Saudi University Weighted Score Explained: How النسبة الموزونة Is Calculated

The النسبة الموزونة, or weighted score, is the single number that decides most Saudi university admissions. It blends three separate results, your high school percentage, your Qudurat general aptitude score, and your Tahsili achievement score, into one percentage.

Each input is multiplied by a weight set by the university, and the three products are added together. Because the weights differ between universities and between tracks, the same three scores can produce very different weighted scores. A student who is a strong candidate at one university can fall short at another purely because of the weights.

This guide explains the three inputs, the common 30/30/40 split, KFUPM's different weights, the humanities tracks that skip Tahsili, and how to read a Qudurat score in context.

Figure 1: Your weighted score blends three results into the one number admissions offices use.

The three inputs

Every weighted score is built from the same three ingredients.

High school percentage. Your final secondary-school average, expressed as a percentage. This is the only input that comes from your school record.

Qudurat (القدرات). The Qiyas general aptitude test. It measures verbal and quantitative reasoning rather than memorised content, and there is no pass or fail mark. Scores are reported on a scale where the average sits around 65.

Tahsili (التحصيلي). The achievement test covering the science curriculum. It carries the heaviest weight in most science and health tracks.

The formula is always the same shape: (high school % x its weight) + (Qudurat x its weight) + (Tahsili x its weight). What changes is the weight each university assigns.

The standard 30/30/40 split

The most common weighting for science tracks is 30% high school, 30% Qudurat and 40% Tahsili. King Saud University uses this split for 2026/2027, and many other universities use it or something close to it for their science, engineering and health colleges.

The message of this split is clear: Tahsili matters most. A student with 98% in high school but a weak Tahsili can end up below a student with 90% in high school and a strong Tahsili. If you are applying to a science track, your Tahsili preparation deserves the largest share of your study time.

KFUPM's different weights

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals does not follow the standard split. On its regular track the weights are 50% Qudurat, 40% Tahsili and only 10% high school.

This changes the strategy completely. A near-perfect high school average counts for almost nothing at KFUPM, while the Qudurat score carries half the total. Students targeting KFUPM should treat Qudurat preparation as the main event, not a side task, and should not assume that strong school grades will carry them.

Humanities tracks: no Tahsili required

Theoretical and humanities tracks use a simpler two-input formula: 50% high school percentage plus 50% Qudurat, with no Tahsili component at all.

This matters for planning. If you are set on a humanities or theoretical major, the Tahsili test is not part of your admission calculation, so the time other students spend on Tahsili prep can go toward your Qudurat score and your school grades instead. Check the track definition in the university's admission guide before you decide to skip it, because the classification of some majors varies between universities.

What your Qudurat score means

Qudurat has no pass or fail. The score places you relative to other test takers, and Qiyas publishes the reference points: 81 and above puts you in the top 5%, 78 in the top 10%, 73 in the top 20%, 70 in the top 30%, and the average is 65.

Two practical notes follow from this. First, small differences in Qudurat matter a lot near the top of the scale, because each point moves you past a meaningful share of test takers. Second, a Qudurat score stays valid for 5 years, so a strong score earned early keeps working for you across multiple admission cycles.

Figure 2: Graduation is only the start. The Qudurat and Tahsili scores still shape where you study.

A worked example at 30/30/40

Take a student with 95% in high school, 90 in Qudurat and 88 in Tahsili, applying under the standard split:

• High school: 0.30 x 95 = 28.5
• Qudurat: 0.30 x 90 = 27.0
• Tahsili: 0.40 x 88 = 35.2
• Weighted score: 28.5 + 27.0 + 35.2 = 90.7%

Now run the same scores under KFUPM's weights: (0.10 x 95) + (0.50 x 90) + (0.40 x 88) = 9.5 + 45 + 35.2 = 89.7%. The same student, a full point lower, from weights alone. This is why you should never compare a weighted score with a friend's unless you know both universities used the same split.

Figure 3: Run the formula with your own numbers before you shortlist universities.

To run your own numbers, use the weighted admission score calculator. Enter your three scores and the weights of the university and track you are targeting, and it returns your weighted score instantly. Try it with several universities' weights to see where you stand strongest.

Frequently asked questions