Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

 

What are the minimum and maximum periods in which the Bachelor's degree may be completed?

BA in Islamic Studies (BAIS) is a four year degree program (8 semesters - 6 courses per semester) which may be completed in a minimum of 3 years (6 semesters - if students take more than full course load, 9 courses per semester) and a maximum of 8 years (16 semesters). Students can take between one to six courses per semester, but the entire program has to be completed within a maximum of eight years.

Is Islamic Online University an accredited university?

Islamic Online University is accredited by Universitas Muhammadiyah Sukabumi (UMMI). For more information click on the link given below

http://bais.islamiconlineuniversity.com/accreditation.php


The IOU degree will be accepted wherever the Indonesian degree is accepted and will eventually be accepted worldwide inshAllah. Institutions may have a list of colleges that they consider acceptable. So, it is recommended that you check with the institution where you might want to do further studies or seek employment.

Can I receive a Master's degree or a Doctorate through Islamic Online University?

Islamic Online University plans to launch its own Masters and PhD programs before its first batch of BAIS students graduate, Insha'Allah

Where does the coursework take place?

The Islamic Online University is an online educational institution. The entire program is taught online via internet. Anyone from any part of the world can join easily and benefit from it, Insha'Allah.

What if there is slow internet connection?

It is recommended that IOU students try to have a high speed internet connection. However, if a student does not have a high speed connection, he/she can download audio and video lectures which can be listened to or watched later.

How do I take exams?

Module tests and midterm exams can be taken at home within the prescribed time. The final exams must be taken only in an IOU approved exam center. There are several designated IOU centers present across the globe. You may look for a center near you before the exams begin and register for it. If there is no IOU approved exam center nearby, you can suggest an exam center, and we will approve it, even if you are the only student taking exams in it, Insha’Allah. Please read the exam center requirements by clicking on the link given below

http://bais.islamiconlineuniversity.com/requirements-exam-center.php

Is there any fee involved before the exams?

There is no fee for examinations. Students only need to pay a small semester registration fee before enrolling into the semester. This depends on the country of residence of the student. Please click here to see the fees for your country. However, students will have to pay fees directly to the exam center, if the center administrator/manager requests it (usually the centers do not ask for any fees).

Is a person who successfully completes the BAIS qualified to teach? Or is one required to have more than just the bachelor’s?

Alhamdulillah, IOU students receive a good quality Islamic education. A student who is sincerely committed will certainly acquire the correct understanding of the subjects taught and will be able to teach it to others. A student who has a degree or diploma in education will be able to teach Islamic Studies at any level after completing BAIS. Alternatively, you may choose to do a separate set of electives in education after completing all the BAIS courses. Click on the link given below for more details about the electives offered.

http://bais.islamiconlineuniversity.com/electives.php

I want to join the BAIS program. Where do I begin?

The Islamic Online University is an online educational institution. The entire program is taught online via internet. Anyone from any part of the world can join easily and benefit from it, Insha Allaah.

Admission is open throughout the year. If a student is admitted and enrollment is closed, he/she will begin his/her studies the following semester.

The registration form is available here:

http://bais.islamiconlineuniversity.com/bais/login/signup.php

You will get a reply form the registrar regarding your admission confirmation and fee payment details in a few days, Insha Allaah.

Before you begin the registration process, make sure you have the required scans (a scan of your HSC or certificate and a recent color photograph) ready on your PC.

Does IOU have a system for course waivers?

Course waivers are possible only for the following courses

Arabic 100

This is a beginner’s course. You do not have to take this course if you can read and write Arabic well.

English 101 and 102:

A waiver for English 101 will be given to those applicants who have graduated with a major in English or have taken at least two semesters of English in a graduate program.

A waiver for English 102 will be given to those applicants who have graduated with a major in English.
Those who possess these qualifications may submit their college transcripts for evaluation and approval by our instructor.

Computers 101:

A waiver for Computers 101 will be given to those applicants who have taken graduate level courses in computers. Those who possess these or similar qualifications may submit their college transcript for evaluation and approval by our instructor.


Note:
  • • Course waivers imply that you have sufficient knowledge in a particular area. Courses can be waived if it is determined that you have sufficient knowledge in that area to warrant a waiver. You must submit all necessary documentation to prove that you have sufficient knowledge in that area to warrant a waiver. If a course waiver is approved, the number of hours required for the degree remains the same. The waiver allows students the option of taking an elective course rather than a required core course.
  • • If you possess the above qualifications, you can upload the required documents after enrolling into the course. It will take a few days to process your request. Test scores such as TOEFL, IELTS, etc., alone are not enough to qualify you for a course waiver if you do not meet the above criteria.

What does the enrollment process entail?

When you complete all the steps , including payment of the fees, you will be sent enrollment instructions a few days before the semester starts. Please note that you are given only two attempts to enroll . You should, therefore, choose your courses carefully. Staff will be available to help you only if there is some genuine reason.

There are separate links for enrollment for new students and continuing students. If you are a new student who has joined the current semester, you should visit the new students’ section. If you are a continuing student, then you should visit the continuing students’ section.

