A private college for women in Jeddah Damascus - George Al Shami Saudi Arabia has approved a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Higher Education to allow Syrian refugees to study at universities in the kingdom, sources told Saudi newspaper al-Watan. The sources said the decision by the Saudi king will allow Syrian refugee students to join Saudi universities for one year, but that this could be extended. The decision followed a formal request to the Saudi government by The Union of Free Syrian Students, the newspaper reported. It added that the initiative will set out the necessary requirements for Syrian students wishing to enrol in universities in the gulf state.