A Step-by-Step Guide for Applying to the Islamic University

This is a step-by-step guide for those brothers who wish to apply to the prestigious Islamic University (Jamiyah Islamiyah) of Madinah Munawwarah from India. The procedure for applying to the university has completely changed from what it was just a year back. For the current year, the applicants need to submit their applications and all required documents online via the University’s Deanship of Admission and Registration webpage (http://admission.iu.edu.sa/Default.aspx).
NOTE: The University no longer entertains the submission of paper applications either in person, through email, through post or by someone else on your behalf.
Conditions of Admission:
The university puts forth many conditions of admission of which a couple of them are important
1. No more than five years must have passed since being awarded the High School Certificate.
2. The age of the applicant must not exceed twenty five years, upon beginning study.
Documents Required:
1. High school certificate and transcripts (report card)
2. Conduct Certificate
3. Birth Certificate
4. A valid passport
5. 6-10 color photographs (6*4) taken against a white background, without wearing glasses and without covering the head
6. A health certificate issued by a Saudi government recognized medical laboratory
7. A minimum of two recommendation letters from an Islamic dawa organization/ Islamic centre or from individuals who have passed out of the university, or from prominent da’ees.
8. A certificate of having accepted Islam in case the brother is a revert.
Translations:
The university requires the applicant to translate all the above mentioned documents into Arabic and it has to be attested by a reliable organization. The translated documents should be scanned and uploaded onto the website mentioned above along with the original equivalents. For those applicants in and around Chennai the translation can be done by the Arabic department of New College.
Attestations:
The process of attesting the documents was previously required before acceptance of admission itself. However, applicants wishing to apply for the current year and onwards can skip this process until they are notified of their acceptance to study at the university. In the case that an applicant is accepted to study at the university, he must follow the process given below for his attestation.
Step 1: Approach the HRD ministry at the secretariat in your city and submit your documents for attestation and collect a receipt for the documents submitted.
Step 2: A fees of Rs. 50 has to be paid per document at the treasury branch of State bank of India. For Chennaiites, The treasury branch of SBI is located on Mount Road, opposite thousand lights mosque.
Step 3: After payement of fees, it may take a month or even a month and a half for the documents to be attested. It is necessary to regularly keep in touch with the HRD ministry at the secretariat as no notification will be issued once the documents are attested.
Step 4: Once the attested documents are received, the applicant should proceed towards the ministry of foreign affairs for a second attestation. This is free of cost and it takes only one day for the attestation to be completed. For Chennaiites, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located opposite to the SBI main branch pantheon road, near to WCC college.
Step 5: A third and final attestation is to be done by the Saudi Embassy in New Delhi. This can be done through any of the travel agents who are registered by the Saudi Embassy. Please exercise caution at this stage by ensuring the authenticity of the agent before handing over any documents. Ascertain the authenticity of the travel agent by cross-checking with a student who has got it done previously.
Step 6: Once all the attestations are completed, you can apply for Visa through the same travel agent. InshAllah steps 5 & 6 should take ten days approximately.
Conclusion:
For those applicants who have been selected to study at the university, a notification letter of acceptance will be sent to the address of the applicant as given in the application form. The university will give the accepted candidate sufficient time to complete all attestations before the school year starts. The school year begins in September and ends in June.
I hope this guide is useful for all those brothers wishing to apply for the University. I pray that Allah covers all our affairs with His mercy and blessings in this world and the next. Ameen.

Written by Tariq Huq
Tariq Huq is one of my beloved brothers who got accepted this year in the Prestigious university. May Allaah reward him!

Date Last updated: 4-Feb-2011