Thesis and dissertation requirements in the Gulf states

Gulf universities teach graduate programs in English and in Arabic, and their thesis rules reflect both. Students meet requirements that US and UK guides never mention: an abstract in two languages, a citation style set by the department or by the supervisor, and a similarity report before the defense.

This guide covers the Gulf: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Other Middle Eastern countries run different systems and are not covered here. The examples come from published university documents and from a reference site, Labeeb, that summarizes them. Several of those documents are years old, and many universities keep their detailed rules on student portals. Treat every figure below as an example and confirm it with your graduate studies office.

Abstracts in two languages

Many Gulf universities require an abstract in both Arabic and English, and some require a full Arabic summary when the thesis is in English. The limits vary widely. According to the Labeeb summary, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals allows up to 350 words for a PhD abstract and 150 for a master's, while King Saud University allows an Arabic abstract of up to 700 words. The University of Sharjah does not permit machine translation and advises using a specialist for the Arabic abstract.

Plan the translation early. An abstract translated at the last minute is the page examiners are most likely to mark.

Which citation style

No single style applies. The Labeeb summary shows the spread:

• APA at the University of Sharjah, Kuwait University (7th edition), and the British University in Dubai (most programs, 7th edition).
• Harvard at Ajman University and Middlesex University Dubai, and Cite Them Right at Heriot-Watt University Dubai and University of Birmingham Dubai.
• Numbered citations at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.
• Set by the department at King Saud University, and set by the advisor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

Several UK branch campuses name a UK guide such as Cite Them Right. Ask your supervisor before you format anything. Our guides to APA research papers, Harvard referencing, and the bibliography in every style cover the styles in use.

Similarity checks

Many Gulf universities require a similarity report before the defense. Sultan Qaboos University and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology require Turnitin, and Hamad Bin Khalifa University requires iThenticate, with the supervisor generating the report. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals requires a screening before a defense request.

The acceptable percentage is set by each university. Do not take a number from another institution or from a student forum. Ask your library how the report is configured, whether quotations and references are excluded, and what the limit is.

How the defense works

Majmaah University in Saudi Arabia publishes a procedure that shows a common pattern. The department proposes a committee with a chair, the supervisor, one or more internal examiners, and at least one external examiner. The defense is usually public or semi-public and can be held in person or online. The student presents for about 20 to 40 minutes, the committee questions the student, and the session usually lasts one to three hours. The committee then deliberates in private on the written thesis and on the student's performance.

The outcomes at Majmaah are:

1. Accepted as it stands.
2. Accepted with minor revisions, the most common result, checked by a named committee member without a second defense.
3. Accepted with substantial revisions, which may need reassessment and a second discussion.
4. Not accepted, which is rare.

From defense to graduation takes between one and six months at that university, depending on the corrections. Other universities set their own steps.

Before you submit

Check four things in order: the abstract in both languages, the citation style your department names, the similarity report, and the formatting template. Our pre-submission checklist covers the rest.

If your thesis is in English and your first language is Arabic, a second reader for clarity and consistency saves time with the committee. Our editing and formatting service works to your university's own template and style. For the wider differences in terms, see our guide to thesis vs dissertation.