Assalaamu alaykum warahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,
This site is designed to help people who want to study in the Islamic University of Madinah, as well as other universities in Saudi Arabia.
The site is designed to help the following people:
- People who want to apply
- People who have applied and want to find out the progress of their application
- People who have been accepted and want to know what to do now
- General information about the universities in Saudi & life over there
This site is constantly being updated and developed. There should be more than enough information to get started with.
At the moment, the primary focus of the site is on the Islamic University of Madinah, but we are now actively looking to expand the site to cover universities in Makkah and Riyadh.
Bear in mind that a lot of the information on this site is based on educated guesses, experience with other applicants, and discussions with university staff – as they say: “your mileage may vary”
Get started by clicking on one of the links at the top of the page . General Information about Madinah Uni contains a number of pages which deal with the basics of the university. Applying to Madinah University contains information about the actual applications process, both before and after applying. Other Saudi Universities contains information about universities in Makkah and Riyadh. Sisters contains information about opportunities for sisters, both official and unofficial, across Saudi Arabia. Pages which relate to old information, like accepted students from previous years can be found in Archived Pages.
Also, check out the links at the very bottom of the page, under “Friends & links”. Hover your mouse over each link for more information.
Please read all of the pages in detail, before submitting a question, since this helps me to respond quickly to important questions.
We ask Allah to give us all success,
Wa alaykumussalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,
Abu AbdirRahman Muhammad Humble
Salaamu Alaykum
Akh Muhammad May Allahu Taala bless you for your efforts , it was mentioned this year they wil be accepted more students this year.My question is how much more for example from america last year 15 were accepted, so based upon this do you have an ideal how much more?
Assalamu Alaikum
I hope your well and in the best of health and Imaan. May Allah reward you for your patience and may he grant you success in this life and the hereafter.
Ameen
Please drop me your email. Jazakallahu khairan.
As salamu alaikum brother akh I need to you ask some questions inshaAllah which are nt on the pagee so If u could send me your email inshaAllah barakalahufeekum.
In shaa Allah, I will send it to you. However, I always encourage the brothers to post their questions via the comment system, so that the other brothers can benefit.
Salamualaikum Warrahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, Oh Brother in Islam, I have read all the stuff I am needed to do, for the most part I think I can do, but I just needed a bit on answering on my questions and I need a little bit of help with reference or contact, My question is, I know we can give the stuff in a package but I also know that we can go there for an interview. For the interview, is it before getting accepted or after? And my other question is I live in canada, Toronto. And am looking for atleast 2 good reference. If by any chance you know anyone then, can you please help me out, May ALLAH bless you in this Dunya And in the akhira.
I think I replied to the same question posted elsewhere on the site.
Tuition fees are free, Accommodation fees are free, Plane ticket there and back is free, and you also get a salary of around 800 SAR per/month.
However, it is very recommended, you save some money before you come, so as to pay for visa costs and other things that you may need.
i want to apply, but is fees and accomodation free for students
Islamic University of Madinah
New Student Experience.
PART ONE
Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullah!
All Praise is due to Allah SWT and may Peace and Blessings be on the last messenger.
I was inclined to write this treatise to share my experiences in my first year at the Islamic University of Madinah which I hope will be of extreme benefit to prospective students and newly admitted students Insha’Allah.
I found that most of the info. online is not up to date and wished to give you a more updated version so to speak Bi’idhnillah
1. ADMISSION.
I applied for admission in Ramadhan 2007 by sending my documents via a friend studying at the University and Alhamdullilah I got accepted. Other brothers chose to go for umrah where they personally presented themselves, their documents and were thereafter interviewed (This way has higher chances of success to get admission).
I received my acceptance letter August 2008 and thereafter sought to complete the required procedures i.e. certifying my academic documents, medical check up, letters of recommendation etc. The following site had some really information on this part. http://madinahstudents.wordpress.com/2007/08/21/admissions-repost/.
My visa took some time though and I panicked. However if it happens to you don’t break a sweat as you will find out. After I got the visa I went to the Saudi Airlines Office and picked up my ticket fully arranged for by the University. Thereafter I flew immediately to Madinah via Jeddah.
2. RECEPTION
We landed at Jeddah International Airport where they took our photos at the Immigration counter which I discovered later were for use on our residence Permits (Iqama) . We thereafter took a flight to Madinah where we were received by the University reception committee and thereafter taken to the University.
Arriving at the University we were met by brothers from our home countries who assisted us with filling some required forms at the New Students Reception (Contact any brothers you may know especially if you don’t know Arabic). The University Staff thereafter assigned for us our rooms, gave us beddings, some forms that needed to be completed in due course, 2 months of food tokens to be used in the University Dining facilities, a loan of 300 riyal for those who wanted it. They also took a tonne of my passport size photos. Make sure you come with about 30 photos. And finally they took our passports and gave us a temporary document for movement within Madinah only (Its called a tasreeh).
