Al Azhar University – Distance Learning Degree – Uloom ul-Islamiyyah wal-Arabiyyah

Al-Azhar University – Distance Learning Degree

Bismillah

BA (Hons) Islamic Sciences and Arabic

علوم الإسلامية والعربية - بكالوريوس / ليسانس 

By the grace of Allah, Al-Azhar university has created an online degree in Uloom us Islamiyyah wal Arabiyyah (Islamic Sciences). As with any online distance learning degree there is a comprehensive syllabus but the application can create some unsurety so I pray this guide helps and answers any questions people may have.  
 
Firstly, I'd like to thank all the brothers and sisters that provided insight and contributions to this article and I pray it is of benefit for all those that decide to study at Al-Azhar University.

Degree Overview 

The course is a 4-Year online (distance learning) degree which is accredited by Al-Azhar University.

 كلية العلوم الإسلامية والعربية للوافدين بجامعة الأزهر الشريف – Faculty

 الشعبة – علوم الإسلامية - Department 

Cost: $1500 per academic year 

Total Cost: $6000 (excluding any resits) | Resits cost $80 dollars per module

    1st Year: Fees must be paid for the whole year upon enrollment.

    2nd - 4th Year: Fees can be paid per semester or for the whole year.

The degree includes online lectures which are conducted 5 days a week across the different subjects. 

There is also a requirement to submit 10 assignments (one for each module) per semester, so 20 assignments per year. 

All course admin is conducted via the University portal; https://azharegypt.edu.eg/

A personalised gmail address will be created for you when you enrol on to the degree and you will also be added to WhatsApp groups which have university admins and course teachers to deal with any issues you may face.  

Enrolment on to the degree occurs in September and February so based on when you submit your application, you will be given a start date for the course. Once enrolled, all students will follow the same semester and module plan for the degree.

Student Prerequisites

In order for students to benefit from the course and not feel overwhelmed, it is important to have a grounded understanding across several topic including;

- A good basis in Nahw and Sarf - There is a lot of crossover in many subjects in which your understanding of these topics will be tested thoroughly.
- Good fluency in reading, writing, speaking and verbal comprehension the Arabic language.
- Basic knowledge in the abwab of fiqh. This could be in any madhab as long as you are familiar with general vocab and topics under each heading.
- Basic knowledge of Aqeedah and Logic.
- Have memorized a few ajzaa (chapters) from the back of the Quran, as 2 ajzaa per year can be a lot when one has a lot of content to cover for exams.

Course Content  - Modules

The course covers subjects across the Islamic Sciences including: 

  • Al-Quran al-Kareem (Including Tajweed) 
            Year 1 - Juzz 30 (Semester 1) + Juzz 29 (Semester 2)
            Year 2 - Juzz 28 (Semester 1) + Juzz 27 (Semester 2)
            Year 3 - Juzz 26 (Semester 1) + Juzz 25 (Semester 2)
            Year 4 - Juzz 24 (Semester 1) + Juzz 23 (Semester 2)

  • Lugha (Arabic Language) - Includes Nahw, Sarf, Balagha, Mahaartul Lughwiyyah, Adab, Fiqh ul-Lugha, Tareekhul Adab wan-Nusoos) 
  • Tafseer (Exegesis of the Quran)
  • Hadith (Prophetic Traditions)
  • Al-Fiqh 
    • Shafi Fiqh - Topics related to Ibaadaat (Personal Worship)
    • Al-Fiqh al-Muqāran (Comparative Fiqh) - For Topics Related to Mu3amalaat (Transactions - Social Affairs)
  • Usul ul-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence)
  • Tareekh ul-Fiqh (History of Fiqh)
  • Ulumul Quran (Sciences of the Quran) 
  • Seeratun Nabawiyyah (Life and Battles of the Prophet Muhammad SAW) 
  • Tawheed (Aqeedah + Kalam = Islamic Theology) 
  • Mantiq (Logic) + Tareekh al-Falsafa (History of Philosophy)
  • Tareekh al Khulafaa (History of the Khulafaa)
  • Ilm-ul Ijtimaa (Sociology) 
  • Geografiyyah al-Aalam al-Islaami (Geography of the Islamic Lands)
  • al-Malal wan-Nahal wal-Adyaan (Covers Judaism, Christianity & Hinduism 
  • al-Iqtisaad al-Islaami (Islamic Economics/Finance)
  • Tasawwuf (Islamic Mysticism)
  • al-Hadaaratul Islaamiyyah (Islamic Civilisation)
  • Ilm ud-Dalaalah wal-Maajim (Knowledge of Semantics & Dictionaries) 
  • al-Akhlaaq (Ethics/Morality)
  • al-Ishtishraaq (Orientialism)
  • Qadaaya Fiqhiyyah Muaasarah (Contemporary Legal Issues) 
  • an-Nudhum al-Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Systems) 
  • al-Haasib al-Aali (ICT) - Focus on Microsoft Office applications + Google Suite applications such as Forms, Docs, Slides, Classroom etc.

