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SAAT

Standard Achievement Admission Test, Scientific (Tahsili, SAAT)

Your Tahsili score counts with Qudurat and your school grades when medicine, engineering and science colleges rank applicants, so every extra point matters. We've handpicked 1333 biology, chemistry, physics and maths questions in the real test's proportions, so you can see your score today and raise it before test day!

Try 10 free questions and see your levelTake a full mock exam and check your level

  • 1333 questions in the bank
  • 110 questions in 125 min per mock
  • 52 flashcards

Past exam questions with every option explained

If your exam were today, would you pass?

Try 10 free questions without signing up. Get your score and find your weak areas as soon as you finish.

The number of mussels dropped in a rocky shore area. Which explanation fits if sea stars feed on mussels?

  1. A An increase in algae
  2. B A fall in the number of predators of mussels
  3. C More food available for the mussels
  4. D An increase in the number of predatory sea stars

All 10 free questions with answers and an explanation for every option

What you get

  • 1333questions in the bankPractise with the answer shown right away, or sit a full timed mock
  • 4unitsSplit by the exam syllabus
  • 52flashcardsTo lock in terms and definitions
  • 72quick review pointsEach unit in a few key lines

Unit map

  1. 01Biology and Ecology28 questions
  2. 02Chemistry28 questions
  3. 03Physics27 questions
  4. 04Mathematics27 questions

Exam facts

Standard Achievement Admission Test, Scientific (Tahsili, SAAT) — Number of questions: 110 questions. Exam time: 125 minutes. Pass mark: No pass or fail; the score is used to rank applicants: 65 is average and 81+ is the top 5%. Calculator: Not allowed. Exam fee: SAR 100 (early registration), SAR 150 (late registration), SAR 200 outside Saudi Arabia. Source: Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) (Last verified: 2026-11-01). Question bank: full mock exams of 110 questions in 125 minutes, like the real test with a result for every unit, plus 1333 explained questions across 4 units, every option explained, a review of your mistakes, and two ways to practise: see the answer right away, or sit a full timed mock. Free questions: a 10-question diagnostic test covering the main units, no sign-up; at the end you get your score and your weakest units.

Exam code
SAAT
Exam language
Arabic or English
Number of questions
110 questions Source
Exam time
125 minutes Source
Pass mark
No pass or fail; the score is used to rank applicants: 65 is average and 81+ is the top 5% Source
Calculator
Not allowed Source
Exam fee
SAR 100 (early registration), SAR 150 (late registration), SAR 200 outside Saudi Arabia Source
Registration
Expected in two periods in May and June 2027, like the 2026 periods (13 to 17 May and 5 to 9 June) Source
Results
Paper: about a month. Computer-based: 3 to 5 working days Source
Retakes
Two attempts in Grade 12, and two in the first year after graduating Source
Validity
Five calendar years from the test date Source

Last verified: 2026-11-01

How to register

  1. Check that you are in Grade 12 or a graduate of a science track: the General track, Health and Life Sciences, or Computer Science and Engineering.
  2. Go to ETEC's e-services portal (e-services.etec.gov.sa) and open your beneficiary profile, or create an account if you do not have one.
  3. Choose the period and centre and pick the test language, Arabic or English; the whole test will be in the language you choose.
  4. Pay the fee: SAR 100 for early registration, SAR 150 for late registration and SAR 200 outside Saudi Arabia. You can delete or change the booking up to 72 hours before the test.
  5. On test day bring an original, valid, plastic ID card with a clear photo: national ID, iqama for non-Saudis, a paper passport or a Saudi driving licence, and know your seat number. Work ID cards and university student cards are not accepted.

Source

Exam body

Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC): Official website: Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC)

Study guides

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in the scientific Tahsili and how long is it?

110 multiple-choice questions in 5 sections of 22 questions each, in 2 hours 5 minutes. Calculators are not allowed.

Can I try Tahsili (SAAT) questions for free?

Yes. Free questions: a 10-question diagnostic test covering the main units, no sign-up; at the end you get your score and your weakest units. The free practice test page lists the same questions with answers and an explanation for every option. The rest of the questions and the full mock exams come with a pass from SAR 26.

What makes this Tahsili (SAAT) question bank different?

Question bank: full mock exams of 110 questions in 125 minutes, like the real test with a result for every unit, plus 1333 explained questions across 4 units, every option explained, a review of your mistakes, and two ways to practise: see the answer right away, or sit a full timed mock. Every question is reviewed and referenced, ready to practise on your phone. Try the free questions and read the explanations before buying full access.

Which subjects does the scientific Tahsili cover, and how much is each worth?

Four subjects with equal weight according to ETEC's guide: biology 25%, chemistry 25%, physics 25% and maths 25%. The questions come from the general concepts in all three years of secondary school.

Can I take Tahsili in English?

Yes. The test is offered in Arabic and English; you choose the language when you register and the whole test is in that language. Every question on this site is available in both languages.

What is the pass mark for Tahsili?

