Abstract
This study aims to identify a range of changes and challenges that education in English (as a foreign language) presents to Saudi university students' mainstream culture. With greater exposure to the internet and foreign media, travel to other countries, and observation of the country's immigrant populations' cultures, the young Saudis are changing their perception of the native culture. Though it is too early to identify the nature and extent of these changes, these are perceptible at least on the educational campuses. Though not very pronounced because of the Saudi culture is very deeply rooted and firm, these changes can be perceived during informal conversation setups. A certain degree of inhibition also laces the young people's views, unsure as they are to the reaction of society to their changed perceptions. It is essential to understand these changing perceptions of the young Saudi people so that the impressions formed by them may be given a positive turn vis-a-vis the rich Saudi heritage and ancient cultural ethos, while at the same time, ensuring that the nation walks in tandem with its compatriots across the globe. This study takes a phenomenological qualitative research approach, seeing the opinions of fifty proficient English students at Qassim University via a self-report survey to gather data on their behaviors and attitudes vis-a-vis learning English and native culture.