DigiPen launches full scholarship for Saudi game development students
This new scholarship marks DigiPen's first full degree pathway offer for Saudi nationals at its US campus.
DigiPen has launched a full scholarship programme for Saudi nationals to complete a game development degree at its US campus in Redmond, Washington, with up to 100 students set to be covered.
The institution's senior executive vice president Raymond Yan took to LinkedIn to spread word of the scholarship after spending six years working in Saudi Arabia, including recent work with Saudi indie studios.
Yan said the games field now demands more than familiarity with a tool or engine, pointing to strong foundations, sound judgment and real team production experience as what students will need.
Application timeline
Classes for the programme begin in January 2027, with applications closing at the end of September 2026, a short window given DigiPen's multiyear, rigorous degree structure. This new scholarship marks DigiPen's first full degree pathway offer for Saudi nationals at its US campus. Applications can be submitted via the official website.
Yan said he will begin hosting information sessions the following week and is calling on students, parents, teachers and counsellors in Saudi Arabia to apply or share the opportunity.
"Many of you already know DigiPen has prepared students for careers in the global game industry for more than 30 years," Yan wrote. "What you may not know is how much this field has changed. Success now takes more than familiarity with a tool or engine. It takes strong foundations, sound judgment, and real experience producing work as part of a team."
DigiPen has run several Saudi-focused initiatives before this, including the Game Changers apprenticeship programme with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the NEOM Level Up accelerator for Saudi game studios.