There is no pass or fail. The score is used by universities and colleges to rank applicants: 65 is average, 70+ is the top 30% and 81+ the top 5%. Each university decides how much Tahsili counts in its weighted score.

How many times can I sit Tahsili, and how long is the result valid?

Two attempts in Grade 12 and two in the first year after graduating. The result is valid for five calendar years from the test date, and paper results come out about a month after the test.

When is the Tahsili test?

In 2026 it ran in two periods: 13 to 17 May and 5 to 9 June, with registration opening in late February. The 2027 dates are expected in the same months; check ETEC's page when registration opens.

Is my mock exam score an official result?

No. Scores on this site are for practice only and are not an official result. This site is independent and is not affiliated with ETEC, Qiyas or any government body. They do show where you'd stand if the test were today: the full mock exam has the real question count, time and subject weights, and your score is split by subject so you can see where you lose points.

Is this an official site, and how do I pay?

It is an independent site, not part of Qiyas or any government body, and every question is reviewed before it is published. You pay once, with no automatic renewal, through Waffo Pancake (the merchant of record) by Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and your statement shows "WAFFO". If you were charged twice or the pass did not open, email support@saudiexams.com.

Study material sample: Biology and Ecology

Summary

Biology and Ecology accounts for about 28 of the 110 questions on the Tahsili scientific test, the largest unit by weight. It covers general biology concepts from the three secondary years in six groups: classification and diversity, the cell and cellular energy (photosynthesis and cellular respiration), cell division, genetics and biotechnology, human body systems, plants (structure, functions and reproduction), and ecology. Questions are mostly conceptual: a definition, a comparison, reading a figure or table, or a short genetics problem. Start with the cell and genetics, since the rest of the unit builds on them.

What the exam focuses on

  • Taxonomic ranks from kingdom to species, the three domains (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya) and binomial nomenclature.
  • Organelle functions (nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplasts, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus) and membrane transport: diffusion, osmosis and active transport.
  • Photosynthesis and cellular respiration: reactants and products, where each stage occurs, and the ATP yield.
Show 5 more
  • The phases of mitosis and meiosis and how they differ in the number of daughter cells and chromosome number.
  • Mendelian genetics: Punnett squares, phenotypic and genotypic ratios, and complete dominance, incomplete dominance and codominance.
  • DNA replication, transcription and translation (DNA to RNA to protein), and biotechnology tools such as PCR and gel electrophoresis.
  • Functions of the body systems: digestive, respiratory, circulatory, nervous, excretory, endocrine and immune.
  • Food webs, energy transfer between trophic levels (the 10% rule), relationships between organisms and the cycling of matter.

Common traps

  • Diffusion versus osmosis: osmosis is the diffusion of water only, across a semipermeable membrane, from higher to lower water concentration.
  • Passive transport needs no energy and follows the concentration gradient; active transport uses ATP and moves against it.
  • Mixing up mitosis and meiosis: mitosis gives two identical diploid (2n) cells; meiosis gives four haploid (n) cells.
Show 5 more
  • Confusing genotype with phenotype, and dominant with recessive alleles: dominant does not necessarily mean most common.
  • In RNA, uracil (U) replaces thymine (T); this appears often in transcription and translation questions.
  • Confusing xylem with phloem: xylem carries water and minerals up from the roots; phloem carries sugars made by photosynthesis.
  • Oxygenated blood: arteries usually carry blood away from the heart, but the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood and the pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood.
  • In the 10% rule only about a tenth of the energy passes to the next level, not all of it; most of the rest is lost as heat.

Try the flashcards

Tap a card to see the answer

What are the three domains of life?

Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya.

How does a prokaryotic cell differ from a eukaryotic cell?

A prokaryotic cell has no membrane-bound nucleus or organelles; a eukaryotic cell has both.

Where does aerobic cellular respiration occur?

Glycolysis in the cytoplasm and the remaining stages in the mitochondria.

What do the light reactions of photosynthesis produce?

ATP and NADPH, and oxygen is released from the splitting of water.

What is the difference between passive and active transport?

Passive transport follows the concentration gradient without energy; active transport goes against it and uses ATP.

How many cells, and what chromosome number, result from meiosis?

Four haploid (n) cells.

What phenotypic ratio comes from Aa × Aa under complete dominance?

3 dominant : 1 recessive.

Which base pairs with adenine (A) in DNA and in RNA?

Thymine (T) in DNA and uracil (U) in RNA.

Why you can trust these questions

  • Published questions: 1333. We reviewed every one before publishing it: the answer, the explanation of each option and the source.
  • Exam facts last checked against the organiser’s website: 2026-11-01. We check them again every three months and two weeks before each test.
  • Found a mistake? Tap "Report an error" under any question in the practice area, or email us at support@saudiexams.com
  • Independent website. Not affiliated with ETEC (Qiyas), the Financial Academy or any government body.
Update log
  • 2026-11-01 Published the exam facts from ETEC's page and guide: 110 questions in 5 sections, 25% each for biology, chemistry, physics and maths.

How we write and review content

See also: High School Exams