The consent of His Majesty, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Prime Minister, and the Head of the High Council of Education, was taken to establish the Deanship of Preparatory Year and Supportive Studies at Northern Border University in the precious letter of guidance No. 8439 on 3/2/1432 H in the decision No. 23-67-1432 from the High Council of Education in the meeting held on 24/12/1432.

The new students are admitted in the first year, or the first semester according to the college they are enrolled in, at the Deanship of the Preparatory Year and Supportive Studies. The preparatory year is considered a crucial time for students since it lays the foundation for their future university studies and introduces, prepares, and makes them ready for enrolment in various courses at the colleges of their choice. In the Preparatory Year, the students need to take an intensive program of study, which includes English language skills, personality-developing skills, computer skills, basic mathematics, and other basic science courses, in accordance with the needs of their studies in different college streams.

The study program in the Preparatory Year is divided into two  streams, in accordance with the nature of students' course of study:

General Stream: One semester. Offered d to the students accepted in the colleges of Science, Business Management Administration, Domestic Economy [for female students], Education and Arts, and Science and Arts in Rafha and Turaif.

Science Stream: Two semesters. Offered to the students at the colleges of: Engineering [for male students].