Many have taken to social media to express their resentment at the decision. They claimed they were forced to sign pay agreements so that they could write the examinations.

They said the college stated that it was forced to raise the fees because the Education Ministry only pays a portion of their tuition.

Osama Al-Mahmoud, a senior student, said it was not the first time the college had increased the fees. “The administration intentionally waits for the exams to announce new decisions.”

“This time, I received the exam paper with the notification attached. It stated that my fees would be raised by SR5,000 for each semester. The administration stated that it had to do so because of developments at the college.”

Asmahan Al-Said, a second year female student, describing the decision as “unjustified exploitation and the reasons for it unconvincing.” She claimed there had been no visible development at the college for years.

“The administration also did not take into account that students were under stress because of the exams.” She said many students who are paying out of their own pocket might now be forced to drop out.

Mohammad Haitham, another student, said he could not find one convincing reason for the raise. He said he could not understand why the Ministry of Education has agreed to a decision that was “harmful to the future of students.”

Tagreed Albukhary, another female student, also claimed that students were told to sign the notification if they wanted to write the examinations. “We all signed because we did not want to fail the exams,” she said.

Khalid Ataiwaan, secretary-general of International Islamic Lawyers Organization, said that a body should be set up that can monitor unjustified price increases.

“Colleges must adhere to their fee structures from the time students enroll until the completion of their studies,” he said.