Article 1:

Two regular semesters and a summer session, if any.

Academic Semester:

A period of no less than fifteen (15) weeks of instruction, not including the registration and final examination periods.

Summer session:

A period not exceeding eight (8) weeks of instruction, not including the registration and final examination periods. The weekly duration of each course in a summer session is twice its duration during the regular academic semester.

Academic Level:

In dictates the level of study. The levels required for graduation are eight (8) or more, in accordance with the specifications of each approved degree program.

Course:

a subject of study within a certain academic level of the approved degree plan in each major. Each course has a number, code, title, and detailed description of its contents to distinguish it from other courses. A portfolio on each course is kept in its corresponding department for follow-up, evaluation, and updates. Some courses may have prerequisite or co requisite requirement(s).

Credit Hour: Each of the weekly lectures, with a duration not less than fifty (50) minutes or a laboratory session or field study of not less than 100 minutes’ duration.

Academic Probation:

A notification given to a student with a cumulative GPA below minimum acceptable limit as explained in these regulations.

Class Work Score:

the score which reflects the student’s standing during a semester according to his/her performance in examinations, research, and other activities related to a particular course.

Final Examination:

An examination in course materials, given once at the end of every semester.

Final Examination Score:

the score attained by a student in the final examination for each course.

Final Score:

The total sum of the class work score plus the final examination score for each course out of a total grade of 100.

Course Grade:

A percentage, or alphabetical letter, assigned indicating the final grade received in a course.

Incomplete Grade:

A provisional grade assigned to each course in which a student fails to complete the requirements by the required date. This is indicated in the academic record by the letter grade (IC).

In-Progress Grade:

A provisional grade assigned to each course which requires more than one semester to complete. This is indicated in the academic record by the letter grade (IP).

Semester GPA:

The total quality points a student has earned, divided by the credit hours assigned for all courses taken in a given semester. Total quality points are calculated by multiplying the credit hours by the grade point in each course.

Cumulative GPA:

The total quality points a student has earned in all courses taken since enrolling at the University, divided by the total number of credit hours assigned for these.

Graduation Ranking:

The assessment of a student’s scholastic achievement during his/her study at the University.

Minimum Course load:

The minimum number of credit hours a student can register determined by his/her academic status, and in accordance with the University Council decisions.

Definitions of the Terms Used in the Rules of Implementation for Article 1

The Grading System at Alfaisal:

The grading system at Alfaisal is based on a four-point scale.


Internship Training:

Some students, according to their major, must spend a practical training of a minimum of 200 work hours in their major field for every credit hour, with a maximum of 12 credit hours. The student should complete the training before his/her last semester at the University. Internships should be designed and approved by a faculty advisor with his oversight and final grade evaluation. (For all colleges accept COM).


Article 2
The University Council determines the number of students to be admitted for the upcoming academic year on the basis of the recommendations presented by the College Councils and the respective departments at the college.

Article 3

For admission to the University, the student must satisfy the following requirements:
  1. The applicant should have his/her high school certificate or an equivalent certificate from inside or outside Saudi Arabia.
  2. The applicant should have obtained the secondary school certificate, or its equivalent, in a period of less than five years prior to his/her application. However the University may waive this condition if the applicant has a persuasive explanation.
  3. The applicant should have a certificate of good conduct.
  4. The applicant should successfully pass any examinations or interviews deemed necessary by the University Council.
  5. The applicant must be medically fit.
  6. The applicant must obtain the approval of his/her employer, if he/she is an employee in any government or private institution.
  7. The applicant must satisfy any other requirements specified by the University Council at the time of application.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 3
  1. If the applicant’s secondary school certificate is obtained from outside Saudi Arabia, he/she must submit evidence of academic achievement equivalent to these requirements. Any further requirements deemed necessary by the Board of Trustees also must be satisfied. Certificate must be approved by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Attaché. Alfaisal requires further admission requirements that are stated in the website.
  2. A student who graduated from High School 5 years or more and applying for College of Medicine needs University Council approval.

Article 4

Selection from among applicants, who satisfy all the admission requirements, is based on their grades in secondary school examinations, as well as the results of the interviews and the admission examinations, if any.


Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 4

English Proficiency Test is required to join Alfaisal University, for those who don’t have one, Alfaisal provide English Admission Exam.

All newly admitted students are required to complete the preparatory year program prior to starting their undergraduate study. Students may be exempted from this program or parts of it based on their grades and standard test.


