The very first faculty, the Faculty of Economics and Administration, was established in the second academic year followed by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in the following year with eight male faculty, five female faculty and 40 administrative staff. It is worth mentioning that KAU since its inception has endeavored to make higher education equally accessible to women.

It was the only university to allow women students into classrooms for the first time, and the campus for women’s education began operating on the same day as the men’s campus.

KAU has witnessed tremendous progress in terms of enrollment and diversity of academic programs in both the social and natural sciences. It is recognized today as one of the most prestigious universities in Saudi Arabia and is one of the eighteen (18) state-owned and funded universities in the Kingdom, functioning under the Ministry of Higher Education of Saudi Arabia. As such the university is accredited with the statutory power to award its students with degrees and other qualifications that are nationally and internationally recognized.

KAU comprises 19 Faculties and Schools. The university also has a number of research centers. It has a student population of over 100,000 and employs around 3,000 academic staff and 4,000 administrative staff with an annual budget of over $775 million. The main campus is located in Jeddah covering an area of 850 hectares.