Applying for Al Azhar University

History of Al-Azhar University

Al-Azhar University is a university associated with Al-Azhar Mosque in Islamic Cairo, Egypt. it is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university and is renowned as Sunni Islam’s most prestigious university. In addition to higher education, Al-Azhar oversees a national network of schools with approximately two million students. As of 1996, over 4000 teaching institutes in Egypt were affiliated with the University.

Founded in 970 or 972 by the Fatimids as a center of Islamic learning, its students studied the Qur’an and Islamic Law in detail, along with logic, grammar, rhetoric, and how to calculate the phases of the moon. It was one of the first universities in the world, and the only one in the Arabic world to survive as a modern university including secular subjects in the curriculum. Today it is the chief center of Arabic Literature and Islamic Learning in the world. In 1961 additional non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.

(Source - www.wikipedia.com)

Requirements - Qur'an and Arabic

Nationality

Students from any country in the world can apply, there are no restrictions and they have both Male and Female campuses.

Arabic
It is highly recommended to have studied Arabic prior to applying in order to avoid starting in a lower year. A good level of comprehension, wide range of vocab, an ability to write a small essay comfortably and a base ability to communicate your thoughts in Arabic.

This will allow you to make use of your time more effectively and this level can easily be reached by studying through a local Arabic institute in Egypt.

Qur'an
The requirements for Qur'an can change but I would recommend students to memorise from Surah Yaseen --> Surah Faatir to facilitate entering the second or third year of the thanawiyyah (high school).

Students will receive clear direction upon which chapters of the Qur'an they must memorise prior to completion of the academic year. Having memorised several chapters at a minimum will make the process much easier.

Study Programme

Azhar Ma3had – The main institute before entry into the university consists of two stages;

Stage 1 - I3daadi (Primary School)

3 Year programme of study including a range of subjects such as;

1. Nahw (Grammar) & Sarf (Morphology)
2. Mutala3a Wa Kataabah (Reading and Writing)
3. Al Haasib al Aali (ICT)
4. Tafseer (Exegesis) & Hadith (Sayings and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad)
5.  Fiqh (Jurisprudence – According to the school of thought you choose to study)
6. Al Qur'an & Tajweed (Proficiency in Qur'an recitation)
7. Tawheed (Theology) & As Seerah (Life of the Prophet Muhammad)

Stage 2 - Thanawiyya (High School)

3-year programme covering the following subjects;

1. Nahw (Grammar)
2. Sarf (Morphology)
3. Balagha (Rhetoric)
4. Adab Wa Nusoos (Literature & Poetry)
5. Mutala3a (Wider Reading)
6. Inshaa’ (Developing Writing Skills)
7. Arood Wal Qaafiyah (Rhythmic patterns in classical poetry)
8. Mujtama Islamiyyah (Islamic Society)
9. Geografia (Geography)
10. Tareekh (History)
11. Al Haasib al Aali (Computer Science & ICT)
12. Tafseer (Exegesis)
13. Hadith (Sayings and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad)
14. Fiqh (Jurisprudence – According to the school of thought you choose to study)
15. Al Qur'an Al Kareem – Memorisation of portions of the Qur'an
16. Tajweed (Proficiency in Qur'an recitation)
17. Tawheed (Theology)
18. Mantiq (Logic)

Textbooks are provided for the academic year you are studying in and most of these books - including additional resources - can also be found online through various websites such as;
http://www.azhry.com/


University Faculties

Once you have completed the initial years and have attained the Thanawiyyah certificate, you can enter the university, choosing to study at the faculty of your choice.

• Faculty of Theology (Usool ud Deen)
• Faculty of Islamic Jurisprudence (Shari’ah and Law)‎‏ ‏
• Faculty of Islamic and Arab studies
• Faculty of Islamic preaching (Da’wah)
• Faculty of Arabic Language 

First, you will study as an undergraduate and attain a Bachelor's degree upon completion.‎ You can register in one of the following programs. The courses run for 4 years unless otherwise stated.

1. ‎Faculty of theology (Usool Ud Deen) which offers the Bachelor's degree in:
1. Tafseer - Interpretation (Exegesis) and sciences of Qur'an
2. Hadith and its Discourse Sciences
3. Aqeedah Wa Falsafa - Belief and Philosophy
4. Islamic Conveyance (Da’wah)

1. ‎Faculty of Islamic Jurisprudence (Shari’ah and law) which offers the Bachelor's ‎degree in:‎‏
1. Islamic Jurisprudence (Shari’ah)
2. Shari'ah Wa Qanoon (Shari'ah and law)

1. Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies which offers the Bachelor’s degree in:‎
1. Islamic and Arabic Studies

1. Faculty of Preaching (Da’wah) which offers a degree in:
1. Da’wah - The Islamic Preaching

1. ‎Faculty of the Arabic Language which offers the Bachelor’s degree in
1.  Lughatul Arabiyyah - The Arabic Language
2. Tareekh - History and Islamic Culture

1. Faculty of Islamic Sciences for International Students which offers the ‎Bachelor degree in:‎
1. Dirasaat Islamiyah - Islamic Studies

Application Requirements

General Application Process

1. 2 Passport sized photos
2. 2 x Photocopies of your passport
3. 2 x Photocopies of your visa (Must be in date and not expired)
4. A letter from the British embassy which must be printed in colour - Can be found by clicking here.