The University Preparatory Year Program (UPP):

  1. Student who does not meet the Entry Requirements for Direct Admission join the University preparatory year program (UPP). UPP aims to prepare students for their undergraduate study. It also aims to achieve the following objectives in particular:

  2. a. Improving students’ proficiency level in English before starting their undergraduate study.

    b. Developing and reinforcing the students’ previous knowledge of the mathematical and analytical and scientifically fields in the medium of English.

    c. Introducing areas and techniques of new subjects to students so as to develop their manual as well as mental skills.

    d. Familiarizing students with the available majors at the University.

    e. Familiarizing students with the requirements of undergraduate study. This includes providing them with the required study skills and emphasizing the necessity of discipline in all its forms.

  3. The duration of the UPP is one academic year divided into two semesters, it includes courses deemed necessary by the collage such as:
    English Language, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Business, Statistics.

  4. The grades earned by the student in the UPP are recorded in his/her academic transcript, along with the semester and cumulative GPA. These grades are not considered when calculating the cumulative GPA for the undergraduate program.

  5. A student may be exempted from English course if he/she submitted acceptable standardized test scores in English (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS).

  6. Final Evaluation of the UPP Students:
  7. Students’ performance is evaluated at the end of the UPP to determine those who have fulfilled all its requirements. The general grade of all the courses taken in that year and the results will be taken into consideration in evaluation the student’s performance.

A student will be dismissed from the UPP if either:

  • a.Receives an F or DN twice in one of the science courses.
  • b.Fails any of the English courses three times.
  • c.Fails to complete all the UPP courses within a year, and fails to meet their pathway college requirements.

A student will be denied (DN) from the course if he/she: Misses 15% or more of his/her classes with or without an acceptable pretext.

Students who would like to change their pathway but do not fulfill all the admission requirements need an approval from the Admission Committee.

Article 5
Undergraduate study follows the academic level system. Undergraduate study comprises a minimum of eight levels. The duration of an academic level is one semester. Students are promoted successively from one academic level to another, in accordance with the promotion rules.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 5
The student is responsible for understanding and following academic rules and regulations including graduation requirements. Guidance and assistance from academic advisors does not relieve the student of this responsibility. Therefore, every student should be thoroughly familiar with all academic regulations pertaining to the granting of academic degrees. He/She regularly should familiarize him/herself with new academic regulations; in this regard he/she may consult the department chairperson or the academic advisor regarding these regulations.

Reinstatement
Students who leave Alfaisal University not in good standing and remain out of the university for no more than two semesters may submit a written request for reinstatement to the Office of the Registrar. The request should outline activities since leaving Alfaisal University that contributed to the student’s academic development. Courses taken at another institution during this interim period are not transferable.

Students who have been out of the university for more than two semesters must submit a new application for admission to the Office of Admissions. Dismissed students may also be considered for reinstatement after a one-year waiting period. All graduation requirements must be satisfied by the end of the final semester or the student will be required to register for an additional semester or term. Students requiring additional time to complete a degree will be required to appeal for an extension through the Dean of the College in which they are enrolled. The student must notify the Dean in writing of the necessity to extend enrollment for purposes of graduation and cite reasons for the need. (Notification will be hand delivered and sent by email).

Article 6
Studying in some colleges may be on a full academic year basis, according to the rules and procedures approved by the University Council. An academic year comprises two levels.

Article 7
According to the academic level system, the academic year is divided into two regular semesters and, if available, one summer session that is usually half of the time period of a regular semester. The degree requirements necessary for graduation are distributed across different levels, according to the degree plan approved by the University Council.

Article 8
The University Council establishes the detailed rules governing promotion from one level to another by taking the following points into consideration:

  1. The courses for each major are distributed across different levels. The credit hours for each level are determined according to the approved degree plans.
  2. Students who pass all courses are registered in the appropriate level course, progressing from the lower level, according to the relevant approved degree plans.
  3. Students who have failed one or more courses are registered with the minimum allowable course load in each semester, taking the following into consideration
  • a. No conflict in their schedule.
  • b. Previous requirements for the new courses are completed.
  • c. The courses of the following academic level may not be taken unless required to complete the minimum course load.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 8
1. Course Load

A student’s course load is the total number of credit hours for which he/she is registered in a regular semester or a summer session. The course load varies from one major to another and is determined according to the following rules.

The maximum course load in a regular semester is 20 credits unless it is his/her last semester.
The minimum course load in a summer session is 2 credit hour and the maximum is 9 credit hours.
The maximum course load for a student in his/her last semester 24 credit hour if the CGPA 3 and above.

