At a glance
- Test
- Achievement Test, scientific tracks (اختبار التحصيل الدراسي للتخصصات العلمية)
- Format
- 110 questions, 5 sections of 22, 2 h 5 min
- Maths share
- 25% (equal with biology, chemistry, physics)
- Content
- All three secondary years
- Calculator
- Not allowed
- Language
- Arabic or English, chosen at registration
Tahsili for scientific tracks at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who takes it | Grade 12 students and graduates of the general track, health and life sciences track, and computer science and engineering track |
| Subjects and weights | Biology and environment 25%, chemistry 25%, physics 25%, maths 25% |
| Questions and time | 110 multiple-choice questions in 5 sections of 22; 2 hours 5 minutes |
| Delivery | Paper and digital. Inside Saudi Arabia digital is an exceptional single chance for those who missed the paper test with an accepted excuse |
| Attempts | Paper inside Saudi Arabia: four (two in grade 12, two in the first year after graduating) |
| Fees | Paper: SAR 100 early, SAR 150 late; digital SAR 150; outside Saudi Arabia SAR 200 |
| Results | Paper about a month after the test; digital 3 to 5 working days. Valid for five years |
Source: ETEC Achievement Test guide (July 2026) and test page, checked 6 October 2026. The theoretical-track Tahsili does not include maths.
What the maths questions look like
ETEC's practice questions for the maths part include the properties of a straight line from its equation, a counting and probability question about choosing students from two classes, the properties of a parabola, and finding an exact value. That spread is typical: questions are short and mostly test whether a student recognises the concept and applies it quickly, not long multi-step proofs.
Two quick examples of the style. A line passes through (1, 2) and (3, 8): its gradient is (8 - 2) / (3 - 1) = 3, so its equation is y = 3x - 1, and it crosses the y-axis at -1. The exact value of sin 60° is sqrt(3)/2, which a student must know without a calculator. Questions like these should take well under a minute, which leaves time for harder ones.
ETEC's guide says its 32 practice questions should take 37 minutes, which it describes as close to the time per question in the real test. In practice that is a little over a minute per question across all four subjects.
Where Tahsili maths marks are lost
- Forgetting grade 10 and 11 topics: the test covers all three secondary years, not just the current one.
- Exact values and identities in trigonometry that have to be known by heart because there is no calculator.
- Sign errors and careless algebra under time pressure, especially with inequalities and quadratics.
- Probability and counting: confusing arrangements with selections, or adding where you should multiply.
- Spending too long on maths and leaving physics or chemistry questions in the same section unanswered.
How one-to-one Tahsili maths lessons work
The tutor starts by mapping what your child has studied across the three secondary years and runs a timed set from ETEC's official practice test. Lessons then cover one topic family at a time, oldest and weakest first, with short timed sets of mixed questions at the end of each lesson so the student practises recognising the topic as well as solving it.
A Tahsili plan usually runs alongside school, so the tutor also keeps an eye on the current term's maths. Many families combine Tahsili maths with the Tahsili sciences or with Qudurat quantitative, which overlaps in arithmetic and geometry.
A note on language: most students in Saudi schools sit Tahsili in Arabic, and ETEC also offers it in English. Our tutors teach maths mainly in English and can work from the Arabic practice papers so your child learns the Arabic terms. Arabic-speaking tutors are available for some subjects; ask when you book.
When the test runs
In 2026 the paper Tahsili ran in two periods, 13 to 17 May and 5 to 9 June, with registration opening in late February. ETEC had not posted the 2027 dates when this page was checked on 6 October 2026. Watch the ETEC site from early in grade 12.
Common questions
Is there maths in the theoretical Tahsili?
No. The theoretical-track Tahsili (Sharia and business administration tracks) covers Islamic studies, Arabic, social studies, law and digital technology. Maths is only in the scientific-track test.
Can my child use a calculator in Tahsili?
No. ETEC does not allow a calculator in the scientific Tahsili.
Which years of maths are tested?
ETEC says the test covers what was studied in all three years of secondary school, so grade 10 and 11 topics matter as much as grade 12.
How many times can my child take Tahsili?
On paper inside Saudi Arabia, four times: twice in grade 12 and twice in the first year after graduating. Results are valid for five years.
How much do Tahsili maths lessons cost?
$15 a lesson, the same rate for every subject. Lessons are 60 minutes, one to one and online, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons a week billed monthly. 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.