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SCFHS Licensing Guide

Saudi Commission for Health Specialties

Back to Saudi Arabia
Region
Kingdom-wide
Exam Platform
Prometric
Dataflow
Required
Avg Timeline
12-24 wks

About the authority

Saudi Arabia's single national regulator - from student registration to consultant classification, everything runs through SCFHS.

The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties is the only route to practise medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy or allied health anywhere in the Kingdom. It sits under the Ministry of Health and manages both licensing and postgraduate training programmes.

Every healthcare professional in Saudi Arabia holds an SCFHS classification and registration number that appears on their iqama (residence permit) file. Without it, no Saudi employer can process your visa or salary.

SCFHS's core system is Mumaris+ - an online portal where you register, upload documents, receive your classification (GP / Specialist / Consultant), track Dataflow, book the Prometric exam and manage renewals. It replaced the older paper-based flow years ago and now holds every candidate's canonical file.

Established: 1992

Official website

Title tiers

SCFHS classifies clinicians by seniority. Your tier drives eligibility, exam blueprint and salary bands.

General Practitioner

1 year post-internship

For candidates who completed medical school and internship without formal specialty training. Practises general medicine under the supervision of a specialist or consultant.

Specialist

4 years post-qualification (2 in specialty)

Requires a recognised specialty board certificate (SBFM, Arab Board, MRCP, Fellowship, American / European Boards) plus documented specialty practice.

Senior Registrar

Between Specialist and Consultant

Intermediate tier for clinicians who exceed Specialist experience but haven't yet met full Consultant criteria. Common in Saudi teaching hospitals.

Consultant

5+ years post-specialty

Senior practitioners with sub-specialty training, teaching or research portfolio, and independent decision-making authority.

Eligibility

  • Qualification listed on SCFHS's recognised institutions register
  • Post-qualification experience per classification (GP / Specialist / Consultant)
  • Good Standing Certificate valid within 6 months
  • Mumaris+ profile with verified documents

Document checklist

Get these ready before you open your SCFHS file - missing or mis-formatted documents are the #1 reason applications stall.

Identity

  • •Passport (bio page + valid Saudi entry visa or iqama if in-Kingdom)
  • •Recent passport-size photograph (white background, no glasses)

Qualifications

  • •Primary degree certificate (MBBS / BDS / BScN / equivalent)
  • •Full transcripts covering all years of study
  • •Internship completion certificate
  • •Specialty board certificate and, if applicable, sub-specialty fellowship
  • •Master's / PhD certificates for academic-track candidates

Experience

  • •Continuous experience letters covering every month since qualification
  • •Each letter must state role, exact dates, full-time / part-time, and HR contact
  • •Log-book excerpts (for surgical and procedural specialties)

Professional standing

  • •Good Standing Certificate from your current licensing body (must be within 6 months at SCFHS review)
  • •Home-country practice licence (current, un-expired)
  • •BLS + ACLS / PALS / ATLS as applicable to your specialty

Attestations

  • •Degree attested by home country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • •Saudi Cultural Attaché or Saudi Embassy attestation of the degree
  • •Culture office endorsement (for degrees from certain countries)

Licensing process

  1. 1

    Mumaris+ registration

    Create your professional profile on Mumaris+ (SCFHS's unified system) and upload documents.

  2. 2

    Classification & Dataflow

    SCFHS classifies your title tier; Dataflow PSV runs in parallel.

  3. 3

    Eligibility ID

    Once classification + PSV clear, SCFHS issues an Eligibility ID to book Prometric.

  4. 4

    Prometric Saudi exam

    Sit the SCFHS Prometric assessment (Riyadh, Jeddah, home country or Dubai).

  5. 5

    Professional registration

    After passing, your Mumaris+ profile flips to 'Registered' - required for any Saudi employer's iqama.

Detailed timeline

Realistic durations for each milestone. Ranges assume no document issues - add a few weeks if attestation or Dataflow re-verification is needed.

Mumaris+ registration & document upload
1 – 3 days
Classification review by SCFHS scientific committee
Sometimes longer if experience letters need clarification
2 – 4 weeks
Dataflow PSV
Runs in parallel with classification for most candidates
6 – 10 weeks
Eligibility ID issuance
3 – 7 working days after both above clear
Prometric booking & preparation
As soon as ready; Riyadh slots fill 2 – 3 months out
Exam & registration
Instant result; registration flip in Mumaris+ within days

Exam at a glance

Format
150 – 200 MCQs
Duration
3 hours
Pass score
60% (classification-specific)
Fee (USD)
$200 – $320

SCFHS exam guides by profession

The figures above apply to every candidate. Each guide below narrows them to one profession: what that paper weights, who is eligible, and the common questions for that role.

