Homeschooling and distance learning in Saudi Arabia

Home-study routes in Saudi Arabia

Affiliation (intisab): the Ministry's home-study route

Under affiliation, a student is attached to a school at the intermediate or secondary stage without attending lessons, and sits the school's exams at the end of each semester. The Ministry accepts resident and visitor students by affiliation under the same rules as Saudi affiliates, with additions: the student or guardian must print proof of entry and residence from Absher for the academic year and give it to the school four weeks before the first and second semester exams.

The school leader excludes affiliated students who turn out not to be resident in the Kingdom immediately before each semester's exams, except those who had to travel for a short period of no more than two weeks. Admission and equivalency conditions apply, so a student arriving from abroad must first have previous certificates equated and is then placed in the appropriate grade.

The Ministry's pages describe affiliation only for the intermediate and secondary stages. For primary-age children, ask your regional education department before withdrawing a child from school.

Distance learning through schools

Madrasati is the Ministry's e-learning platform, and the Ministry's regulations allow private, international and foreign schools to use Madrasati or their own platforms if those meet minimum standards. This is distance learning delivered by a licensed school, not homeschooling: the student remains enrolled, and the school sets and records the work. Some families use a school's distance arrangements for a period abroad or for health reasons, with the school's agreement.

Why online international schools are a risk

The Ministry's rules for equating certificates from outside the Kingdom are strict. The school must be accredited by the education authority in its country; the secondary certificate must be recognised by universities in the issuing country; the study must be in regular attendance with a clear educational progression; and documents must be authenticated by the issuing country's education ministry, its foreign ministry and the Saudi embassy or cultural attaché.

An online school diploma can struggle on the regular-attendance condition. That may not matter for a student heading to universities abroad, but Saudi universities and many employers rely on the Ministry's equivalency. If a Saudi university is possible, ask the Ministry or your education department before choosing an online school, not after.

If you choose IGCSE and A-Levels at home

• Pick the board first (Cambridge or Pearson Edexcel) and use one syllabus code per subject.
• Find exam centres in your city that accept private candidates, and check their entry deadlines a year ahead.
• Check each syllabus for practical, speaking or coursework parts that private candidates may not be able to take.
• Ask the Ministry how privately entered certificates are treated for equivalency before relying on them for a Saudi university.
• Plan Qudurat and Tahsili if Saudi universities are on the list, since most use them in the weighted score.

Documents to keep from day one

How one-to-one lessons help with home study

Home study needs structure. A tutor can cover the subjects that are hardest to teach at home, usually maths, physics, chemistry and English, follow the exact Saudi textbook sequence or the Cambridge or Edexcel syllabus, and set and mark regular tests so you know where your child stands before semester exams or board exams.

LiveTutor lessons are one to one, 60 minutes, online, and can be scheduled during the day around a home-study timetable. Arabic-speaking tutors are available for some subjects, ask when you book.