Labeeb reference · every condition traced to the official SCFHS Matching 2026 guide · Last checked 5 October 2026
SCFHS Matching 2026: How the Research Publication Point Works, and Why It Gets Refused
For medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing and allied health graduates applying to Saudi Board major specialty and diploma programmes: how the matching score is built, the 11 conditions a published paper must meet to earn its 5 portfolio marks, and how to plan a paper that will count.
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This page summarises the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) guide to Matching and Admission for Saudi Board major specialty and diploma programmes, 2026 (Arabic). Labeeb is not affiliated with SCFHS. The Commission and its review committee decide every application, and the rules can change from one year to the next, so check the current guide and your Mumaris Plus account before you apply.
How the matching score is built
The guide adds three criteria to a total of 100%:
- 55%: the Saudi professional licensing exam. Your highest score is linked to your application digitally; you do not upload documents for it.
- 30%: your university GPA.
- 15%: your CV, scored by reviewers on five questions.
| CV question | Marks |
|---|---|
| 1. Published health research in a peer-reviewed journal, under the conditions below | 5 |
| 2. A health PhD, master’s or diploma obtained in the last five years (in-person study of at least one academic year) | 3 |
| 3. Active participation (organiser or speaker, not attendee) in a public or community health volunteering campaign in the last five years | 2 |
| 4. Clinical experience in the specialty chosen as first preference (for practitioners with six months of post-internship clinical experience) | 3 |
| 5. Employment at a health facility (for practitioners who finished internship before the portal closes) | 2 |
The published-research question carries the most marks of the five. The guide also sets a one-time administrative fee of SAR 300 if you ask for your CV to be re-evaluated.
The publication question: the 11 conditions
If you answer “yes”, you give one direct link to the article, and reviewers check it against these conditions (Annex 2 of the guide, paraphrased):
- Local research, qualified supervisor. The research was conducted locally under the supervision of a health practitioner who is a professor, consultant or specialist.
- Supervisor classified by SCFHS at one of those grades.
- Exception with proof. If the supervisor is not classified by SCFHS, or the research was not local, attach a stamped job letter from the supervisor’s hospital or university proving their academic grade and giving their contact details.
- Both names on the paper. Your name and your supervisor’s name must appear in the author list under the article title in the journal.
- One direct link to the journal’s own website. A search-engine link, an indirect link or a link that does not work is not accepted.
- Published when you apply. Acceptance letters and promises of publication are not accepted.
- An accepted journal. The journal must be indexed in PubMed, or recognised in Web of Science, or be an official Saudi health journal issued by a known official body such as a Saudi university or health society. Any other journal earns no marks for this question.
- Original. The research must not be copied or previously published in another journal.
- No more than 15 authors, including the supervisor.
- Case reports count when they meet all the same conditions.
- Verification. The review committee may refuse the question if it cannot verify the supervisor’s grade or cannot reach the supervisor to confirm their participation in the research.
Why the publication point is refused, and how to avoid it
- The paper is accepted but not yet online. Plan backwards so the article is published before the application window, not just accepted.
- The journal is not on the accepted lists. A journal’s own claim to be “indexed” is not proof. Check PubMed or Web of Science yourself; our journal legitimacy checker walks you through those checks.
- The link points to the wrong place. Give the article’s page on the journal’s own website, not a search result, a repository copy or a PDF on another site.
- The supervisor cannot be verified. Make sure your supervisor’s classification is current, or prepare the stamped job letter, and that they know the committee may contact them.
- A name is missing or there are too many authors. Check the published author list against conditions 4 and 9.
Plan the paper backwards from the application window
Because the paper must already be published, the realistic route is: agree a question and design with your supervisor, obtain the required ethics approval (see our research ethics application checklist), collect and analyse the data, write the manuscript, choose a journal that meets condition 7, then allow time for peer review and revisions (our guide to responding to reviewer comments covers that stage) before online publication. A case report can be quicker, but it must still meet every condition.
Where legitimate help fits, and where we stop
You and your supervisor do the research and are its authors. Labeeb never sells or arranges authorship, never adds names to papers and never writes a paper for you to submit as your own. The guide checks your supervisor’s participation directly, and it states that submitting incorrect or forged documents is handled under strict rules, including legal action.
With your supervisor’s knowledge, we can review a study design, help you analyse your own data (data analysis support), edit the language and structure of your manuscript, shortlist journals that meet the matching conditions, and help you plan your response to reviewers (journal publication support).
Frequently asked questions
Does an acceptance letter count for the SCFHS matching research point?
No. The Matching 2026 guide says the research must already be published when you apply, and acceptance letters or promises of publication are not accepted.
Are case reports accepted?
Yes. Published case reports are accepted for the research question, but every other condition for published research applies to them without exception.
Does a Scopus-indexed journal count?
The guide lists three options: a journal indexed in PubMed, a journal recognised in Web of Science, or an official Saudi health journal issued by a known official body such as a Saudi university or health society. Scopus is not one of the listed options, so check that your target journal is in PubMed or Web of Science, or is an official Saudi health journal.
Can research done outside Saudi Arabia count?
The guide expects research conducted locally under a supervisor classified by SCFHS. If the research was not local, or the supervisor is not classified by SCFHS, you must attach a stamped job letter from the supervisor’s hospital or university that proves their academic grade and gives their contact details.
How much is the publication worth in SCFHS Matching 2026?
Five marks. The CV portfolio counts for 15% of the matching score and has five questions; the published-research question carries the most marks.
How many authors can the paper have?
No more than 15 researchers per paper, and that number includes the supervisor.
Sources
Last checked: 5 October 2026.
- Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. المفاضلة والقبول للبورد السعودي في الاختصاصات الرئيسية والدبلومات 2026 (Matching and Admission for Saudi Board major specialty and diploma programmes 2026), Annex 2: conditions and marks for the CV questions. https://scfhs.org.sa/sites/default/files/2025-12/Saudi%20Board%20Major%20specialty%20and%20diploma%20programs%20Matching%202026-AR%204.pdf
Planning a paper for matching with your supervisor? Chat with Labeeb.