2. Degree Plan

The courses for each academic degree (after completing the UPP) are distributed across eight levels. The core courses, the elective courses, and the number of credits the student must successfully complete to earn the degree in his/her major are detailed for each level. This distribution of courses and credits is termed the “degree plan.” All degree plans are approved by the Board of Trustees. Departments must review and update their degree plans according to the following rules:

    A. A student’s degree plan is referred to by a specific code number, and is effective starting from his/her first semester at the University.

    B. In special circumstances, some students may change from one degree plan to another, as long as their graduation requirements are not negatively affected.

    C. Departments establish a list of approved elective courses and submit it to the College Council. The approved list is forwarded to the Deanship of Student Affairs.

    D. In establishing changes to a degree plan, it is anticipated that some courses might not be offered, or new courses may be included. Therefore, students who proceed at a slower pace should complete their graduation requirements in accordance with the time schedule of their original degree plan. If the new plan requires taking a course that previously was cancelled, but it becomes impossible to register for such a course, the student may take an equivalent course (in terms of content and number of credits), upon the approval of the academic advisor, the department council, and the College Council. The Deanship of Student Affairs should be informed of this substitution.

    E. If a dismissed or suspended student is readmitted, he/she is again subject to the same degree plan that was assigned to him/her in his/her last semester at the University, unless this plan has been canceled. If his/her original degree plan has been canceled, the student will be transferred to the most recent degree plan that is appropriate for his/her major.

    F. A student must continue his/her academic achievement within the framework of the degree plan. If he/she completes all requirements of the plan, he/she will be nominated for graduation.

3. Academic Record

    A. A student is provided with a copy of his/her academic record at the end of each semester. Academic records are not issued to or sent to any authority outside the University, except upon written request of the student. Partial academic records are not issued; rather, academic records include all the grades earned by the student during his/her years of study at the University, from the date of his/her admission until the issue date of the records.

    B. All information in the student’s academic record must be accurate and remain confidential. If an error is suspected, Deanship the of Student Affairs must be informed immediately.

Article 9

A regular student is required to attend lectures and laboratory sessions. If his/her attendance is less than the limit determined by the University Council (75 percent of the lectures and laboratory sessions assigned for each course), the student will be barred from continuing the course and will be denied entrance to the respective final examination. A student who is denied entrance to the examination due to absences is considered to have failed that course and is given the grade DN in the course.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 9
Absences should not exceed 15 % of the lectures and laboratory sessions specified for the course.

Article 10
The College Council or whatever body it delegates its authority to, may exempt a denied student from the provisions of attendance and allow him/her to take the examination, provided that the student presents an acceptable excuse to the council. The University Council determines the percentage of attendance, which must not be less than 50 percent of the lectures and laboratory sessions specified for the course.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 10
Students are allowed 25% absence with excuse after the College Council.

Article 11
A student who is absent for a final examination, will be given a zero grade for that examination. His/her grade in the course will be calculated on the basis of the class work score he/she obtained over the semester.

Article 12
If a student fails to attend a final examination in any course but offers a compelling excuse, the College Council may choose to accept his/her excuse and allow him/her to take a make-up examination. The make-up examination must be taken prior to the end of the following semester. In such cases, the course grade will be given to the student after the make-up examination.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 12

  1. The student presents his/her excuse to the College Dean and asks permission to take a make-up examination within one month of next semester’s beginning.
  2. The course instructor submits a report to the department chairperson, which will be discussed in the department and then in the College Councils. The dean subsequently will inform the student of the Council’s decision with regard to approval or rejection. If approved, the student will be informed of the date of the make-up examination.
  3. The College Council may, in exceptional cases, accept the student’s excuse and permit him/her to take a make-up examination during the time period prior to the end of the following semester. His/her final course grade will be given after the make-up examination.

Article 13
A student may withdraw from the University for a semester, without his/her being considered as having failed the courses, if he/she presents an acceptable excuse to the authorized body specified by the University Council at least five weeks prior to the beginning of the final examinations. Under exceptional circumstances, the University Council may extend the permitted deadline for withdrawal and assign a W grade to the student. This semester will be included in the period required for completion of the program degree.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 13
Registration Committee may approve the student’s request for withdrawal from a course during the stipulated period, in accordance with that which is stated in Article 13 (after the ninth week and before the fifteenth week) if he/she presents an acceptable excuse. Under exceptional circumstances, Registration Committee may extend the permitted deadline for withdrawal and assign a W grade to the student.

