Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many hours a day do I have to study?

2. How quickly can I complete the course and how much will it cost?

3. Can I transfer credits from another university to AOU?

4. Can I transfer AOU credits to another university?

5. What happens if I want to withdraw from a course?

6. Can I get a visa to study in AOU?

7. What does the Arabic Placement test involve?

8. I already have a Bachelor’s degree; can I enter the graduate program?

9. Do you offer scholarships?

10. I don’t want a degree can I just study some courses I am interested in?

11. Why the "Three-Level" program?

12. When should I contact my course instructor and when should I contact the university administration?

How many hours a day do I have to study?

This depends on the course you are studying, some require more time than others, but you should plan to put aside at least an average of 2-3 hours every week for each course.

How quickly can I complete the course and how much will it cost?

If you plan carefully and take the maximum number of courses, i.e. 19 credits in the Spring and Fall semesters and 10 in the Summer, you can complete the whole degree within 3 years at the overall cost of only $10,000 (English Bachelor’s Program, USA students only).

Can I transfer credits from another university to AOU?

We accept the transfer of credits for Islamic and Arabic studies courses from recognized universities for up to 50% of the total credits needed to graduate.

Can I transfer AOU credits to another university?

Our courses are transferable, however every university will have their own special requirements, so you will have to check with them.

What happens if I want to withdraw from a course?

You will get a full refund of your course fees only if you withdraw during the first two weeks of the semester and, if you return your course materials, the fee for materials will also be refunded. The course will then be removed from your transcript.

Can I get a visa to study in AOU?

As you can study from home and do not need to enter the USA to study with AOU, you don’t need to apply for a visa.

What does the Arabic Placement test involve?

You will be asked to read a short section of the Qur'an selected at random and asked the meanings of some words in the passage. It is therefore necessary to have a basic understanding of Arabic before you can take the test. If you do not feel that you are ready to take the test when you apply for admission, you may delay it while you develop your skills, but you must take it before you register for the Arabic courses.

I already have a Bachelor’s degree; can I enter the graduate program?

The admission requirements for the Master’s program are a Bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies from a recognized university, or passing AOU’s entrance exam, plus a fluency in the Arabic language. So if you can meet these requirements, please do apply for the Master’s program.

Do you offer scholarships?

As AOU is a new and developing university we are currently using all our funds to improve and develop our services to our current students, and are therefore unfortunately unable to offer scholarships. However, if you have difficulty in paying for your courses we will try to make an easy payment schedule to suit you.

I don’t want a degree can I just study some courses I am interested in?

Of course you may, we welcome anyone who is looking for sound Islamic knowledge. You will, however, need to apply for admission like all the other students, but just indicate that you are not aiming for a degree.

Why the "Three-Level" program?

The three-level program was developed in order to organize AOU’s educational program, and essentially, enables students to:

Select their courses in an easier, more effective manner, as several courses are prerequisites of others.
Complete a Certificate and/or an Associates Degree, in the event that obtaining the Bachelors Degree becomes a hardship or even impossible.
Obtain a sense of accomplishment in a short period of time.

This system is felt to be the best way for students to reach their educational goals, so we encourage students to follow this program. We would like to further emphasize that students must follow this program in order to receive a Certificate, an Associates or a Bachelors Degree.

When should I contact my course instructor and when should I contact the university administration?

Any questions or concerns regarding the content of your course materials, curricula, syllabuses, exams or grades should be directed to your instructor. We would also like to emphasize the importance of contacting your instructors during their office hours which are specified on the course syllabus or contacting them by email, regular mail or fax. If you have difficulty contacting your instructor after several attempts, please contact the Program Coordinator who will try to help.

All question or concerns regarding admissions, registration, billing, shipping, mailing of exams and reports, or general administration, please contact the Program Coordinator during office hours: Monday-Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm Eastern Time.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Your calls are important to both the university and your instructors, however please try to be as brief and clear as possible, so that we have time to offer the best service that we can to all of our students.

You may contact the English Program Coordinator at (703) 671-2115 ext. 222, or by email at eba@open-university.edu