The brothers at the University Masha’Allah are very hospitable and we were invited for the first of many lunches and dinners in Madinah, Chicken and Rice Saudi style, Delicious!
We prayed Dhuhr and Asr at the University Mosque (massive Mosque) and took the university bus to Pray Maghrib and Isha at the Prophet’s Mosque. What an Experience! Words can’t express.
After Isha, we retired to our rooms designed for 2 people and which we were sharing with brothers from other countries, having no common language with you. No choice, either you start breaking Arabic and form however hilarious sentences from day 1 or you won’t learn the language.
3. Remaining procedures.
We prayed fajr next day at the University Mosque and went to the University hospital which was to open in like 2 hours or so. The university takes its own medical checkup (blood and X-Ray) and they have testing capacity for 50 students only, so you need to be there early if you want to be checked and move to finish the remainder of the procedures. Once you finish with the medical test, you wait for the results which should come out between 24-48 hours. If you pass you continue with the remaining procedures, otherwise if your ailment (AIDS, Hepatitis, Yellow fever or other serious diseases that qualify) can’t be cured, sadly you will be flown back home. The staff at the University are very humane though and they usually try all means to assist you.
After the Medical test, we picked our results and were directed to the Students affairs department to complete the remainder. Depending on your country, you go to the African or European or Asian department where you will go through a final vetting process i.e. interview, academic documents review and you will be thereafter assigned to a faculty or to the language institute. You will be asked a variety of questions to gauge your level of knowledge in Arabic and Islam. Questions vary from tawheed, fiqh, seerah and to how much of the Qur’an you know.
After the interview, and confirming my documents were in order I was assigned to join the Arabic institute to improve my Arabic. My name was posted to the system and I was now a full member of the student fraternity at the Islamic University.
4. Classes
There was a second interview for us at the Arabic language institute where they gauged our levels and assigned us a semester. The student affairs department of the language institute thereafter assigned us a class. Due to being late to commence classes we (the late comers) were kept in our own class and Alhamdullilah we were not disadvantaged in any way. We finished the course in due time.
The teachers, Masha’Allah are excellent and with some effort within a few months you should speak. Take it from me, I began from zero and Alhamdullilah now I can speak, read and write reasonably well.
5. Brief overview of the university plus other useful info.
• Student Population: about 10’000 – Mostly foreign students from over 150 countries.
• Faculties: Currently 5 – Shariah, Hadith, Dawah, Qur’an and Arabic Language. They are plans for more including a sisters section in the next year or two.
• Institutes: Arabic Language Institute, Secondary School (Thanawiyah), Middle School (Mutawassitah). Also present is a center where they train English, French as a foreign languages and also computer classes and more importantly different forms of Arabic calligraphy/writing.
• Academic year: 2 semesters of about 3.5 months each.
• Food: There is a university restaurant where they serve breakfast (2 riyals), Lunch (5 riyals) and Supper (3.5 Riyals). They serve buffet and the mode of settlement is food coupons/tokens purchased from the university. You can opt not to buy whichever meal(s) you don’t require, or you can eat in the university cafeteria or you can cook for yourself (kitchens provided for students in every student hostel) or you can buy some snacks in the university shop or you can eat outside (Burger King, McDonalds, Pizza Inn etc.).
• Laundry: A washing Machine is about 600 riyals (about 160 Dollars) which you can buy with a number of friends (optimally 3-4). You can iron yourself or take it to the drycleaner inside the University or the one outside (which I prefer) for 2 riyals for the thawbs. You laundry bill per month should not be more than 50 riyals on average.
• Internet: There is a new internet café in the university and a number just outside the university. You can browse wireless with your laptops or use the café’s computers. Cost is about 5 riyals. Important words of advice if you have a laptop. Don’t have movies, x-rated material, or jihadi material in them. They are prohibited! Remember you have come to learn and benefit and not to spread your ideology.
• Classes: Classes start from Saturday to Wednesday from 7.30 to 12.30. After lunch, you rest till Asr and all offices in the country are usually closed at this time and opened after Asr.
• Transport: The University provides buses to the Prophet’s Mosque after Asr till about 30 minutes to Maghrib and after Isha from the prophet’s Mosque to the university. You can take a taxi alternatively to the Mosque sharing with other students and only paying two riyals.
• Money: Make sure you come with enough money for your upkeep in the early months. The university gives a monthly allowance of 840 riyals (1 dollar=3.75riyals) to every university student. We got our first allowance after the first month, but don’t bank on this being the case for you. Every student is issued with Al-Rajhi bank ATMs’ after 3 months.
• Resident permit and Student ID: You should get these after 2 months or so.
• Climate: They are only two seasons here. Either it is extremely hot in the summer or very very cold in the winter. So prepare for the necessary.
