The Ministry of Higher Education has asked universities to provide a list of Saudi students whose applications were rejected in order to assess the number of persons seeking higher education and offer them alternatives. The list of names and test results is expected by the end of the current week and it is hoped that alternative education opportunities can be found for students through seats on other programs such as distance learning courses, part-time studies and parallel education. Universities have this year received applications in larger than expected numbers, thought to be as a result of reapplications from students who failed to get admission over the last four years in universities and colleges run by the Ministry of Higher Education. Applications of about 195,000 students, forming 95 percent of secondary school graduates, have been accepted.
