Assalaamu alaykum warahmatullah,
One of the things that I have been thinking for a while is that the Islamic University should change the condition of not taking into account qualifications after high school/GCSE level.
There are some really good potential students who fulfill all of the conditions, except that they have gone on to study a degree, or even a post-graduate qualification, and so the time between their high school graduation and their application to the Islamic University is more than 5 years, and they are rejected on that basis.
The purpose of the condition is to stop applicants who have not done any study for more than 5 years, which is fine. However, stopping a student who graduated from another university a year or two ago doesn’t make any sense. Most students in the US/UK graduate from high school at 17 or 18. This effectively means that nobody older than 22 or 23 can apply to the university, because more than 5 years has passed. A student who has just received a first class degree might be rejected, simply because it has been six years since they passed their high school exams. The strange thing is that if they were to sit even one GCSE exam as an external candidate after their degree, they could still be accepted.
I mentioned this to one of the brothers who is responsible for accepting new students, and he has promised to make a formal suggestion at the next meeting that this condition be changed to include university degrees, as well as high school qualifications.
We need everyone to make du’aa that this is accepted, since it would make a huge impact for so many students.
Inshaa Allah, I will keep everyone updated,
Wassalaamu alaykum warahmatullah,
Muhammad
this sounds like bad news for me? ah man, suban’Allah! come on skype sometimes & gimme an update, heh. hope you are doin well bro iA
-bilal
There’s no such thing as bad news bro, just another reason for being rewarded for your patience.
Honestly, I sat with the head of the committee for the US students and I spent some time convincing him to look over your application personally. I also got a promise from the guy who was looking after your papers to make sure that he would consider your application very carefully, but he seemed a little upset about something today, so I don’t know whether he will remember. The biggest problem is your High School graduation date, it requires special permission, and they really don’t like giving it. I gave them your Diploma and tried to use it to smooth things over, but they figured out pretty quickly that it was post-grad – so they weren’t too thrilled about that.
I keep getting the answer back: well why don’t these people just apply after High School?!! I keep telling them that people have parents who want them to complete non-Islamic studies, some brothers don’t even think about da’wah until they get a bit older. Some of the staff agree with me, and some disagree…I’m still working on it.
Baarak Allahu feek,
Wassalaamu alaykum,
Muhammad
Assalam Alaikum,
Ok, cool, jazak’Allahkhair for the update and for any and all effort you’ve put in for talking with the admissions staff, I really appreciate it. Even if your efforts go unnoticed in this world, your reward is with your Lord insha Allah. Allah’barakfeek.
My main concern is I don’t want this to become evidence against me on the Day of Judgment so if it is possible, please make dua that I only get accepted (and matriculate) only if it is good for me and then for my family.
Jazak’Allahkhair ahkee, take care insha Allah.
Wassalam alaikum,
Bilal
Assalamu alaykum,
I’d like to see if you can take a look at my situation and state my eligibility to apply at UofM.
I’m graduating High School in 2010 (age 19) and going to University of Toronto for 4 years in Political Science and will graduate inshallah in the spring of 2014 (age 24). My birth date is in September so I’m wondering when should I apply? Will my university degree be looked at? Its only 4 years later (2014) so my High School marks can be used right? My marks from Grade 9-12 is not great by my graduating average (best 6 course marks) should be above 80% inshallah.
I’m really lost on when I can apply. Will I not be eligible to apply when I turn 25 in the fall of 2014?
I really appreciate you help.
Thank You.
Wa alaykumussalaam warahmatullah.
You should be fine to apply once you graduate, but I would ideally recommend you to apply in the September of your last year, since if you don’t get accepted in for September 2014, then you might find it hard for 2015, because you will be 25 and if I understand it correctly, more than 5 years will have passed since High School. You might still be OK, they still accept students who are 25 exactly, and maybe it will be exactly 5 years since you graduated High School, but it is always better to go with the safe option. Your best option is to apply around late Summer/Autumn of 2013, since they will only be concerned with your High School grades (BTW 80% should be fine, in shaa Allah). That way, if you are accepted, you would start in September 2014, about 6 months after you graduate from university.