A full comprehensive list can be found at the link below with the module list for each respective year mentioned (under each firqah), 

https://ahmadelgamal.com/alazhar/4-senior.html  

Course Delivery

Language: The course is entirely delivered in the Arabic Language (Fusha)
 
Lectures are delivered once a day between (Sunday - Thursday) at Egypt Standard Time 3-5pm ( EGY) daily.
All lectures are recorded and uploaded to Google Drive for you to access and listen to in your own time alongside the syllabus and reference materials.
Questions are welcomed throughout classes and lecturers present lectures on Google Meet (audio ONLY).

Exam Process 

The exams are conducted in January and June of each respective year. 

Each exam is 2 hours long - Upon completion of the written and spoken exam, students can leave the exam early upon confirmation the exam have been submitted by the invigilator.

The exam dates are released several weeks before each exam and are generally held in the early part of the afternoon - around 3pm Egyptian time. 

Two exams are held each week on different days, with 2-3 days between each exam. The days of the exams will be consistent through the exam period, for example, if it was Tuesday and Saturday - this would stay the same throughout the exam period and the time of the exam will stay consistent. 

The exams across different semesters may be held on different days and times so ensure you clarify the dates and times prior to each exam period - whilst making relevant arrangements at work if required to facilitate being able to sit the exam.

In general, the process for each exam consists of the following; 

    • Students log on to Google Hangouts and share their screen with a moderator who will observe them for the entirety of the exam. 

    • Once the moderator has connected and your screen is visible, you will then proceed to login to the Al-Azhar online student portal through which you will enter the examinations tab. 

    • Here you will choose the respective exam for the day and open the programme which will display your first question as well open a visible camera displaying you in a ‘live setting’, which is the video the moderator will observe you through. 

    • During the exam, the course tutor will join the Google call, speak to you and conduct your spoken exam which will take around 10 minutes, after which you can continue with the written exam.

    • Upon completion of both the written and spoken exams, you inform the moderator and he will ensure your exam answers have been saved and are visible to him. Following confirmation, you can log off and end all calls. 

The exam consists of a mixture of true/false, multiple choice, essay style questions. 

Each exam consists of 25 questions chosen at random from a question bank. 

Each exam, with rare exceptions will also contain an oral/spoken examination which contributes 10% to your overall grade for each subject.  

Exam Makeup; 

Assignment for each subject: 10% 

Oral/Spoken examination: 10% 

Written Exam: 80% 

*Only al-Quran al-Kareem has a higher weightage, (50%) for the spoken component of the exam and (50%) for the written exam.  

Assignments; 

10 assignments are due each term and each assignment will generally need to be around 2 pages long, collected from a variety of original sources and must include a references section.

The assignments must be submitted in PDF format. 

The topic of each assignment will be posted on Google Classroom. If multiple topics are provided you can choose the topic you feel more inclined towards. 

Deadlines for assignments are usually just before the exam period, I would advise anyone to finish them as soon as possible to be able to focus on exams and prepare early. 

Entry Requirements 

1. Qualification to a UK GCSE Equivalent which would equate to high school in most countries. A-Levels can also be given to gain entry to the course. 

2. Competency in the Arabic Language as the entire course is delivered in Arabic. 

*If you graduated from an Arabic High school, the certification does not require translation and fulfils both requirements above. This could include the Al-Azhar high school (thanawiyyah) certificate or any other high school certificate from an Arabic speaking country. Alternatively, if you have any previous Arabic study certificates, they can be used to show your competency in the Arabic Language. Their main concern is that you’ve reached a basic level of competency in all linguistic skills; reading, writing, listening & speaking. I would advise any students that have not studied through a formal institute, to approach a local centre or institute - wherein Arabic language-related studies are taught - and request a certificate after being tested by a qualified teacher.

Passing Requirements - Yearly Progression 

Pass all exams each term (If two exams are failed in the year they can be re-sat with the following semester but are charged at around $80 per exam which will be repeated). 

If 3 or more exams are failed, you must resit the term but will only need to sit those exams which were failed for that term. 

Memorise 2 chapters of the Qur’an al-Kareem per year (1 chapter per semester). 

