The mother insisted that I talk to her, clarifying that she understands what people say to her even though she was born deaf and mute.

Hala’s ambition is simple: She wants to become a journalist. But how?

According to Al-Mokhtasar channel for statistics, there are 88,000 deaf people in the Kingdom.

The law states that disabled Saudis have a right to education, from pre-school to university. Universities are prohibited from denying acceptance to people based on their physical challenges, but they seem to have carte blanche when it comes to policies pertaining to deaf and blind applicants. 

Simply put: Hala and others like her cannot seem to find a place in Saudi universities.

Moznah Al-Omair, head of students affairs at Prince Sultan University (PSU), said the university does not turn away deaf students, but, “it does require a different structure in the curriculum, which we at PSU do once the acceptance is approved by the dean.”

As long as students with these special needs can pass the entry exams, Al-Omair says they are welcome at PSU, even if it requires modifications in the curriculum.

But, she admits, PSU has never had blind or deaf students while the university has had students with other types of disabilities.

Amerah Al-Maneah, head of student affairs at Al-Yamama University, said her institution is not equipped to accommodate blind or deaf students.

Officials at King Saud University in Riyadh and King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah did not return queries pertaining to their policies on deaf and blind students.

Meanwhile, Hala and her friends wonder about their future. They say that they have no choice but to join limited institutes that they say provide minimal education.

An alternative is to go to other Arab countries, especially Jordan, where universities are more accommodating to deaf and blind students. But for many families this is out of the question — especially for young women. 

“It is unthinkable to send a young girl with special needs away without someone to supervise her or care for her,” said Hala’s mother, who questions why Saudi universities do not follow the lead of universities in neighboring countries and develop policies pertaining to deaf or blind students.