• The Prophet’s Mosque: We pray at the Prophet’s Mosque Maghrib and Isha and attend lessons from the scholars. They are scholars in all the relevant Islamic fields who have teaching circles open to all. Most of the students of the university attend the circles or do research in the massive library at the mosque.
• Major Scholars in Madinah: Shaykh AbdulMuhsin Al-Abadd, his Son Abdulrazaq Al-Abadd, Shaykh Ally Al-Faqeeh, Abu Bakr al-Jazairee, Ibrahim ar-ruhaylee, and the only Madinah Shaykh who is a member of the Senior Ulema of Saudi – Shaykh Muhammad Mukhtar Ash-Shanqetee. Shaykh Shanqetee is relatively young (about 45) and his once a week lectures have thousands of students attending from all over the country.
• Qur’an Memorization: If you haven’t memorized the Qur’an you can memorize with students at the university or preferably register at the Prophet’s Mosque with the Qur’an department. They are a number of Qur’an scholars in the Prophet’s Mosque who teach all levels from beginners to even those who have finished memorizing the Qur’an. Register with the mosque as soon as you get your school ID or earlier if possible. Even if it is full booked, struggle to be on a waiting list and follow up on regular basis and Insha’Allah you will get a space. After the academic year you can join intensive Qur’an classes outside the University and God willing finish the Qur’an. Some students go for a program in city of Ta’if where accommodation and food is provided free of charge.
• Hajj and Umrah: To go outside Madinah you need to have your Iqama with you and the temporary permit I mentioned early will not suffice for you. The university takes all new students for umrah sometime in the academic year and hajj sometimes for a chosen few. To go for Hajj, you will need a special permit or you can travel with some registered groups.
• Sports Facilities: Students play soccer, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, swim all within the university and some join Gym’s outside the University for weightlifting, martial arts etc.
• University Hospital: There is a university hospital that caters for all students, a standby ambulance and so don’t worry all your health needs will be looked after and its all free thanks to this blessed kingdom.
• University library: There is a library in every faculty and institute and a main library in the university. A new massive one is currently being constructed. You can buy books at the university book shop, or the hundreds of bookshops outside the university or in the yearly book fair hosted by the University.
• People in Saudi: In Madinah, people are friendly and welcoming and so don’t be worried. The authorities won’t bother you as in some countries and all in all you will Insha’Allah enjoy yourself while reaping the rewards as a student of knowledge.
Recommended site: http://soyouwanttobeastudent.wordpress.com/about-the-islamic-university-of-madinah/
Important New Student Advice (Part two)
I will post the second part Insha’Allah soon for important advice for you as student of knowledge. Feel free to ask questions, clarifications, comments etc. Urge you though to purify your intention, exercise much patience, plan your time and keep away from the groups – all of them regardless.
Assalamu Alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.
Inshaa Allah I’ll post this to a new page once I get time to clean up the site and update it with new information inshaa Allah.
Baarak Allahu feek.
Wassalaamu alaykum,
Muhammad
Assalamu Alaykum brother.
Kindly contact me via email. I am also a student at the university and have a draft which i want you to look through and Insha’allah post on this helpful blog.
I believe it will help a great deal and also complement your efforts.
Jazakhallah khayr wa antadhiru raddak
As Salaamu ‘Alaykum wa Rahmatullah
Akhi Abu Abdirrahmaan Humble, would it be possible for you to send me an e-mail, I have an urgent request of you.
BaarakAllahu Feek.
As-Salaam’Alaykum Wa Rehmatullah…
Brother I would like to flag up this blog: http://universidaddemedina.blogspot.com/2009/02/acerca-de-la-universidad.html
This site hold information for people wanting to apply to Madinah whose first language is Spanish.
Insha’Allah you can include it in your useful link section.
Jazak’Allahu Khair.
Wa alaykumussalaam Abu Sulaiman,
Jazaakallahu khayran for pointing that out!
Results should be sometime between May and August…
I’ll try to get them posted on the site as soon as they come out inshaa Allah,
May Allah make it easy for you,
Wassalaamu alaykum warahmatullah,
Muhammad
As Salaamu ‘Alaykum,
Just a typo, in underneath the main title with the blue background university is spelt univeristy.
Aniticipating the results anytime soon insha’Allah? I guess after May sah?
Actually, I thought it might be better to give mine,
As Salaamu ‘Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
I applied recently in the summer (July 30th i think) 1429/2008. Alhamdulillah Allah jalla wa ‘alaa guided me to this site. I wished to ask about my application and how it is going along?
Is is possible for you to give me a way of contacting you so i can give you information?
BaarakAllahu Feek
The new page is now active – see “I want to apply!” on the right hand side of the page.
I also added the Madinah International University to the links on the right hand side of the page. This is an effort by some of the people involved with the university to make an online university which follows the same syllabus as the real one, and has an excellent Arabic language component.
I’m making a new page for people who have made the decision that they want to apply. See the pages on the right hand side of the site. May Allah give you tawfeeq.
i want to apply