Saudi Arabia has allowed licensed private schools to construct dedicated student housing facilities within campus boundaries, provided they occupy entirely separate buildings from main academic structures. The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has unveiled this landmark change alongside sweeping new regulations for educational facilities nationwide.
The ministry introduced stringent municipal requirements for private nurseries, kindergartens, schools, and educational complexes to dramatically enhance environmental quality and enforce robust safety protocols. Consequently, these rules optimize urban planning while guaranteeing secure, integrated learning spaces for students across all educational stages. Additionally, the regulations cover institutions operating on education-dedicated land, government-leased properties, or commercially zoned plots.
Precision in Planning and Space
The new guidelines mandate that educational buildings must access two streets, with one thoroughfare spanning at least twenty-five meters wide. However, standalone nursery facilities may occupy sites fronting a single fifteen-meter-wide street under specific conditions. The ministry also enforces maximum floor limits and mandatory setbacks per the national building code.
Furthermore, the ministry requires minimum land allocations per student based on regional geographical divisions, as kindergartens must provide at least four square meters per child, gradually increasing to five square meters per pupil in large educational complexes. Therefore, these spatial standards guarantee sufficient room for student density while fostering truly conducive academic atmospheres.
These reforms underscore Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to world-class education infrastructure as Vision 2030 reshapes the nation’s future. Schools must now align all new projects with these clear, safety-focused municipal directives.