Application Process - How to apply

Main Registration URL: https://azharegypt.org/log/reg.php

First Stage: Online registration. The student fills in an online application form, and a new page will appear to check the validity of his data. 

Second Stage: Verifying the student’s ownership of the e-mail address. As soon as the student applies, he/she will be notified with an immediate message, including his/her username and password. 

Third Stage: Uploading the documents on the website the student should upload his educational documents and certificates. 

Fourth Stage: Reviewing the applications Your application forms will be reviewed in forty days, after which you will be notified with a message on your e-mail address including a detailed list with the necessary requirements for completing the registration process. 

Fifth Stage: Following up the admission results. Students can follow up the admission results online, during the period of approving the application, via Applying Students Gateway. 

Sixth Stage: Submitting the applicants’ personal documents and payment. The required documents will be sent via express mail. Seventh Stage: Registration courses. In preparation to beginning the academic year, the student must register the subjects he/she is going to study in the first term.

Verifying Certification 

Step 1 - Take your GCSE or A level certificates and get it signed by a lawyer. (The lawyer will copy it and say this is a real copy and sign it) and ENSURE you say you want to legalise the document. 

Step 2 - Send this off to the Foreign CommonWealth Office and they will legalise the document. (Fees and details are found on their website). 

Step 3 - Send this document off to the Egyptian consulate (details and fees of them signing documents are found on their website). 

Step 4 - Upon receiving the documents back, send these to Al-Azhar University administration. 

Part-Time Study Options

In every study year there are two terms. Each term is symbolic of a level (of academic progression). The standardised number of modules a student is expected to study per term is 10 (20 per study year).

However, if - for whatever reason - a student decides to study less than 10 modules per term, each term would be extended. The student would be required to remain in that term up until those 10 modules are completed in their entirety - even if it takes him two years. Once the student manages to complete that term, he has the option of continuing to extend the upcoming term(s) (by studying less than 10 modules) or to study the full amount (10).

The fees for the one who chooses to study a selected number of modules per term are calculated on a module-to-module basis:

Cost: 80 USD per module (for each term) 

*This has to be agreed with the admin team prior to commencing study. The possibility to change the number of modules studied per year is at the discretion of the admin team for the online degree.

Pros and Cons - Distance Learning Degree

Pros 

The course has a rich syllabus and spans across the Arabic Language & Islamic sciences. 
Teachers engage students, are willing to discuss and allow questions to be asked. 
The majority of lectures are delivered in Fusha. In one class a teacher using the Egyptian dialect was swiftly raised with the admin and they spoke to the lecturer to resolve this immediately. 
General organisation is good and the student portal is easily accessible. 
Good instant communication channels with admin to resolve any issues and raise any complaints over WhatsApp. 
Exam timings are clear and there are active moderators who observe students throughout each exam.

Cons

The workload can be demanding, considering 10 assignments and 10 exams per term - ensure you find time to balance this with work, family and other responsibilities. 
Too many questions during the classes can slow down the flow of the lessons. 
The syllabus is put together by the lecturers and not entirely referenced so finding the corresponding source can be made difficult. (Shamela should resolve this issue or assist in minimising the issue). Due to many exams, sometimes focusing in on areas can be a little difficult although lectuers provide a list of classical texts to read for additional understanding around topics.

Official Accreditation Confirmation - Sheikh ul-Azhar (Dr Ahmad el-Tayyeb)

The image below is the affirmation the degree received from Dr Ahmad el-Tayyeb (Sheikh ul-Azhar) on behalf of the university.

Comments

  1. Jazakumullah khayran for this beneficial article.

    Is it possible you could give an overview of some of the books/texts taught on this course?

    Or maybe you could provide a link?

    May Allah bless you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The core content for each subject is made up from a compilation of different sources and the lecturers do provide additional reading material.

      Delete
  2. Can someone help me about arabic language courses containing few months and i also want to know are ladies teachrs available in alazhar online

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Most teachers are male and there are a few female teachers for specific subjects in later years such as Geography.

      Delete
  3. Asalamu alaykoum wa rahmatu Allah,
    Are the lectures recorded in order to rewatch them at a later moment on the day. Or is it only possible to follow the lectures of the teachers live?
    Wa alaykoum salam, Hajar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lectures can be watched on the day and are also recorded, then placed on to Google Drive for students to watch them in their own time.

      Delete
  4. Does teachers speaks English

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The entire course delivery and admin is in Arabic. Some teachers speak a little English but you will require a good level of Arabic to enter the programme.

      Delete
  5. Does a high school degree also have to be signed by a lawyer and have the same procedure followed as per mentioned for the GCSE and/or A level certificates?

