The Islamic Online University (IOU) is an online, distance-learning institute founded by Bilal Philips. Launched in the year 2007, Islamic Online University was based out of Qatar with a unique offering of completely free diploma courses. The university was established with a dream of offering intensive online diploma and degree programs in Islamic Studies without any tuition fees.

The Founder and Dean of this university, Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips is a Jamaican-Canadian Muslim scholar based in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar for 36 years now. He dreamt of establishing an institution which could possibly offer online undergraduate and graduate courses in Islamic Studies completely free. This way, students will be able to make the most of world of Internet, and utilize its potential to the fullest. The superior e-learning technology creates desire among Muslims globally to study their religion at an academic level.

Islamic Online University aims to provide top quality online educational experience, appropriate in its scope and strength to communicate and put across authentic and realistic Islamic knowledge. This way, the university intends to prepare its students to face the modern-day challenges of the 21st century.

Students

What began with 1,500 students in the year 2007 came to a whopping 4500 registered students by the end of 2008. Today, in the year 2014, Islamic Online University is blessed with more than 150,000 students hailing from 219 different countries.

Mission & Values

The Islamic Online University was established with a mission to provide its students with universal access to excellent undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level of Islamic educational courses at no cost. Its mission is “to change the Muslim nation and the world situation through appropriate education.” “Making authentic Islamic knowledge readily available to the world through the Internet solely for God’s pleasure is a noble life-goal and a mission well worth sacrificing all of one’s energies and means for.”

Fees Structure

The study program in the Islamic Online University mainly consists of two branches – the diploma and the degree program. Just like the diploma level courses, there are no fees for the Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies (BAIS), course. However, there is a set figurative registration and examination fee for every semester that is calculated on a descending scale (from $40 to $120) which will vary based on the country of residence. The diploma courses are absolutely free. There are no fees drawn at all, thereby making advanced Islamic education easily affordable internationally.

Courses & Programs

At present, the Islamic Online University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies, and Diploma and Certificate programs in Islamic subjects. The university also provides courses in modern subjects which include Economics, Psychology, and Management. The courses in Islamic Online University are carried over a period of 5-months. Each term has a midterm and a final exam along with written assignments. All these courses are provided completely with an Islamic standpoint to offer students a better understanding of the religion. This will enable the students to practice their profession based Islamic values and principles.

Mode of Learning

Any students, no matter what age, wishes to acquire authentic Islamic knowledge derived aptly from the Qur’an and Sunnah as understood by the early generations of virtuous scholars can be student of the Islamic Online University. With students hailing from different part of the world, they are trained to undergo the learning program through listening and watching the audio and video lectures. Besides, the students are also provided with PDF format texts backed by the support of skilled tutorial assistants.

Within this online study community, students can conveniently share the study materials, resources, discuss and exchange their views, submit assignments, and take exams.

For detail information visit Islamic Online University.