Article 14

A student may postpone study for reasons determined acceptable by the College Council. The postponement duration cannot be more than two consecutive regular semesters or three non-consecutive regular semesters as maximum during his/her study at the University; otherwise, he/she will be dismissed from the University. The University Council may make exceptions when it deems necessary. The postponed period is not included in the period required for completion of the program degree.

Article 15

If a regular student interrupts his/her studies without submitting a postponement application, he/she will be dismissed from the University. The University Council also may dismiss a student if he/she interrupts his/her studies for a period less than one semester.

Article 16

A student is not considered to have interrupted his/her studies during those semesters when he/she is a visiting student at another university.

Article 17

A student whose enrollment is cancelled may apply for re-enrollment using the same university ID number and academic record he/she had before cancellation of his/her enrollment, according to the following regulations:


  1. He/she must apply for re-enrollment within four regular semesters from the date of dismissal.
  2. The College Council and the authorities concerned must approve the re-enrollment.
  3. Four or more semesters have lapsed since he/she interrupts his/her studies from the University,
  4. The student can apply to the University for admission as a new student without consideration of his/her old academic record if he/she fulfills all the admission requirements announced at the time of application.
  5. A student can be granted re-enrollment only once.
  6. The University Council may make exceptions when it deems necessary.
  7. A student cannot be re-enrolled if he/she has been on probation prior to his/her cancellation of enrollment.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 17:

Students who are dismissed for the first time may petition for reinstatement for future enrolment. The petition should be submitted to Students Affairs Deanship within two weeks of dismissal and should be approved by student’s college council and University Counselling Committee.


Article 18

A student who has been dismissed from the University for academic or disciplinary reasons, or who has been dismissed from another university for disciplinary reasons, will not be granted readmission. If it becomes evident after admission that he/she was dismissed for such.



Article 19

a. A student graduates after successfully completing the graduation requirements according to the degree plan, provided his cumulative GPA is not less than what is specified by the University Council for each major, and in any case is not less than "pass".

b. Following the recommendation of the department council, the college council may determine certain additional courses the student should take to improve his cumulative GPA if he has passed the required courses, but his graduation GPA is not satisfied.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 19

  1. A student should successfully complete all graduation requirements according to the degree plan of his major.
  2. A student must attain a cumulative GPA and major GPA of 2.00 or above to graduate.
  3. To obtain any degree from Alfaisal University, the student must have studied at Alfaisal University a minimum of 65 credit-hours, including at least 65 credit hours in his major field.
  4. The Deanship of Student Affairs, Admissions & Registration will prepare a list of students expected to graduate at the end of each semester, and presents it to the University Council.
  5. The Deanship of Student Affairs, Admissions & Registration notifies the relevant departments to review the academic records and degree plans of all candidates for graduation to ensure that they have satisfied all graduation requirements. Then, the departments provide the Deanship of Admissions & Registration with a list of the students who qualify for graduation.
  6. The Deanship of Student Affairs, Admissions & Registration minutely reviews and checks all student records to ensure that all the graduation requirements have been completed.
  7. A graduating student is obliged to obtain a clearance form The Deanship of Student Affairs, Admissions & Registration.
  8. The Deanship of Student Affairs, Admissions & Registration prepares and issues the official graduation certificates and degrees and maintains copies of these documents.
  9. No change is to be introduced to the academic record in any case after the graduation document is issued.




    A student will be dismissed from the University in either of the following situations: a. The student receives a maximum of three consecutive academic probations for having a cumulative GPA lower than 2.00 out of 5.00, or 1.00 out of 4.00. Based on the recommendations of the College Council, the University Council may grant a fourth chance to a student who can improve his/her cumulative GPA by studying the courses available.
    b. A student fails to complete the graduation requirements within a maximum additional period, equal to one-half of the period determined for his/her graduation in the original program period. The University Council may make an exception and award the student the opportunity to complete the graduation requirements within an additional period of a maximum duration equal to that specified for graduation.
    c. The University Council may make an exception and give students falls under (a) or (b) the opportunity to complete their studies within an additional period of two semesters.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 20

A student will be dismissed from the University in either of the following situations:

    a. The student receives a maximum of two consecutive academic probations for having a cumulative GPA lower than 2.00 out of 4.00 and did not appeal to the College Council the Recommendation for Dismissal Letter sent by the Deanship of Student Affairs, Admissions & Registration or if the College Council and the University Council rejected the appeal.
    b. Based on the recommendations of the College Council, the University Council may grant a third chance to a student who can improve his/her cumulative GPA by studying the courses available.
    c. Students who have earned 60 credits or more will be dismissed from the University in the event their cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 at the end of their probationary semester.
    d. Students on academic probation and have earned fewer than 60 credits will be permitted to continue on academic probation if a minimum semester GPA of 2.0 is achieved in each semester of probation.
    e. A student fails to complete the graduation requirements within a maximum additional period, equal to one-half of the period determined for his/her graduation in the original program period. The University Council at the recommendation of College Council may make an exception and award the student the opportunity to complete the graduation requirements within an additional period of a maximum duration equal to that specified for graduation.
    f. The University Council may make an exception and give students falls under (a) or (b) the opportunity to complete their studies within an additional period of two semesters.


