On September 1, 2024, the Council of Universities’ Affairs, the agency responsible for organizing university affairs and approving policies and strategies for higher education in Saudi Arabia, announced a policy to protect the right of individuals with disabilities to pursue higher education. As part of this initiative, certain categories of persons with disabilities will be exempt from the requirement of taking the general aptitude test when applying to universities in the Kingdom.
The exemption applies to individuals in specific categories, including those with hearing impairments, autism, physical and health disabilities, learning disabilities, language disorders, visual impairments, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and behavioral and emotional disorders.
The council’s announcement stated that the Education and Training Evaluation Commission has been tasked with preparing tests in line with the needs of persons subject to the exemption.
Laws in Saudi Arabia on Rights of People with Disabilities
The council’s decision is consistent with other legal instruments in Saudi Arabia stressing the rights of people with disabilities, particularly with respect to education.
Saudi Arabia’s Basic Law of Governance guarantees the rights of persons with disabilities. Article 27 of the basic law stipulates that “[t]he State shall guarantee the rights of the citizens and their families in cases of emergency, illness, disability and old age.”
In August 2023, the King of Saudi Arabia enacted the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through Royal Decree No. M/27 of 11/2/1445 Hijri promulgating Cabinet Resolution No. 110 of 6/2/1445 (August 22, 2023). This law enhances and protects the rights of persons with disabilities in various areas. In the field of education, it ensures that with disabilities have the right to receive educational and training support at all levels, from elementary to university. The law also mandates that persons with disabilities have access to all relevant information regarding admission requirements and curricula. Furthermore, it requires vocational training institutions to offer programs that help persons with disabilities acquire skills and join the workforce.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also has ratified international treaties that uphold the right of persons with disabilities to receive education. These include the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
George Sadek, Law Library of Congress
December 5, 2024
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