Of course, if we are successful in changing the rules, in shaa Allah, then you wouldn’t have a problem, and you could just apply using your degree.
May Allah make it easy for you,
Wassalaamu alaykum warahmatullah,
Muhammad
Assalamu alaykum brother
When your saying college certificate do you mean an AA degree or a bachelors degree.
Barakallahu feek
For you hard work and effort
Wa alaykumussalaam warahmatullah,
There is always confusion in the terminology, because of the different usages in different countries.
If I say GCSE/A-level and mention college in the same group, I’m talking about High School, i.e., the exam you take when you are between 16-18.
If I say university or degree, I’m referring to the bachelor’s degree which takes place after High School and lasts 3-4 years. This is the qualification which is currently not taken into account by Madinah and which I would very much like them to bear in mind, so that a student that works hard and goes to university isn’t punished for the fact that more than 5 years has passed since he graduated High School
Hope this helps to clarify,
Wassalaamu alaykum,
Muhammad
As salaamu aleykum, akhi ive heard that the school is planning to accept around 3000 extra new students next semester, is it true ?
Wa alaykumussalaam warahmatullah,
I can’t confirm the numbers exactly, but yes, there is going to be a very big increase in the number of accepted students, inshaa Allah.
Assalaam o alaykum akhi,
bro, does this mean they wont accept me? becoz i finishd my school (my GCSE’s) in 2003… but then i went college (which i finished in 2006) and then i went uni which i finished in 2009… and i got my last grades (uni ones) in 2009 and i sent them my uni grades & my school (GCSE) grades…
so wusup with me akhi…and this is the 2nd time im applying (also u’ve spoken to them twice now about my app – as i asked u twice b4 which u did(jazaakAllaahu khairun))……so what do u think will hapen to my app? what r the chances they will reject me?
jazaak-Allaahu khairun onec again for all ur hard work ur doing here bro…
Love you for the sake of Allaah.
You can get back to me in your own time, as of when u r free…
Wassalaam o alaykum,
Akhookum: ‘Omar Bin Mazhar
Wa alaykumussalaam warahmatullah,
May the One who you love me for His sake love you.
You are fine because of your college, which is classed as GCSE by the Saudis. Did you send them your college certificate? If not then scan it and email it to me now and I’ll attach it to your application inshaa Allah and tell them that you forgot to send it, inshaa Allah, it should be OK, but make sure that it reaches me within the next two weeks. If you already sent it then you shouldn’t have any problems.
May Allah make it easy for you,
Wassalaamu alaykum warahmatullah,
Muhammad
Assalaam o alaykum,
Ulhumdulillaah i sent them my college certificate dated 2006 (as well as my uni grades dated 2009)…
Jazaak-Allaahu khairun for your kind words and eagerness to help a brother out… May Allah reward you abundantly, ameen Allaahumma ameen.
Remember me in ur du’aas bro. This is the second time I’m applying, and o-so desperate to get in…
May Allaah increase u in all good.
Jazaak-Allaahu khairun once again bro.
Wassalaam o ‘alaykum,
Akhook: ‘Omar Bin Mazhar
Wa alaykumussalaam warahmatullah
That’s fine. Your college certificate is good for another two years, so you shouldn’t have any problem with your application.
Baarak Allahu feek,
Wassalaamu alaykum,
Muhammad
Assalamualikum
My name is adil sharif ahmad (you handed in my application a few years ago) I gave up on being accepted as I applied over two years ago, but just saw my name on the 2009/2010 list! I never heard or got any letter from the embassy, have I just lost my chance to get in…..
Wa alaykumussalaam warahmatullah,
I replied to your email directly, inshaa Allah, you will still be able to get in.
Assalamu alaykum,
May Allah, The Exalted, Bless and enoble your works.
Can you please let me know when the list for 2010 is going to be released. It would be much appriecated if you could also publish it, as you have done in the past.
BarakAllahufeek. Wasalamu alykum.
Wa alaykumussalaam warahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,
Ameen. May Allah make your search for knowledge easy.
The list should be released around July-August, and inshaa Allah, it will be published here.
Baarak Allahu feek,
Wassalaamu alaykum,
Muhammad