Appeal Process against Dismissal:

A student who has been academically dismissed from the University may appeal the decision. That appeal should include explanatory information and any new evidence not previously considered by the Admissions Committee.



Article 21

Based on the recommendation of the colleges, the University Council may accept the principle of studying by affiliation in some colleges and specializations that allow this option. The University Council sets the rules and procedures for affiliation according to the following regulations:

    a. The credit hours required for the graduation of an associate student must not be less than the credit hours required of a regular student.

    b. The associate student will be treated, with regard to admission, grading, transfer, dismissal, and re-enrollment, in exactly the same manner as a regular student, except for class attendance.

    c. On the basis of the College Council’s recommendation, the University Council determines the rules required to evaluate the performance of associate students.

    d. The student’s transcript, graduation certificate, and degree must indicate that the student studied by affiliation.

Article 22
Based on the recommendations of the department council that offers the course, the College Council will decide the class work score, which must not be less than 30 percent of the final course grade.

Article 23
The class work score is evaluated in one of the following ways:


  • a. At least one written examination, plus part or all of the following: oral and practical examinations, research papers, other class activities.
  • b. At least two written examination.

Article 24
Based on the recommendations of the department council concerned, the College Council is entitled to permit the inclusion of practical or oral tests in the final examination of any course and to specify the proportion of the final score for the course that is assigned to these tests.

Article 25
Based on the recommendations of the course instructor, the department council that offers the course may allow a student to complete the requirements of any course in the following semester. In such a case, an IC grade is recorded in the student’s academic record. The student’s grade in the course will not be included in the calculation of the semester or cumulative GPA until he/she completes the course requirements and earns a grade. If the IC grade is not changed in the academic record after the lapse of one semester because the student does not complete the course, the IC status will be automatically changed to an F grade and will be included in the calculation of the semester and cumulative GPAs.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 25
The student who was doing satisfactory work but, for reasons beyond his control, he was unable to meet the full requirements of the course and as such is incomplete “I”. Unless otherwise specified by the respective college, an “I” will be changed to the grade of “F” by the University Registrar. The course Instructor must submit the final grade no later than 7 weeks after the last day of final exams for the previous semester. If a student is assigned an “I”, the Instructor must notify the student in writing of the requirements for removal of the “I” and of the deadline for removal of the “I” using an extension form. The student will be required to sign the extension form. A copy of the form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar at the time the “I” is submitted.

Article 26
Courses that involve symposia and/or research or courses of a practical or field work nature may be excluded from part or all of the rules in Articles 22, 23, and 24, based on a decision made by the College Council and the recommendation of the department council teaching the course. The College Council may specify alternate ways to evaluate student achievement in such course.

Article 27
If courses of a research nature require more than one semester to complete, the grade of IP is assigned to the student. After the completion of the course, the student will be given the grade he/she has earned. If he/she fails to complete the course within the specified time, the department council that offers the course may approve assigning an IC grade to the student’s record for this course.

Article 28
The grades earned by students in each course are calculated as follows:

Percentage Grade Significance Grade code GPA (out of 5.0) GPA (out of 4.0)
95 – 100 Exceptional A+ 5.00 4.00
90 – 94 Excellent A 4.75 3.75
85 – 89 Superior B+ 4.50 3.50
80 – 84 Very Good B 4.00 3.00
75 – 79 Above Average C+ 3.50 2.50
70 – 74 Good C 3.00 2.00
65 – 69 High Pass D+ 2.50 1.50
60 – 64 Pass D 2.00 1.00
Less than 60 Fail F 1.00 0.00

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 28

Alfaisal University uses the 4.0 grade point average system. The following grades are approved for use in Alfaisal University and are included in the determination of the grade point average:

Grade Code Grade Points Percentile Range Grade Points
A 4.0 95%-100% Excellent
A- 3.67 90%–94%
B+ 3.33 86%-89% Very Good
B 3.0 83%-85% Good
B- 2.67 80%82%
C+ 2.33 76%-79%
C 2.0 73%-75% Fair
C- 1.67 70%-72%
D+ 1.33 66%-69%
D 1.0 60%-65%
F 0.0 0%-59% Fail

Other grades may be used in certain situations but are not included in the determination of the grade point average. These include I/IC, W, AU, CR, R, CC/IP, and NC which are explained in detail below. Transfer credits from accredited institutions are posted to the transcript and assigned the grades (satisfactory) but not included in the cumulative GPA calculation.

