International Students’ Challenges at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah

This study aimed to identify the challenges facing international students at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah. A qualitative approach consisting of individual interviews with students was used to collect the data. The sample comprised 15 participants aged between 23 and 40 who were studying at various stages of the higher education hierarchy, including di-ploma, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctorate. The disciplines covered were Sharia, Islamic economics, teach-er preparation, jurisprudence, Quran and Sunnah, and applied linguistics. The students’ average stay in Saudi Arabia was five years. Their countries of origin were Guinea, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Central Africa, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal. The results revealed several challenges facing international students, which can be divided into five categories: administrative, educational, economic, personal, and social. Based on these results, the study makes several recommenda-tions for decision-makers, faculty members, and international and Saudi students at Umm Al-Qura University, as well as for Saudi society and future scholars.