For countries other than the UK, students will need to visit their respective embassies and request a letter of no objection towards study within Egypt. This may incur a fee which can vary according to the embassy.


Submitting your application

1. The documents listed above need to be taken across to Muraaqabah (Azhar office for foreign students), which is the building next to Madinatul Ba3outh (Just off Ahmed Saeed Street in Abbasiyya - well known).
2. You will hand in the documents on the first floor alongside filling in a basic application form.
3. The student will then return on the date the management specify and check to see if their names have been listed in the next batch of students to be enrolled. The time for the lists to be released can vary according to when one applies but there are generally two intake dates (Around September & around January).
4. Once you return and find your name is listed, you will move to the next stage of the application which requires you to visit Abdul Raouf (top floor of the same building). He will provide you with a form which is stamped. This form will need to be taken to the hospital for several tests.
5. Students must have several tests (including an HIV test) completed at the Hussein Hospital which is next to Al Azhar Mosque (1-minute walking distance from the side entrance). At the hospital, you will first make your way to the blood department and submit your document alongside two passport sized photos. You will then be given a form to make the payment. Once the payment has been made you will return to the same area and have a blood sample is taken, the results of which you will collect after 4-5 days.
   
   After the results of the blood test have been received and it is clear, you will receive a list of several tests which the nurse will write down for you, including a sight and hearing test. Take the form and return to the payment office. Once you have made the payment you will need to find the relevant department for the sight and hearing tests. The form will be signed after you have been examined and you are then finished from the hospital.
   
   Note - Payment for the tests is made at a separate office of the hospital building. You will then take the receipt to the required department for each of the tests to be conducted.
   
   The tests in total cost around 50-100LE.
6. Take the form from the hospital back to the muraaqabah (Azhar office for foreign students) and submit the form to Abdul Raouf (top floor of the same building). He will then send you downstairs to purchase a folder to place all your documentation within.
7. Make two further copies of your visa including the official visa and a copy of the entry date if it is stamped on a different page of your passport.
8. You will then hand the entire folder into the office on the middle floor and return to Abdel Raouf (top floor of the same building) to ask for your starting date.

Diraasah Khaasa

For students who submit their applications and are awaiting the entry exam or those who fail the entrance exam.

This involves studying at a specific center in which you will revise through the high school content to prepare you for the next entrance exam. Daily attendance is obliged upon students with an allowance of 30 days off during the entire academic year.


Entry into the Azhari system after passing the entry exams

The entrance exams will require you to cover the content from the primary (i3daadi) school and the high (thanawiyyah) school and you will be placed at your appropriate level if you pass the relevant exams.

Once you enter, if you are placed in the first year of the primary or the high school, the academic year of both the primary (i3daadi) and the high (thanawiyyah) school must be completed from start to finish.

If you enter the second year of the primary (i3daadi) or high (thanawiyyah) school, you can choose to complete the second year alongside the third year, which is known as 'musaabaqah'.

This requires you to revise the content for both years but can allow you to progress through the academic years at a quicker pace which is preferred by many students, although many students also complete each year individually, this naturally means entering the university takes longer.

A student should aim to enter the second or third year of the high school (thanawiyyah) and within one year enter the university which requires much in the way of hard work.

The content which students need to cover before the entrance exam can be covered with specific teachers that specialise in preparing students for the exam and studying the Azhar ma’had syllabus.

Visa & Student ID Card

Once you enter your respective year whether it be in the primary or the high school, you can take the following steps to get your visa and ID card.

Student ID Card

1. Take a passport photo, your class details, a passport copy and your original passport to the office on the ground floor.
2. Ask for the office to get your student ID card (Bataaqah Ithbaat As Shaksiyyah)
3. They will take your documents, check them, ask you a few questions and take a payment of around 40LE.
4. You will then be asked to return after 4-5 days to collect the ID card.

Visa

Make your way to the student affairs office (Maktaba shu'oon Al Tullab) and enquire about the process.

Scholarship/Financial Assistance

Alongside the accommodation, students are given a small stipend which can vary year to year.

Privileges of the Scholarship:

• Free accommodation on the Madinatul Ba3outh campus (Ahmed Saeed street).
• The general stipend with accommodation in 2017 was around 200LEper month. The stipend without accommodation is around 600LE per month.
• The student must be registered and not be benefiting from any other scholarships.‎

How to apply for the scholarship/monetary assistance?

1. Go to the muraaqabah (just off Ahmed Saeed street, next to Madinatul ba’outh)
2. Take two copies of your passport, 2 passport photos
3. Ask for the room to submit your application for the financial aid (minhah)
4. When you reach the room which has a clear sign on the outside, they will ask you what type of assistance you are in search for.
5. You can choose between financial aid or accommodation. The money may be considered a meagre amount for westerners on a monthly basis but the student accommodation is very useful for students studying at the college.

Location - Campus/Office to submit documentation:

Azhar Islamic Research Academy Expatriates Administration
مجمع البحوث الاسلامية بالازهر ادارة الوافدين

https://maps.app.goo.gl/oTE25JmX1qSHBvTAA

Final points to note:

Just be prepared for the living conditions within the Azhar accommodation as it may surprise many westerners visiting for the first time.

Most accommodation is shared but single rooms can be available at times when students leave - they are allocated on a first come first serve basis.

May Allah azza wajal make it easy for you and grant you khair from your studies