When will enrollment and classes begin?

Islamic Online University offers two terms each year.

Spring Semester - March to July

Fall Semester - September to January

The exact dates are announced on the site news before the semester begins

What are the tuition fees?

Alhamdulillaah, all the courses offered are completely free, but we charge affordable semester registration fees.

Please see here for details

These are the only fees we charge per semester. The course is completely tuition free, and the course material is also provided free of cost. Additionally, there is an E-Library provided as a study aid for the students.

For new students: No matter when the semester is scheduled to start, once you complete the payment, you will be given access to course materials

Is there a separate fee for learning materials?

There is no fee charged for course materials, which consists of a PDF file. Flash videos and mp3 audios are available for online streaming as well as for download. We also provide an E-Library for students free of charge. If a student wishes to purchase hard copies of the required texts, they may do so from external sources.

Is an English language certification like TOEFL or IELTS required?

No. English language certification is not a requirement to apply for the IOU degree program. However, you should be aware that English is the medium of instruction for the entire program.

What is the level of English required to join IOU BAIS?

Course content is explained very clearly with the help of recorded lectures and weekly live sessions. You can contact the teacher if you have any questions about course content. Although the courses are simplified as much as possible, it is preferable that you first register for a free diploma course http://islamiconlineuniversity.com/opencampus and try to complete at least one diploma course. If you are able to understand the lectures and texts of the free diploma course, then you should be able to study in the BAIS program with no difficulty inshAllah.
Please note that If you realize later that you are not able to understand course content and need to withdraw from the program, there will be no refund. We, therefore, request that you pay only after careful consideration.

If my transcripts are not in English, will you still accept them?

In order to make the process easy for the students, IOU has translators available who will translate your documents (for some languages). Please check with us to see if we have a translator for the language your certificate is in. If we do not have translation services available for your language, your non-English high school transcripts and certificate must be fully translated into English and notarized by a notary. You must submit the original transcript along with the translated copy. A copy of the translated notarized copy should be uploaded during the online registration process.

What is the minimum required qualification to apply for BAIS?

To apply for the BAIS program, the candidate must have at least a high school diploma. The high school diploma must be scanned and uploaded along with a recent color passport size photograph. If the diploma and photo are not uploaded, your admission will not be confirmed.

Can a student who doesn't have the minimum required qualification join the IOU BAIS program?

BAIS is a degree program for students who meet all the requirements mandated by Indonesian laws. The requirements to enter a bachelor’s degree program in any country is completion of 12 years of study. To accommodate students who do not have a high school diploma but want to study in an organized Islamic Studies program and obtain a certificate, IOU has started the Advanced Diploma program, which offers the same courses as the BAIS program. Students from both the BAIS and the Advanced Diploma program are taught in a similar manner, given the same course material, enter the same live sessions with the same TAs. The only difference is the certificate given. For more information, click here. http://bais.islamiconlineuniversity.com/stream.php The semester registration fees is the same for any stream you choose.
The semester registration fees is the same for any stream you choose as the manner we conduct the study for all our students is the same.

Can I do this course without taking exams?

To enable the students who do not wish to take exams but acquire the knowledge of Islamic studies taught in an organized structure, we have introduced the Audit courses stream. The Audit courses stream gives all the above possibilities to a students but they are exempted from taking tests and exams and submitting assignments. If they wish, they can take tests and research and submit assignments, but they will not fail if they do not do so.

Audit courses stream is for those people who want to complete the BAIS courses without having to prepare for exams. The duration of the semester is the same as for BAIS and so is the fee structure. After the semester completes, the students graded for auditing the courses. And at the end of their study they are given a certificate of auditing the courses from IOU, Insha Allaah.

Is it possible for me to complete the course in less than three years? If it is possible, how many courses should I take each semester?

We do not recommend a student to take more than nine courses per semester. The maximum number of courses a full time student is allowed to take are nine. It is difficult for a student to fully understand the concepts if he/she takes more than nine courses, and we expect our students to fully grasp the content as well as implement what they study. A student should devote approximately three to four hours per course per week to understand the concepts well. This is not possible if a student takes more than nine courses. Additionally, a well researched assignment for every course has to be submitted as part of the overall grade. Only in exceptional cases (e.g. , if a student has studied under scholars and is familiar with most of the courses), however, may a student take up to 12 courses

Are Arabic courses offered? If so, what level?

Arabic courses are offered, starting at the beginner’s level . In Arabic 100, a student is taught the Arabic alphabet , stroke by stroke via very well explained videos and text. As the Arabic courses progress, more concepts are introduced, which are explained very clearly. By the end of the program, a student will, Insha Allaah, be able to read, write, and understand Arabic thoroughly. The Arabic courses offered in the first three semesters are in English. In later semesters, some books are completely in Arabic, but are explained in English when necessary. The medium of instruction at IOU is English for all the courses. Arabic ,though, is given importance, and students are taught the language of the Qur'an in a very easy and effective way.