography, principles of law, digital technology |
| Questions | 5 sections of 22 (110) | 5 sections of 24 (120) |
| Time | 2 hours 5 minutes | 2 hours 5 minutes |
| Language | Arabic or English, chosen at registration | Arabic |
| Format | Paper | Paper only |
Both cover material from all three years of secondary school. Calculators are not allowed in either test.
Scientific Tahsili: subject weighting
From ETEC's candidate guide for the scientific-track test.
| Subject | Share of the test |
|---|---|
| Biology and ecology | 25% |
| Chemistry | 25% |
| Physics | 25% |
| Mathematics | 25% |
Attempts, fees and validity
Tahsili attempts are tied to the school timeline: two attempts while in Grade 12 (third secondary) and two in the first year after graduating. That is different from Qudurat, where the five attempts can be spread over Grades 11 and 12. If your child misses both Grade 12 sittings, they still have two chances, but universities admit on their own schedules, so a score earned after graduation may arrive too late for that year's intake.
The paper test costs SAR 100 with early registration and SAR 150 with late registration, or SAR 200 if taken outside Saudi Arabia. A booking can be changed or cancelled up to 72 hours before the test once it is paid. The score stays valid for five calendar years. There is no pass mark: universities use the score to rank applicants alongside the secondary school average and Qudurat.
What to do between now and the spring
- October to December: list every Grade 10 and Grade 11 unit in the four subjects and mark each as secure, shaky or forgotten. Tahsili tests all three years, and most students have forgotten Grade 10 chemistry and biology.
- January to February: work through the shaky units one at a time, with short question sets from ETEC's practice test and guide.
- As soon as ETEC opens registration (in 2026 this was late February), book period 1 with early registration. A second Grade 12 attempt in period 2 is then a safety net, not the plan.
- March to April: full timed papers. With 110 questions in 125 minutes you have just over a minute per question, so practise skipping and returning.
- The final two weeks: revise formulas and definitions you cannot derive in the exam, and stop learning new topics.
How one-to-one lessons help with Tahsili
Tahsili is a recall test across four subjects and three school years, so the main risk is the forgotten Grade 10 unit, not the hard Grade 12 one. A tutor starts with a quick diagnostic across all four subjects, builds a week-by-week plan from the gaps, and teaches the forgotten topics briefly before moving straight to Tahsili-style multiple-choice questions. Lessons on the shared whiteboard suit this well: the tutor can set five questions, watch the working, and correct the method immediately.
If your child will sit the test in English, ask for a tutor who teaches maths and science in English; if in Arabic, ask about Arabic-speaking tutors, who are available for some subjects.
When will 1448 dates appear?
ETEC posts the dates on its Achievement Test page and in Sadeed. Last year registration opened in late February, so check etec.gov.sa from January 2027. We will update this page when the dates are published.
Common questions
When is Tahsili 1448?
ETEC had not published the 1448 dates when we checked on 6 October 2026. In 2026 the test ran from 13 to 17 May and 5 to 9 June, and a similar spring window is likely in 2027.
Can my child take Tahsili in English?
Yes, for the scientific-track test. The student chooses Arabic or English at registration and receives the whole test in that language. The theoretical-track test is in Arabic only.
How many times can you take Tahsili?
Four times: two attempts in Grade 12 and two in the first year after finishing secondary school.
Does Tahsili include Grade 10 material?
Yes. Both versions cover all three years of secondary school, and the scientific test splits evenly across maths, physics, chemistry and biology.
How much do Tahsili lessons cost with LiveTutor?
Each 60-minute one-to-one lesson is $15, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons billed monthly. Families often book one lesson a week from autumn and two from March. The first lesson is a free trial.
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.