For more details See Appendix A

Article 29

The general grade assigned to the cumulative GPA at the time of the student’s graduation is based on his/her cumulative GPA and calculated as follows:

  1. Excellent—if the cumulative GPA is no less than 4.50 out of 5.00, or 3.50 out of 4.00.
  2. Very good—if the cumulative GPA is 3.75 or higher but less than 4.50 (out of 5.00), or 2.75 or higher but less than 3.50 (out of 4.00).
  3. Good—if the cumulative GPA is 2.75 or higher but less than 3.75 (out of 5.00), or 1.75 or higher but less than 2.75 (out of 4.00).
  4. Pass—if the cumulative GPA is 2.00 or higher but less than 2.75 (out of 5.00), or 1.00 or higher but less than 1.75 (out of 4.00).

Article 30
First honors are granted to the student who has earned a cumulative GPA between 4.75 and 5.00 (out of 5.00) or between 3.75 and 4.00 (out of 4.00) at the time of his/her graduation. Second honors are granted to the student who has earned a cumulative GPA of 4.25 or higher but less than 4.75 (out of 5.00), or 3.25 or higher but less than 3.75 (out of 4.00) at the time of his/her graduation.

The student who is eligible for first or second honors also must meet the following criteria:

    a. He/she must not have failed any course completed at the University or any other university.

    b. He/she must have completed all graduation requirements within a specified period, the maximum of which is the average of the maximum and minimum limits for completing his/her degree program.

    c. He/she must have completed 60 percent or more of the graduation requirements at the university from which he/she is graduating.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 30

The transcripts of graduating students show honors categories based on the following scale:
First Honor 3.75 through 4.0 GPA
Second Honor 3.5 through 3.74 GPA
These honors categories are based on a student’s cumulative average at the end the graduation semester.

Article 31
The College Council may form a committee to coordinate with the departments in organizing the procedures of final examinations. The responsibilities of this committee include reviewing the marking sheets and submitting them to the committee concerned within three days of the examination date of the respective course.

Article 32
The College Council may apply the principle of strict confidentiality in the final examinations procedures.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 32
A course instructor must prepare examinations in an accurate and strictly confidential manner. The instructor has the sole responsibility for photocopying the examination papers at the examination center and for collecting them.

Article 33
The course instructor writes the examination questions. The College Council, when necessary, may appoint another instructor to write the questions, based on the recommendation of the department chairperson.

Article 34
The course instructor corrects the final examination papers. When necessary, the department chairperson may appoint one or more specialist instructors to participate in the grading process. The College Council also may assign the grading to another instructor, when required.

Article 35
The instructor who corrects the final examination records the marks earned by the students on a grade sheet specifically prepared for that purpose. He/she then signs his/her name on the sheet and has it signed by the department chairperson.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 35
The instructor posts the grades through online grading system.

Article 36
No student is to be given more than two examinations on one day. The University Council may make exceptions for this rule, as it sees fit.

Article 37
No student is allowed to enter the examination venue more than 30 minutes after the examination begins or leave before the first 30 minutes of the examination have elapsed.

Article 38
Cheating in examination or attempting to cheat, or violating instructions, and examination regulations shall render the student to punishment in accordance with the Student Disciplinary By-Laws as issued by the University Council.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 38
For more information Check (Student Disciplinary Regulations and Procedures)

Article 39
The College Council that offers the course may approve the re-grading of examination papers within a period not to exceed the beginning of the next semester’s examinations.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 39
Academic evaluations of students’ performances will be conducted in a manner which assures fairness. Students who disagree with a grade given for a test, formal paper, or final grade who believe a grade to be deficient or unfair should initially pursue an appeal with the instructor. If a satisfactory resolution cannot be accommodated, the student may carry the issue to the Dean of the College.
A student may request that an assigned grade be changed in accordance with the following procedures. The change must be requested prior to the end of the first two (2) Weeks of enrollment (excluding summer) following the term in which the grade was assigned. This process cannot be used for students appealing a grade of failure (F) assigned due to academic dishonesty.

