Overview
The professional licence for educational occupations (الرخصة المهنية للوظائف التعليمية) is a document issued by Saudi Arabia's Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC). It shows that the holder is qualified to work in teaching, school leadership, educational supervision or student counselling, at a set level and for a set period.
To get the licence, candidates sit the professional licence test run by ETEC's National Center for Assessment (Qiyas). The test checks how far a candidate meets the general and subject-specific educational standards, and has two parts: the general educational test and the specialised test.
Who can apply
Students about to graduate, and recent graduates, who are qualified to work in educational jobs in the government or private sector.
People already working in educational jobs.
Registration windows are opened separately for in-service staff, for candidates who did not pass a previous sitting, and for all applicants.
Exam pattern
| Part | What it covers | Questions | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| General educational test (التربوي العام) | General educational standards, common to all specialisations | 88 | Paper-based |
| Specialised test (التخصصي) | Standards for the candidate's teaching subject | 60 to 88, depending on the specialisation | Paper-based or digital, depending on the specialisation |
Paper-based tests last two hours.
Both tests are in Arabic, except the English language specialisation test.
Calculators are not allowed in either test.
The format that applies to you is shown in your Qiyas profile.
Syllabus
The test is built on ETEC's general educational standards and its specialisation standards. ETEC publishes the standards documents on its Qiyas pages; check the document for your subject before you prepare.
Marking and results
The test is criterion-referenced. Your score is the percentage of questions answered correctly out of the total.
There are three cut scores, one for each licence level:
Practitioner (ممارس): 50
Advanced (متقدم): the ETEC page gives this as 60 in one place and 70 in another, so confirm the current figure with ETEC.
Expert (خبير): 80
A result in the general or specialised test stays valid for five calendar years from the date the result is announced. Results can be checked through ETEC's Sadeed platform.
Important dates
For 2026, ETEC lists these sittings for people in educational jobs:
Specialised test: 18 to 31 October 2026. Registration opened in phases from 3 August 2026 (men) and 10 August 2026 (women), by candidate group. Late registration started on 27 September 2026.
General educational test: 6 to 7 November 2026. Registration opened in phases from 3 August 2026 (men) and 10 August 2026 (women), by candidate group. Late registration starts on 4 October 2026.
Fees
As listed by ETEC in 2026:
General educational test: 100 SAR.
Specialised test: 100 SAR.
Issuing the licence: 100 SAR.
Upgrading the licence: 100 SAR.
How to apply
Log in to your beneficiary profile on the Qiyas e-services site through the National Single Sign-On (Nafath), or with your ID number and password.
Under the tests open for registration, choose the general or specialised professional licence test.
Read the pre-registration notes and accept the terms. For the specialised test, check that the specialisation shown is correct.
Choose the city, test centre and date, then pay the fee.
You can change or cancel a booking after paying, up to 72 hours before a paper-based test or 48 hours before a digital one.
On test day, bring an original, valid ID: a Saudi national ID, a residence permit for non-Saudis, a passport, or a Saudi driving licence. Work and student cards are not accepted.
After the exam
Once you meet the issue conditions set out in ETEC's professional licence rules, you apply for the licence through ETEC's e-services. You enter your general and specialised test results, choose the licence type, and pay the issue fee. A licence can later be upgraded to a higher level through the same service. ETEC sends upgraded licence data to the Ministry of Education's systems automatically for job promotions.
Preparation tips
Read ETEC's standards document for both the general test and your specialisation.
Check your Qiyas profile early to see whether your specialised test is paper-based or digital.
Practise without a calculator, since none is allowed.
Who issues the Saudi teacher licence?
The Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC). Its National Center for Assessment (Qiyas) runs the licence tests.
Can I register before I graduate?
Yes. ETEC allows students about to graduate, as well as recent graduates qualified for educational jobs, to register.
How long is a test result valid?
Five calendar years from the date the result is announced, for both the general and the specialised test.