PYP Course Waiver for Freshman Students

Important Note: PYP study plans vary by major. Students are therefore advised to refer to the interactive study plan page to confirm the actual PYP courses linked to their major before interpreting waiver outcomes.
This page is intended for freshman students. A freshman student is a student applying to Prince Sultan University directly after high school, not a transfer student from another university. Transfer students should refer to the PYP waiver guide for transfer students.
Overview

The waiver policy depends on the course type, the qualification or test used, and the fulfillment of additional conditions in some cases. Some courses may be waived directly once a minimum score is met, while others depend on prior waivers or on completing waiver requirements related to the same academic semester.

Waiver of English Courses

A student may be waived from any English course in the Preparatory Year Program upon meeting the minimum required score in one of the approved qualifications or tests.

Note: scroll horizontally to view all columns.
Course Academic IELTS TOEFL iBT (0–120) For tests taken before January 21, 2026 TOEFL iBT (1–6) For tests dated January 21, 2026 or later IGCSE High School
ENG010 Reading: 5
Writing: 5
Overall: 4.5		 Reading: 11
Writing: 13
Overall: 36		 Reading: 3
Writing: 3
Overall: 2.5		 Grade B High school from an international school inside or outside Saudi Arabia, provided that English was the language of instruction.
ENG020 Listening: 5
Speaking: 5
Overall: 4.5		 Listening: 11
Speaking: 16
Overall: 36		 Listening: 3
Speaking: 3
Overall: 2.5		 Grade B High school from an international school inside or outside Saudi Arabia, provided that English was the language of instruction.
ENG030 Reading: 5.5
Writing: 5.5
Overall: 5		 Reading: 15
Writing: 18
Overall: 50		 Reading: 3.5
Writing: 4
Overall: 3		 Grade A or A* Not applicable
ENG040 Listening: 5.5
Speaking: 5.5
Overall: 5		 Listening: 15
Speaking: 18
Overall: 50		 Listening: 3.5
Speaking: 3.5
Overall: 3		 Grade A or A* Not applicable
  • A student may be waived from English courses even if they previously studied them at Prince Sultan University and did not pass, provided the required score is achieved in one of the approved tests.
  • Approved test scores may not be used for waiving English courses more than twice.
  • Results of IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT taken online may be accepted.
Waiver of Mathematics Courses

A student may be waived from mathematics courses upon meeting one of the approved criteria for each course, whether through Qudurat and Tahsili together, through IGCSE Mathematics at the required level, or through SAT Mathematics.

Note: scroll horizontally to view all columns.
Course Qudurat and Tahsili Together IGCSE Mathematics SAT Mathematics
MATH001 Qudurat: 85
Tahsili: 85		 Grade B or above
A-level or AS-level		 600
MATH002 Qudurat: 90
Tahsili: 90		 Grade A or A*
A-level		 680
Note: Under the Qudurat and Tahsili pathway, the minimum required score must be met in both tests together; one of the two alone is not sufficient.
Waiver of Law Courses

Waiver of law courses does not depend only on a test score. It also requires fulfilling a prior condition related to waiving the relevant English courses.

📌 LAW001
  • First condition: the student must have been waived from ENG010 and ENG020.
  • Second condition: meeting one of the following minimum thresholds:
    • SAT:1200
    • Qudurat:80
    • Tahsili:80
📌 LAW002
  • First condition: the student must have been waived from all English courses: ENG010, ENG020, ENG030, ENG040.
  • Second condition: meeting one of the following minimum thresholds:
    • SAT:1350
    • Qudurat:85
    • Tahsili:85
Waiver of Communication Skills Courses

Waiver of communication skills courses is linked first to the waiver of the relevant English courses, then to meeting the minimum threshold in one of the language tests.

📌 ENG011
  • First condition: the student must have been waived from ENG010 and ENG020.
  • Second condition: meeting one of the following minimum thresholds:
    • TOEFL iBT (1–6):3
    • TOEFL iBT (0–120):50
    • Academic IELTS:5
📌 ENG012
  • First condition: the student must have been waived from all English courses: ENG010, ENG020, ENG030, ENG040.
  • Second condition: meeting one of the following minimum thresholds:
    • TOEFL iBT (1–6):3.5
    • TOEFL iBT (0–120):66
    • Academic IELTS:5.5

Results of IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT taken online may be accepted.

Waiver of Other Remaining Courses

This part depends on completing the waiver requirements related to the same academic semester, not on combining separate waivers across different semesters.

Remaining Courses of the First Semester

CMP011 / PDS001 / PE001

  • First condition: the student must have been waived from ENG010 and ENG020.
  • Second condition: the student must have been waived from one of the following courses, depending on the program requirements:
    • MATH001
    • LAW001
    • ENG011
Remaining Courses of the Second Semester

CMP012 / PDS002 / PE002

  • First condition: the student must have been waived from ENG030 and ENG040.
  • Second condition: the student must have been waived from one of the following courses, depending on the program requirements:
    • MATH002
    • LAW002
    • ENG012
📌 Key Note

A student will not be waived from the remaining courses unless all waiver requirements are fulfilled within the same academic semester. Combining waivers across different semesters is not recognized for this purpose.

📘 Example
  • If a student is waived in the same semester from ENG010, ENG020, and MATH001, then the student will also be waived from CMP011, PDS001, and PE001.
  • If a student is first waived from ENG010 and ENG020, then in a later semester from MATH001, the student will not be waived from CMP011, PDS001, and PE001.
Important Notes
  • This page is for guidance only and is based on the policy governing the waiver of PYP courses for freshman students.
  • Students should always refer to the study plan of their major to understand which courses actually apply to them.
  • In case of any discrepancy between a student’s personal understanding and the university’s implementation, the approved policy and related executive rules remain the reference.