Admissions

Prerequisites

In additional to the individual requirements for each program, all students must:

  • Be at least 18 years old and completed high school or equivalency

  • Complete all steps of the admissions process, including assessments, recommendations, and an interview.

    • Must be able to read and write Arabic.

    • Committed to attending class full-time (five days a week from 9am to 3pm) and completing all assignments.

    • Must have have studied Arabic grammar and have the ability to read and understand classical Arabic texts.

    • Must have completed Year 1 or equivalent.

    • Must be commited to attending classes live, either full-time or part-time.

    • Must have studied Arabic grammar and have the ability to read and understand classical Arabic texts

    • Must have either:

      • Completed Year 2 OR

      • Formally studied the major Islamic sciences using equivalent traditional Arabic works at an Islamic educational institution.

    • Must be commited to attending classes live, either full-time or part-time.

Admissions Process

Qalam Seminary adheres to a rolling admissions policy that gives priority to early applicants. Spots are limited both in-person and online.

Free Application Deadline: Feb 16th, 2024.

Final Application Deadline: April 13th, 2024.

  • Our application itself is hosted on a dedicated portal where you will be required to create an account before proceeding.

    The link to the application portal can be found here.

  • The first part of the application is the program selection. Students must decide and select which year of the seminary they intend to apply to, as it will determine what the rest of their application looks like.

    The 3 options are:

    • Year 1: Classical Arabic & Essential Islamic Knowledge

    • Year 2: Foundational Islamic Sciences

    • Year 3–5: ʿĀlimiyyah

    Please check the prerequisites above to confirm which program you are most suited to apply for.

    You must also decide which track you would like to apply to:

    • In-Person in Carrolton, TX

    • Remotely via Zoom

    While Year 1 is only offered full-time, if you’re applying to one of the other two programs, you’ll also have the opportunity indicate whether you intend to study part-time as well.

  • You will be required to fill out the application, which will include personal details, information about your Islamic and secular education, and if applicable, your professional background.

    Additionally, there will be a section on your Statement of Purpose, where you will be asked different questions based on which year you are applying to.

  • For Year 1 (Classical Arabic & Essential Islamic Knowledge), you will need to complete the Qur’anic Reading Assessment, as well as the Arabic Writing Assessment.

    • The Qur’anic Reading Assessment will include an image of a passage of the Qur’an, and you will be asked to record yourself reciting it, and submit that audio file.

    • The Arabic Writing Assessment will include an audio file of the instructor saying 2 phrases in Arabic, which you will be required to write out by hand, and submit an image of your writing.

    • After you’ve successfully completed both of these, and our Admissions teams considers your submission to be a pass, you will then be directed to a second stage of Assessments, in which you will be shown two videos, and you will have to answer questions based on the lessons in the video.

    To test out of Year 1 directly into Year 2 (Foundational Islamic Sciences), you will need to complete both written and oral assessments in Qur’an Reading, Arabic Grammar, and Comprehension.

    • The Y2 Arabic Entrance Exam, which is the written assessment, will consist of a series of Qur’an verses and passages of Tafsir, on which you will be given a series of MCQs to test the extent of your Naḥw and Ṣarf knowledge. At the end, you will be a given a Tafsīr passage which you will be asked to translate.

    • The Y2 Oral Arabic Assessment will consist of a few passages from various Tafsīr books, which applicants will have to record themselves reading with proper iʿrāb, along with a translate of the passages.

    • Additionally, you will also be asked a few Arabic questions during your interview, which will count towards your overall assessment.

    To test into Year 3 ʿĀlimīyyah, you will need to complete a series of assessments and other steps.

    • The Y3 Written Entrance Exam will consist of three Arabic passages, the first of which you will be asked to translate into English, as well as submit a PDF of the passage with vowels on it. The other two passages will be followed by a series of open-ended questions which you will have to answer.

    • There is also the Y3 Arabic Grammar Assessment, which will be a series of multiple-choice questions, based on verses of the Qur’an, passages of Tafsīr, and stand-alone grammar questions.

    • There will also be two separate oral assessments in reading Arabic Grammar and Comprehension with fluency, the first of which will be a recording you submit along with the rest of your application, and the second will be a scheduled live oral assessment, which will be offered to you once you’ve passed all the initial assessments.