Article 40
Based on the recommendation of the relevant department council, the College Council determines the duration of the final written examinations, which should not be less than one hour and not more than three hours.

Article 41
The College Council sets the regulations pertaining to the final examination procedures, without detriment to the provisions stated in Articles 31–40.

TRANSFER FROM ONE UNIVERSITY TO ANOTHER

Article 42
The transfer of a student from outside the University may be accepted under the following conditions:

  1. The student should have studied at a recognized college or university.
  2. The student must not have been dismissed from that university for disciplinary reasons.
  3. The student must satisfy the transfer conditions, as determined by the University Council.

Article 43
The College Council evaluates the courses that were taken by the student outside the University, based on the recommendations of the departments that offer equivalent courses. The courses evaluated as equivalent are recorded in the student’s academic transcript but are not included in the calculation of his/her cumulative GPA.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 43
The transfer of a student from another University to AU maybe accepted under the following conditions.

  1. No more than 48 credit hours can be transferred for the student.
  2. For a course to be considered for transfer, the student must have obtained a minimum of (C) grade in that course.
  3. The course must be equivalent to Alfaisal course according to AU policy for each course.
  4. All courses taking before joining Alfaisal University must be submitted with admission’s application form.

Article 44
If it becomes evident, after a student’s transfer, that the student was dismissed for disciplinary reasons, his/her enrollment is considered cancelled from the date of acceptance of his/her transfer to the University. No refund of course fees will be given, and the student will be dismissed from the University.

Article 45
The transfer of a student from one university to another during any semester takes place in accordance with the procedures and the dates announced by the university to which the student is transferring, according to the general rules governing transfer.

TRANSFER FROM ONE COLLEGE TO ANOTHER WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY

Article 46
A student may transfer from one college to another within the University in accordance with the rules endorsed by the University Council.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 46
  1. A student may transfer from one college to another within the University after getting approval from the two colleges’ deans using the official transferring form.
  2. The student should continue to study all the courses for which he/she is registered at the level preceding the transfer and should comply with the rules of adding and dropping of courses.
  3. The form should be submitted by the end of the 1st week of fall and spring semester.
  4. A student is allowed to change his/her college one time only.

Article 47
All courses that have been studied by a student transferred from one college to another are recorded in his/her academic record, including the grades and the semester and cumulative GPAs obtained throughout his/her study at the respective University.

TRANSFER FROM ONE MAJOR TO ANOTHER WITHIN THE COLLEGE

Article 48
A student may transfer from one major to another within a college, in accordance with the rules established by the University Council.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 48
  1. A student apply to his/her collage then he/she can transfer if it will not affect their schedule.
  2. A student must fill the transferring form.
  3. The form should be submitted during the 12th week of fall and spring semester.

Article 49
All courses that have been studied by a student who has transferred from one major to another are recorded in his/her academic record, including the grades and the semester and cumulative GPAs obtained throughout his/her study at the University.

Article 50
A “visiting student” is a student who studies courses at another university or in any branch of the University to which he/she belongs without transferring. These courses are considered equivalent to those offered at the University, according to the following rules:

  1. The student must obtain the approval of his/her college before he/she begins his/her studies.
  2. His/her studies should be at a recognized college or university.
  3. The course the student takes outside his/her college should be equivalent, in terms of content, to a course required for graduation.
  4. If the visiting student is studying in one of the branches of the University to which he/she belongs, the rules under Article 47 apply.
  5. The University Council determines the maximum credit hours to be allocated to a visiting student from outside the University.
  6. The course grades credited to the visiting student will be recorded in his/her academic record, but not included in the calculation of his/her cumulative GPA.
  7. Any other conditions required by the University Council should be satisfied.

Alfaisal University Implementation Rules for Article 50

For Alfaisal University Students Taking Courses outside the University:

  1. The student cannot take any course that is currently offered at Alfaisal University.
  2. The student cannot take any other courses outside the University if he/she is taking the maximum course
  3. The student cannot take/repeat a course that is already taken in Alfaisal in any other university.
  4. The student should provide detailed descriptions and/or syllabus for the courses he/she intends to take in another university.
  5. The request must approved by the College Dean and Deanship of Student Affairs, Admissions and Registration.
  6. Student must fill the Courses Pre-Approval form for Study Abroad.

For Students Visiting to Study at Alfaisal University:

There are countless reasons to come to Alfaisal University as a Visiting Student or Non-Degree Student. No matter what brings you here, you will be surrounded by the kind of opportunities, experiences, and people that can only be found in the heart of the state of art campus of Alfaisal University.


