Closing scholarship files in the UK via the Safir system: A comprehensive guide

The Saudi Cultural Attaché in the United Kingdom has issued an important directive to scholarship students who have completed their studies, whether through graduation or for any other reason, urging them to expedite the official closure of their academic records via the "Safir" online platform. This directive reflects the Attaché's and the Ministry of Education's commitment to organizing and updating graduate data and facilitating their future procedures upon returning to Saudi Arabia.

The importance of closing the scholarship student's academic file

The cultural attaché's office confirmed via its official account on the "X" platform that closing the student's academic file is not merely a routine procedure, but a crucial step to avoid any administrative or financial obstacles that the scholarship recipient might face in the future. This step updates the student's status with the Ministry of Education and the sponsoring entities, ensuring that financial allocations are stopped on time and facilitating the graduate's ability to begin the degree equivalency process and search for job opportunities without any delays caused by incomplete files. This procedure also contributes to providing accurate data that assists the Ministry in future planning for scholarship programs.

General context: The Saudi scholarship program and the “Safir” platform

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program is one of the most important strategic pillars in which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia invests to develop its human capital, in line with the goals of Vision 2030. The program aims to prepare qualified national talent at the world's most prestigious universities, including British universities, which are a primary destination for Saudi students. To efficiently manage this large number of scholarship recipients, the Ministry of Education launched the "Safir" platform, a comprehensive electronic portal that allows students to complete all their transactions, from applying for the scholarship to closing their file after graduation, reflecting the significant digital transformation of Saudi government services.

Steps to close the file via the Safir system

To make the process easier for students, the embassy explained the steps required to complete the application, which are simple and clear, and are as follows:

• Login: Accessing the student's personal account in the "Safir" system.
• Service selection: From the list of electronic services, select the “Request to End Studies” service.
• Attach the documents: Upload the required documents to prove the completion of studies, which mainly include the official graduation certificate or any official decision stating the termination of the scholarship.

The attaché stressed the importance of initiating this procedure immediately after the end of the study to ensure a smooth and easy transition for graduates to the post-scholarship stage, and to contribute effectively to building the future of the Kingdom and its knowledge-based economy.