    ReplyDelete
  6. How many subjects are there per semester?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are 10 subjects per semester, so in total 20 subjects each academic year.

      Delete
  7. Can one prepare for the exams only without having to actually go through the lectures?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, by reading through the course notes provided

      Delete
  8. Do they have maliki fiqh also for online?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no choice in fiqh for the online programme. Chapters on ibaadaat are taught from shafi fiqh and the remaining chapters are studied via comparative fiqh between the four schools of thought (Maliki, Hanafi, Shafi, Hanbali).

      Delete
  9. Salam,

    Is it possible to do 2 years online then 2 years in person?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wasalaam
      Last time I asked, this was not possible. Although upon completion of the online degree, you can use it to register for a Masters in Egypt at al-Azhar.

      Delete
  10. salam, is the certificate of completion is the same as we stidy in class, or special for online certificate of completion, as some university would not accept online study graduate for magister studies

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wa alaikumussalaam,
      Yes this is what the attached letter by Sheikh ul-Azhar (Dr Ahmad el-Tayyeb) states.

      Delete
  11. Passing out degree from arabic University is sufficient to get admission?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, this will be fine to gain entry.

      Also, any Arabic high school certification for those that haven't studied after high school.

      Delete
  12. What is the the difference between Al-Quran al-Kareem and Tafseer?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Al-Kareem is a "title" given to the Qur'an meaning "The Noble (Qur'an)". Tafseer is basically the interpretation of the Qur'an

      Delete
  13. Why is the Google Meet Audio only? You never get to see the face of your lecturers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All lectures are conducted via audio ONLY. This may not be ideal for some but lecturers are very engaging, often they share personal contact details so you can both ask questions during lectures as well as in private.

      Delete
  14. I don't have any certificates, can I sit for level determination exam?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The 'level determination' exam is only done for students that are studing on-campus in Cairo.

      For the online degree, you will need a minimum of high school qualifications.

      Delete
  15. Assalamualikum. Its mentioned here to upload documents onto the al azhar website. But then it says to verify the documents and after verifying your certificates you send them to al azhar. Does sending mean uploading them to the application form?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Salaam. In realistic terms - books/syallabus - what is minimum requirement for entry into the course? 'Fluent' in Arabic is quite a vague description...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wa alaikumussalaam wa rahmatullah,

      It should suffice if you can pick up a basic primer/foundation and attempt mid-level books in different topics and understand it well.

      Also, remember the instructions and lectures are all in Arabic so you also need to be fluent in basic comprehension of Arabic.

      Delete
  17. is there an option to study online part time?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some students have been allowed to take a smaller number of exams per semester - but keep in mind this is on a case by case basis and at the discretion of the admin team.

      Delete
  18. Jazakallahu Khayran Kathira
    the article is comprehensive in it's span and detailed too.
    Please if there is any changes let us know (by updating this page).
    Jazakallahu khayran kathira again.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Assalamualaikum , i want ask question , can someone help me how to apply this programe ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wa alaikumussalaam wa rahmatullah,

      If you follow the process mentioned in the article, you should be able to enrol without any issues.

      Delete
  20. Is the cost in egyptian pounds?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The cost is in dollars as stated above and course fees will be sent in dollars.

      Delete
  21. Is there any scholarship for this course?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no scholarship for the online degree course.

      Scholarships are only available for on-campus students that study in Cairo.

      Delete
  22. Assalamualaikum.
    Please give reference that an iGCSE certificate is enough to enroll. I couldn't find any confirmation if a General Secondary Egypt certificate is equivalent to an iGCSE certificate and therefore sufficient for enrolment

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. IGCSE's are pretty much equivalent to GCSE's since UK institutes accept IGCSEs. Therefore they should in theory accept it.

      Delete
    2. I see. Could you give confirmation that GCSEs are equivalent to a Thanawiyyah Ammah? I wasnt able to find any resource talking about this. Just to double check, since apparently a Thanawiyyah Ammah ends at age 17 and GCSEs end at age 16.

      Is there any minimum age as well or is a GCSE certificate sufficient?

      Sorry for the numerous questions but I have tried contacting al Azhar through many ways but none worked sadly.

      Delete
    3. The age completion is irrelevant, many students have used GCSE certificates to enrol as long as you follow the attestation process mentioned in the blogpost. iGCSE has the same academic accreditation as GCSE qualifications so you should not face any issue.

      Delete
  23. Can IOU graduate apply for masters

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no Masters course available via the distance learning programme.

      You can use previous qualifications to potentially enter the Masters course on campus in Cairo. This will require you to go and present your qualifications but we cannot give an answer as each application is judged on it's own merit.

