The users of SESAME will be scientists, including graduate students, mostly based in universities and research institutes in the Middle East and neighbouring region. Typically, they will visit the laboratory for a week or two, two or three times a year, to carry out experiments on the beamline that corresponds to the needs of their work, often in collaboration with scientists from other centers/countries, where they will be exposed to the highest scientific standards in a stimulating environment for international collaboration, and then return home to analyze the data they have obtained. These scientists bring back scientific expertise and knowledge, which they share with their colleagues and students at home.

SESAME's well-equipped beamlines, experimental end stations, laboratories, and other support facilities, such as a Guest House to accommodate visiting scientists during their experiments and a Canteen on the premises of SESAME, will be available to users, and a highly trained scientific, technical and administrative staff will ensure that both experienced and inexperienced users of the Centre are successful in their experiments.

For scientists from Members of SESAME working in relevant areas of research and training, access to the SESAME science facilities, including existing beamlines and instruments, will be free of charge.

Several hundred scientists, working in disciplines ranging from the biological and medical sciences to archaeology, are expected to use SESAME from Day-one. This will make SESAME a unique multidisciplinary centre in the region. As more Beamlines are built, the number of users is expected to grow to 1000 or more.

The potential user community in the region, which in 2011 already numbered some 300, has been fostered by a variety of Training opportunities, Workshops and Users' meetings, which have been supported by a range of national and international organizations.