At a glance
- Sciences share
- Biology and environment 25%, chemistry 25%, physics 25%
- Format
- 110 questions, 5 sections of 22, 2 h 5 min
- Content
- All three secondary years
- Calculator
- Not allowed
- Language
- Arabic or English
What ETEC's practice questions cover in each science
A sample of the topics in the 32 official practice questions in ETEC's July 2026 guide.
| Subject | Weight | Topics in ETEC's practice questions |
|---|---|---|
| Biology and environment | 25% | Iodine deficiency and the thyroid, classifying annelid worms, carbohydrate digestion enzymes, organisms that use carbon dioxide, symbiotic relationships, the lymphatic system, probability in inheritance, plant growth factors |
| Physics | 25% | Expansion of water on freezing, wave speed from frequency and wavelength, mass and weight on the Moon, projectile at its highest point, specific heat capacity, variable resistors, total internal reflection |
| Chemistry | 25% | Atomic number and particles, percentage composition of a hydrocarbon, gas volumes in reactions, oxidation, oxidation of ethanol, bond energy, endothermic reactions, the Lewis definition of a base |
| Maths | 25% | Covered on the Tahsili maths page |
Source: ETEC Achievement Test guide for scientific tracks (July 2026), checked 6 October 2026.
Two worked examples in the Tahsili style
Physics, from ETEC's practice set: a sound wave in air has a wavelength of 0.5 m and a frequency of 666 Hz. Its speed is v = f x wavelength = 666 x 0.5 = 333 m/s. The numbers are chosen to work without a calculator; the skill is knowing the relationship instantly.
Physics again: a 10 kg body absorbs 800 J and its temperature rises from 25 °C to 27 °C. From Q = m x c x change in temperature, c = 800 / (10 x 2) = 40 J/kg °C. A student who has to look up or rearrange the formula slowly loses the time this question was meant to take.
In biology and chemistry most questions are recall plus one step of reasoning: which enzyme starts carbohydrate digestion (amylase), or what happens when an atom loses electrons (it is oxidised and becomes a positive ion). Breadth matters more than depth, because any topic from three years can appear.
Where Tahsili science marks are lost
- Grade 10 and 11 topics that were studied once and never reviewed.
- Formulas known but not fluent: rearranging under time pressure without a calculator.
- Units and prefixes in physics and chemistry (kJ and J, mL and L, degrees and kelvin).
- Biology classification and terminology, which must be exact in a multiple-choice test.
- Organic chemistry reactions and the products of oxidation and combustion.
- Uneven preparation: a strong physics student who neglects biology loses a quarter of the test.
How one-to-one Tahsili science lessons work
The tutor starts with ETEC's official practice test to find the weakest science and the weakest years, then builds a review calendar that covers all three sciences across all three secondary years before the test window. Each lesson reviews one topic area, tests recall with quick questions, and finishes with a timed mixed set.
Many families book separate tutors for physics, chemistry and biology, since each tutor teaches the subjects they list; others work with one tutor for the subject that needs most help and revise the rest independently. Your child's school physics, chemistry or biology lessons can run alongside, because Tahsili review strengthens current schoolwork too.
A note on language: most students in Saudi schools sit Tahsili in Arabic, and ETEC also offers it in English, chosen at registration. Science can be taught well in English, and the tutor can map English terms to the Arabic terms in the official papers. Arabic-speaking tutors are available for some subjects; ask when you book.
Start with the oldest material
Grade 12 content is fresh from school. The marks that are easiest to recover are usually in grade 10 and 11 topics, so put those first in the review plan.
Common questions
What does the scientific Tahsili cover?
Biology and environment, chemistry, physics and maths, 25% each, from all three years of secondary school, according to ETEC.
Can Tahsili be taken in English?
Yes. ETEC offers the scientific Tahsili in Arabic and English. The student chooses the language at registration and sits the whole test in that language.
Is there a pass mark in Tahsili?
No. ETEC says scores are not pass or fail; they are used by universities to compare applicants. As with Qudurat, 65 is about average and 81 or more puts a student in the top 5%.
When should my child start preparing?
Ideally early in grade 12, or in the summer before it, because three years of three sciences is a lot to review alongside school.
How much do Tahsili science 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.