By nationality

Indian nurses & doctorsPakistani nurses & doctorsFilipino nurses & doctorsNigerian nurses & doctorsEgyptian nurses & doctorsBangladeshi nurses & doctorsNepali nurses & doctorsSri Lankan nurses & doctorsKenyan nurses & doctorsJordanian nurses & doctors

Fee breakdown

Indicative out-of-pocket costs in USD. Actual charges vary slightly by title tier, currency exchange, and any employer reimbursement policy.

ItemAmount (USD)
Mumaris+ registration
Free
Classification & evaluation
Tier-dependent - Consultant is highest
$100 – $270
Dataflow PSV report
SCFHS-specific package
$220 – $340
SCFHS Prometric exam
Higher for Specialist and Consultant tiers
$200 – $320
Registration certificate issuance
$130 – $270
Total out-of-pocket (indicative)
Excludes attestation courier, translations and any re-exam fees
$650 – $1,200

Let us handle it for you

Prefer to skip the paperwork? Hand your SCFHS file to our licensing team - one flat fee, one point of contact, one clear timeline.

Prometric Medical Consultancy — SCFHS licensing service

All-in-one

We handle Dataflow prep, document review, application submission and follow-up until your licence is issued. Flat fee - no per-document surprises.

New LicenseLicense TransferLicense UpgradeAdding Title
1 business day response after payment

Renewal & CME

Validity
2 years for most classifications; 1 year for probationary
CME per cycle
30 – 60 CME hours per cycle depending on tier

Renewal is entirely inside Mumaris+; late renewal adds a fine and, after 6 months lapsed, requires classification review.

Common rejection reasons (and how to avoid them)

Patterns we see repeatedly across candidate files. Fixing these before submission saves weeks of back-and-forth.

Classification downgraded to a tier below what candidate expected
Fix:SCFHS classifies based on documented specialty years, not total years. Frame experience letters to clearly show specialty-only time. You can appeal within 30 days with additional evidence.
Dataflow can't reach the primary source (university or hospital closed)
Fix:Provide alternate verifiers - regulatory council of the country, senior faculty personal letter, or the government ministry that oversees the institution.
Experience letter uses month/year without exact dates
Fix:SCFHS scientific committee wants DD/MM/YYYY start and end. Ask HR to re-issue with exact dates and a stamp.
Specialty board certificate not on SCFHS recognised list
Fix:Check the SCFHS recognised boards register before applying. Non-recognised boards can still be considered case-by-case if you submit an equivalency request.

Pro tips from our team

  • Mumaris+ is the source of truth - keep every field accurate.
  • SCFHS re-evaluates classification if you upgrade experience later.
  • Book Prometric early - Riyadh centres fill 2-3 months out.

Further reading on SCFHS

Longer articles that pick up where this page stops: the portal, the paper, and how SCFHS compares with its neighbours.

See every guide on the blog

Question banks to revise for SCFHS

SCFHS examines through Prometric, as most Gulf regulators do, so revision done for it is not wasted if you later apply to a second one. A selection across professions is shown here.

Open the full exam catalogue

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be inside Saudi Arabia to start Mumaris+?
+
No - Mumaris+ is fully online. Registration, classification and Dataflow can all happen while you're outside the Kingdom. You'll only need to travel for the Prometric exam if you don't sit it in your home country.
Can I sit the SCFHS Prometric exam outside Saudi Arabia?
+
Yes. Prometric operates in most countries - Egypt, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Sudan, UAE all have SCFHS-authorised centres. Book through the Prometric SCFHS portal once your Eligibility ID is live.
How does SCFHS classification affect salary?
+
Saudi employers set salaries by SCFHS tier - a Specialist earns notably more than a GP, and a Consultant substantially more than a Specialist. Your classification directly shapes the offer you can negotiate.
Can classification be upgraded later?
+
Yes. Once you accumulate additional specialty years or complete a fellowship, you can request a re-classification through Mumaris+. Approval typically takes 4 – 8 weeks.
What if my degree is from a country whose universities SCFHS re-evaluates individually?
+
Certain countries' degrees go through an extra scientific committee review. This adds 4 – 8 weeks. Submit your syllabus outline and internship curriculum up-front to speed it along.
Is IELTS required for SCFHS?
+
SCFHS itself doesn't mandate IELTS, but many Saudi employers do - especially for public-sector hospitals. Common threshold: IELTS 5.0 – 6.0 or equivalent OET.
How many attempts do I get at the exam?
+
There is no absolute cap, but after 3 failed attempts you may be required to complete additional structured preparation before your next sitting.
What's the total realistic timeline?
+
10 – 16 weeks for a well-prepared candidate with recognised qualifications. Consultant tier with sub-specialty verification: 4 – 6 months. Add 4 – 8 weeks if attestation isn't done yet.
Questions that apply to every Gulf regulator
When can you sit the SCFHS exam?How the date is set, what has to be done first, and how the seat is booked.

Ready to start your SCFHS journey?

Run an eligibility check - we'll map your documents, flag any gaps, and give you a realistic timeline.

Check EligibilityPractice Exams