What is the weighted ratio (النسبة الموزونة)?
The weighted ratio (النسبة الموزونة) is the official Saudi university admission score, combining three components in a weighted formula: (1) Thanawiya - your high school GPA percentage. (2) Qudurat - the General Aptitude Test (GAT), measuring verbal and quantitative reasoning. (3) Tahsili - the Standardized Achievement Admission Test (SAAT), measuring mastery of science/math subjects from high school (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics). Each university and each college within a university publishes its own weights. The standard formula for science colleges is 30% Thanawiya + 30% Qudurat + 40% Tahsili.
The three components
(1) Thanawiya (الثانوية العامة): your overall high school grade as a percentage. Includes all subjects, weighted by credit hours within the high school curriculum. Stays the same once you graduate. (2) Qudurat (القدرات / GAT): an aptitude test administered by Etec/Qiyas (etec.gov.sa) measuring verbal (Arabic comprehension, analogies, reading) and quantitative (math, logic) reasoning. Available 4-5 times per year; you can retake. Score 0-100. The best score in 5 years counts. (3) Tahsili (التحصيلي / SAAT): an achievement test for science track students covering Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics. Tests mastery of high school science. Score 0-100. Also from Etec/Qiyas, also retakable.
Formulas at major Saudi universities
King Saud University (KSU) - science colleges: 30% Thanawiya + 30% Qudurat + 40% Tahsili. KSU literary colleges: 50% Thanawiya + 50% Qudurat (no Tahsili). King Abdulaziz University (KAU) - preparatory year (science): 50% Thanawiya + 30% Qudurat + 20% Tahsili. KFUPM (engineering, IT): 30% Thanawiya + 30% Qudurat + 40% Tahsili. Princess Nourah University: variable by college, typically 40/30/30 or 30/30/40. Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University - literary tracks: 50% Thanawiya + 50% Qudurat. King Khalid, Qassim, Taibah: usually 30/30/40 for science. Always verify with the official portal for the current admission year - weights are occasionally adjusted.
Typical admission thresholds
Approximate weighted-ratio cutoffs (science track, varies year to year): 90%+ = top medical and elite engineering (KSU Medicine, KFUPM CS, KAUST). 85-90% = strong engineering, sciences, top business. 80-85% = competitive science colleges, most engineering. 75-80% = standard science and business at most universities. 70-75% = community colleges and applied colleges at major universities. <70% = applied/technical institutes, private universities, or retake one of the tests. These are GUIDELINES - the actual cutoff depends on annual applicant pool and seat availability. Check your target program's previous-year minimum acceptance on its admission portal.
How to improve your weighted ratio
Your Thanawiya is fixed once you graduate. The leverage is on Qudurat and Tahsili - both are RETAKABLE. (1) Qudurat: study with official Qiyas materials, focus on verbal analogies and quantitative reasoning patterns. Best score in 5 years counts, so retake if your first attempt was below 85. (2) Tahsili: cover all 4 subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Math). Specific Tahsili prep books are widely available. Most students improve 5-10 points on a second attempt. (3) Strategic test combination: under the standard 30/30/40 formula, a 1-point increase in Tahsili adds 0.4 to your weighted ratio - twice as much as a 1-point Thanawiya increase. Focus prep effort accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
The weighted ratio is the official Saudi university admission score combining three components: Thanawiya (high school GPA), Qudurat (General Aptitude Test / GAT), and Tahsili (Standardized Achievement Test / SAAT). The standard formula for science colleges is: 30% Thanawiya + 30% Qudurat + 40% Tahsili. Other universities use 50/30/20 (KAU prep year), 40/30/30 (some medical), or 50/50/0 (literary tracks - no Tahsili). Always check your target university's official admission portal for the exact formula.
The most common formula across major Saudi universities (KSU, KFUPM, King Khalid, Qassim, Taibah for science colleges) is 30% Thanawiya + 30% Qudurat + 40% Tahsili. So a student with 95% Thanawiya, 82 Qudurat, and 78 Tahsili would have: 95×0.3 + 82×0.3 + 78×0.4 = 28.5 + 24.6 + 31.2 = 84.3%. King Abdulaziz University's preparatory year (science) uses a different formula: 50% Thanawiya + 30% Qudurat + 20% Tahsili.
Your Thanawiya is fixed once you graduate, so the leverage is on Qudurat and Tahsili - both retakable through Etec/Qiyas. Best score in 5 years counts. Tips: (1) Qudurat - study with official Qiyas materials, focus on verbal analogies and quantitative patterns. (2) Tahsili - cover all 4 science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Math); specific prep books available. Under the 30/30/40 formula, a 1-point Tahsili increase adds 0.4 to weighted ratio - twice the impact of a 1-point Thanawiya increase. Focus prep accordingly.
No. Literary tracks (humanities, Islamic studies, Arabic literature, social sciences) at Imam University, KSU literary colleges, etc. use the 50% Thanawiya + 50% Qudurat formula WITHOUT Tahsili. You only need Tahsili for science track (Medicine, Engineering, Computer Science, pure sciences). Always verify with the specific college's admission portal - some colleges have moved to include Tahsili across all tracks.
Top medical colleges (KSU, KAU, King Fahd) typically require weighted ratios of 90%+ in recent admission cycles, sometimes 92%+ for the most competitive programs. Engineering at KFUPM and top computer science programs similarly require 88-90%+. These are GUIDELINES that change year to year based on applicant pool. Check your target program's previous-year minimum acceptance score in the official admission portal - many universities publish this transparently for student planning.
Sources
- Education and Training Evaluation Commission (Etec / formerly Qiyas)— Etec - Saudi Arabia
- King Saud University - Admission Weighted Ratio Calculator— King Saud University
- King Faisal University - Weighted Percentage Formula— King Faisal University
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences - Admission— KSAU-HS
Did we solve your problem today?
