OTTAWA: Canadian broadcaster CBC has said that the Saudi scholarship program, which attracts thousands of scholarship students to the Canadian Atlantic region, will soon end.

The channel's website quoted Peter Halpin, the executive director of Atlantic Universities' League, as saying that the King Abdullah Scholarship Program is undergoing restructuring, and that Saudi students will only be sent to the top 200 universities in the world.

The website added that the Shanghai Index for the best 300 universities doesn't include any university from the Atlantic region this year, and the best place was occupied by Dalhousie University which was outside the best 200 universities.

He added that the King Abdullah Scholarship Program had an effective and positive impact in supporting Canadian universities in this region, with Saudis occupying second place after Chinese students. Changing this situation will have many effects on Canadian educational establishments, he said.

CBC said that currently 1,167 Saudis are studying in Nova Scotia, 290 in New Brunswick and 22 in BAA.

Saudi officials have said that Saudi students will not be sent to universities in Saint Vincent, Saint Mary and Nova Scotia again, but those already studying there will not be affected by the decision.