Visiting Students Criteria

Alfaisal University welcomes visiting students for a maximum of two consecutive semesters. To apply as a visiting student you must fulfil the following requirements:

  1. Letter of permission from your current university that includes the courses you plan to take at Alfaisal University.
  2. Minimum of 30 credit hours attended in a recognized college or University.
  3. Minimum GPA of 2.5 out of 4 or 3 out of 5.
  4. Proof of English Proficiency Test.
  5. Official Transcripts.
  6. Advanced payment of full tuition fees.
  7. For Non –Saudi students, a valid Iqama and health insurance.

Non-Degree Students Criteria

An undergraduate non-degree student takes credit bearing courses but does not pursue a baccalaureate degree. Non-degree students register for courses on a space available basis. Alfaisal University degree candidates have first priority for registration.

Non-degree students must demonstrate course pre-requisites and may need approval from the respective department of the College. As a non-degree student, you may take up to 24 credits in this status.Non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid.

Alfaisal University welcomes Non- degree students for a maximum of two consecutive semesters and must fulfil the following requirements:


  1. Proof of English Proficiency Test.
  2. Official High school transcript and Quadrat, Tahseely, or SAT.
  3. Non-degree students cannot register for a course without fulfilling its pre-requisites.
  4. Students who have college credits or have completed a college degree must submit an official college transcript.
  5. A Non-Degree student is allowed to register for a maximum of 12 CHs in Fall or Spring semester, and 9 CHs in Summer semester, on the condition that the student does not exceed more than 24 CHs in both semesters.
  6. Advanced payment of full tuition fees.
  7. For Non –Saudi students, a valid Iqama and proof of health insurance

Application Fee

A 500 SR non-refundable application fee is required for all applicants. The application fee will be collected at the time of application.

Article 51
These regulations supersede all preceding rules and regulations established for study and examinations at the undergraduate level.

Article 52
The University Council may establish rules of implementation that will not contradict these regulations.

Article 53
The Higher Education Council is entitled to interpret these regulations as it sees fit.

Appendix A

Non-credit Grades:

The following symbols are approved for use in the cases indicated, but will not be included in the determination of the grade point average:

I/IC-The student was doing satisfactory work but, for reasons beyond his control, he was unable to meet the full requirements of the course and as such is incomplete “I”. Unless otherwise specified by the respective college, an “I” will be changed to the grade of “F” by the University Registrar. The course Instructor must submit the final grade no later than 7 weeks after the last day of final exams for the previous semester. If a student is assigned an “I”, the Instructor must notify the student in writing of the requirements for removal of the “I” and of the deadline for removal of the “I” using an extension form. The student will be required to sign the extension form. A copy of the form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar at the time the “I” is submitted.

W-The student was permitted to withdraw without penalty. Any student who withdraws on or before midterm will receive a W. Withdrawals without penalty will not be permitted after the 8th week of the semester. Students must complete the official withdrawal form provided by the Office of the Registrar.

AU-The student was given permission to audit this course. After the last day of late registration (last day of drop/add), students may not transfer from audit to credit status. Students may change from credit to audit up to the official withdrawal date.

CR-The student was given credit for a course.

NC-Units for courses which are graded with a “P” (Pass) or “NP” (No Pass) will not be included in the student’s GPA calculation. Units for courses which are graded with a “P” will be counted toward the student’s degree requirements; those with grades “NP” will not.

R-Any undergraduate student may retake a course for which he received a grade below a B. A student may exercise this option for no more than four courses, totaling no more than 10% of the credits for undergraduate students only. A student may use this option only once for a given course within two years. For the course retaken, the lower grade will show as “R” in the transcript. Only the higher grade shall be counted in the determination of the student’s grade-point average (GPA). The course retake policy will not be applied automatically to a student’s GPA. After completing the second attempt of a course, a student must submit a request to the University Registrar’s Office. Retake course policy will apply for courses taken at Alfaisal University only. ( retake courses policy will not apply for courses taken outside AU). Student to benefit from the retake policy his/her new grade must not be F or DN.

CC/IP-A student who does not complete a course by the end of the semester and his/her project/work will require an extension to the next semester. The final grade will be reported to the student after he/she finishes all requirements of the course.

DN-Any undergraduate who fails in a course because of exceeding the permissible limit of absences or a disciplinary verdict. Conceder as F on GPA calculate. If the student repeat the course, the grade will not be changed to the letter "R" on the transcript, it will be as a letter "DN" and the new grade will be added to the next semester GPA.


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