From Uniforms to Lunchboxes: It’s Back to School in Saudi
As summer winds down, families across Saudi Arabia (and across the Northern Hemisphere!) are gearing up for one of the busiest times of the year. Back to school season is a shift in routine, budgets, and priorities, as students, parents, and teachers stock up so they can show up—ready to start a whole new year of learning, discovery, and making friends. Here’s your quick and easy intro to how back-to-school season goes down in the Kingdom of Knowledge, where education is central to the country’s goal of improving the quality of life for everyone who lives here.
The who, when, and why
For K-12 students, the school year usually starts in late August or early September, with a mid-semester break in-between, and more than a few days off for festive occasions and national holidays. As the school year approaches, you start to notice that cities shift, even if you don’t have kids in school yourself, because whether you drive the kids yourself, carpool, or they take the bus, if you want to beat the morning rush, your school run has to start early. Cafes and restaurants open earlier to compete for the breakfast crowd—whether it’s a muffin and an Americano on the fly for the working mom, or a morning spread at the bufiya (think diner but with the best shakshuka eggs you’ll ever have) for the college student with an hour to spare, you’re covered.
So far, so ordinary, right? Weekends are on Friday and Saturday, though—boom! Takes a minute at first but it becomes second-nature soon enough.
The schools
We’ve done a deeper dive into Saudi schools and colleges in this must-read guide, but let’s give you a quick rundown of the options while you’re here: Saudi Arabia’s population is more diverse than ever, so private and international schools have become an essential part of the education mix, in addition to the huge public school system. Some of the best known are the American International School and the British International School, whose students come from more than 50 countries!
There are also well-established European schools, like the Deutsche International Schule Riad or l’École Française Internationale de Djeddah, which have operated for more than half a century. Adding to the appeal of learning in the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia is one of the safer countries to live, work, and study in—especially important when you’re making the move to a whole new place.
A little help
Going into the new school year, it never hurts to give your kids a leg-up with their academic achievements, and you’ve got plenty of options in both English and Arabic. These aren’t your typical parents’ tutoring services either! You can get one-on-one help in a bunch of subjects, online or offline, or try connecting with vetted teachers who run group lessons and interactive sessions on platforms like AlGooru and Noon Academy.
Did someone say retail therapy?
Malls across Saudi pump up the deals and sales during back-to-school season, but no Saudi back to school experience is complete without a swing through the Kingdom’s beloved bookstores. And don’t be fooled by the “bookstore” designation! These are one-stop destinations for students and parents alike, with everything from school supplies and textbooks to the latest tech—meaning you can let the kids pick out their gear, while you bury your nose in your next favorite thriller, or look longingly at the new phone that just dropped (who among us hasn’t?). Together, bookstores like Jarir or Obeikan set the rhythm of back-to-school shopping, turning what could be a stressful rush into a familiar annual ritual for families across the Kingdom.
But while we all love diving in and finding the next great bargain, sometimes you just want to kick back and let the deals come to you. No problem! For the thrill of the bargain hunt, keep your eye the region’s e-commerce go-to’s like Namshi, Styli, or Amazon.sa.
The lowdown
Moving your life to a new country can seem overwhelming at first, and even more so when you add kids and their care into the equation. Embassies are usually more than happy to help you get settled, with lists of schools that can provide for your kids’ needs—curriculums, after-school care and activities, transportation, or accessibility. Once you’re here, you’ll find there’s a strong sense of community around schools, and you’ll probably make friends as quick as your kids will. In time, your preferences will even change as you get to know your colleagues and neighbors, and maybe become a savvy local yourself!
