A US university has announced that it will ease its admissions process for the Saudi students who were ordered to leave Canada?after a recent diplomatic spat.

Portland State University, a public research university in Oregon, said that Saudi students transferring from universities in Canada will receive an ¡°expedited admission decision¡± after providing their university transcripts. Application fees will also be waived for such students and all college-level and non-vocational credits will transfer to PSU for successful applicants, it said.

The university has also established a dedicated ¡°international transfer admissions counsellor¡± to guide any Saudi applicants through the transfer process.

PSU said that it ¡°wants to extend itself as a partner to Saudi students. As an institution with a commitment to serving diverse learners, we are confident that PSU will provide an innovative environment for you [Saudi students] to continue your studies.¡±

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Earlier this month, the Saudi government announced that it was withdrawing all its students from Canadian institutions after Canada¡¯s foreign affairs minister criticised the Saudi government¡¯s arrest and detention of civil society and women¡¯s rights activists.

More than 12,000 Saudi students are currently studying in Canada, 7,000 of whom are on a Saudi scholarship programme.

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A Saudi government representative said that it was planning to accommodate the students currently in Canada in ¡°excellent countries such as the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand¡±, but experts have warned that relocating so many students to other international destinations, particularly so close to the start of?a new academic year, would be?highly problematic.

ellie.bothwell@timeshighereducation.com