Admission Obstacles for Masters and PhD Students in Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Graduate studies in Saudi Arabia furnish scholars with strategic impetus balancing between extracurricular activities and the academic life. Lavish architecture, rejuvenating spa facilities, high tech gadgets and splendid scenic views such as of the Red Sea, intersperse the academic life of the sacred few who pass the disastrous admission process. This article dissects
the admission barriers into Graduate courses, succinctly, Masters and PHD, for scholars in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is despite a shortage of Saudi PHD to meet the spiraling demand in various faculties that are presently expatriates dominated. Adopting a blended qualitative
and quantitative research approach, the researcher unravels the endemic hiatus for efficacious admission into Graduate studies in Saudi Arabia. The investigation revealed pedantic admission barriers, demotivating potential Saudis from pursuing graduate studies as: astronomically high
financial cost of Graduate course and especially in private universities, family commitments, English as a language of delivery, length of course, lack of time and the commitment constraint to completing a Graduate course, university’s capacity and other restrictive admission requirements. The investigation further revealed predominant facilitators for admission into the Graduate studies in KSA as career progression, work experience and intrinsic personal motivation such as attaining personal goals. The research concludes with recommendations to ease, facilitate, smoothen and tackle the Graduate admission hurdles.