      Delete
  24. is there a way to reliably contact you like through email or phone number

    ReplyDelete
  25. is there a scholarship
    also you didnt mention that if we have gcse certificate or highschool diploma other than thanwiyya amma misriya or azhar thanwiyya amma then we have to take a test

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no test for entry on the online degree programme.

      If you have any high school certificate - it will be sufficient to enter the course as long as you can show a good understanding of Arabic.

      Delete
  26. What if Egypt time 3-5 is midnight for us?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can listen to the recordings later on if you can't attend the live lecture.

      Unfortunately, for exams you will just have to find a way to attend or speak to admin and see if they allow you to sit the exam a little earlier due to time difference but this is unlikely as you could leak information about the exam to other students.

      Delete
  27. Assalamu alaykum. I'm interested, what do I do now? What is the first step to be admitted? JazakumAllah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wa alaykumussalaam wa rahmatullah,

      I think you should follow the 'application process' mentioned above.

      Wa iyyak

      Delete
  28. Assalamu alaykum,

    Has anybody applied recently? Is the programme still running?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wa alaykumussalaam wa rahmatullah,

      The programme is still running as I am still enrolled but there was a temporary pause on current applications.

      If you apply and contact the admin through the email provided on the application link - they will keep you updated on the application process and when the process is reopened.

      Delete
    2. Assalamu Alaykum,
      I just applied a few days ago and got the answer that the apllication window didn't start yet. What does this mean and when doese the semester begin anyway?

      Thank you for the very valuable information from above, it helped me a lot during my application.

      Delete
  29. as Salamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

    In my high school, we have courses apart from GCSE courses.
    I took Arabic Language but not as a GCSE.
    Since GCSEs are only taken up till Grade 10, al Azhar would not deem my Arabic studies to be fit for entry, as my Arabic studies in high school were only equivalent to Grade 10, and not Grade 12 (which would be the case if I took it as a GCSE).
    Is that right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wa Alaykum Salam.
      You need grades to show at a highschool/Grade 12/Year 11 level.

      Delete
  30. If one applies late such that the academic year and lessons start while their application hasnt been renewed, will they still be allowed to enter the programme in the same year he applied?
    So if academic year starts in October, but I apply late September such that my application cannot be reviewer before October. Will I still be allowed to join for 2023 or only 2024 when the applications reopen in February

    ReplyDelete
  31. Assalamu alaykum
    Apparently we have to take a test called "tafl" to show Arabic proficiency? Tafl.alazhar.edu.eg
    Can u give more details
    JazakAllah

    ReplyDelete
  32. Assalamu Alalikum,
    Jazāk Allāhu Khayran for the article. A few questions:

    1. After completing will program the diploma say “online”? Or will it be exactly the same as the in campus degree no difference?
    2. The link containing a full comprehensive list of materials doesn’t exist. Is there a new link? ahmadelgamal.com/alazhar/4-senior.html

    Look forward to hearing back
    Jazāk Allāhu Khayran

    ReplyDelete
  33. Salamalaikum

    Can you skip certain modules by taking tests so if I already know ulum al quran can I take the final test for it and then if I pass I dont have to take it as a module and can this also happen for entire semesters so can skip semesters or even a year

    ReplyDelete
  34. Salamalaikum

    The website metionions that they teach either of the 4 mataahib in fiqh, are they still only teaching only Shafi Fiqh or can we choose?

    ReplyDelete
  35. Asalamu alaykoum wa rahmatu Allah,
    GCSE results is ok for admission or is original certificate needed? I do not want to pay fees for replacing certificate so if I can apply with results only it is nice
    JazakAllah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You need the results for the initial enrolment but you would require the certificate later on as stated above, as a GCSE certificate must be sent. Initially, a transcript/results would suffice for earlier stages of enrolment. Wa Alaykum Salam

      Delete
  36. Salaam . Did the classes start ? Is it possible to still enroll .

    ReplyDelete
  37. Assalamualaikum.. i do have diploma in islamic studies in Singapore. Is it possible for me to apply with Al Azhar University?

    ReplyDelete
  38. Assalamu alaikum, will an Arabic GCSE suffice to show my competency in Arabic?

    ReplyDelete
  39. Did it start yet?

    ReplyDelete
  40. Does anyone know what is the minimum modules one can take a semester? I am currently completing a year at an arabic institute but I am aware that the jump will be quite big to classical arabic so I am wanting to see what the minimum modules is for the first semester.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Jazakallahu khairan for this detailed article. I was wondering if there is any age limit for the distance learning degree as I heard that to study at Al-Azhar university you need to be below 30. Please clarify. Thank you

    ReplyDelete

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