    • In addition, you will be asked to submit previous Islamic Studies transcripts, which will be reviewed by our team to determine whether you’ve taken and passed the necessary subjects in order to begin year 3, as well as a statement of purpose.

    Applicants that do not pass their assessment will either be given an opportunity for a retest in a few weeks, or their application will be referred to the program year below.

  • You will need to provide 2 personal or professional references. This is anyone who can best speak on behalf of you, be it a relative, community member, or coworker. We recommend requesting this from people that can speak to both your academic discipline, and your community work.

    You will also need to complete a 15 to 20-minute interview with an admissions counselor. This interview is crucial in determining whether the applicant is the right fit for the culture that we hope to develop on our campus.

  • The admission decision is based on many factors, including your results from the Readiness Assessment, your Statement of Purpose, the response from your references, and your admissions interview.

    This will eventually result in one of five decisions for the applicant:

    • Accepted In-Person

    • Accepted Remote

    • Accepted Remote & Waitlisted In-Person

    • Waitlisted Remote

    • Rejected

    Admitted students will be asked to accept their admission offer and confirm their enroll by paying a one-time $500 enrollment fee for their program. The enrollment fee is non-refundable and separate from the tuition cost.

  • Admitted students may apply for financial aid and scholarships on the same application portal.

    Please see below for details on tuition and the types of financial assistance available to students.

  • If you are enrolled in a program part-time, you will be asked to select your classes in July. You will be given an opportunity to meet with an Academic advisor to discuss your options.

    Part-Time Students are expected to complete each full-time year of the program within three years. They will need to select their class load accordingly. Generally, this will entail taking the equivalent of 2–3 daily periods.

    The 2024–25 timetable can be found here.

Financial Assistance

  • Tuition Aid

    At the Qalam Seminary, we believe high quality Islamic education should be accessible to all, regardless of financial circumstances. We offer generous financial aid & scholarships to qualified applicants.

    Over the past three years, we have awarded $2 million in financial aid and scholarships to more than half of our student body.

  • Merit-Based Scholarships

    We believe in investing in promising individuals who demonstrate exemplary achievements and a passion for learning and community work.

    Our competitive, merit-based scholarships are geared toward acknowledging and supporting students from diverse backgrounds with remarkable academic records, unique talents, and a drive to excel.

  • Need-Based Living Stipends

    Students who demonstrate zakat-eligibility can receive stipends to assist with their living expenses.

    Eligibility is generally assessed based on a student’s zakatable assets minus immediate debts falling below niṣāb.

  • External Scholarships

    We highly encourage students to seek sponsorships from their local masjids and other organizations. Many students have received full-tuition support for the five-year program from their community.

  • Work-Study Oppurtunities

    Many educational and administrative work-study opportunities are available to students at the Qalam campus, especially those in the upper-years.

  • Food Security

    The seminary offers catered lunch boxes to students at a heavily discounted price. Our on-campus sisters and brothers lounges are stocked with pantry staples, which students can take home to cook healthy meals.

Enrollment Fee: $500, due upon admittance. Non-Refundable.

Tuition:

  • Year 1, Classical Arabic and Essential Islamic Sciences: $9,500

  • Year 2, Foundational Islamic Sciences: $8,900

  • Year 3–5, ʿĀlimīyah: $8,400 / year

Part-time students in years 2–5 are billed proportionally according to their class load.

Early Bird Discount: Full-Time students who opt to pay upfront are eligible for a $500 tuition reduction.

Installment Plan: Alternatively, the full tuition may be paid over 8 months.

Tuition and Fees (2025–26)

 FAQs

  • Our classes are conducted at the Qalam campus, which is located at 4200 International Pkwy, Carrollton, TX, 75007.

    All classes are also offered online.

  • Classes are conducted Sunday through Thursday from 9:00am - 3:00pm Central Time (Dallas, TX).

    Each day is divided into 7 class periods:

    • Period 1: 9:00am-9:40am

    • Period 2: 9:45am-10:25am

    • Period 3: 10:30am-11:10am

    • Period 4: 11:15am-11:55am

    • Lunch: 11:55am-12:35pm

    • Period 5: 12:35pm-1:15pm

    • Period 6: 1:20pm-2:00pm

    • Dhuhr ṣalāh: 2:00pm-2:20pm

    • Period 7: 2:20pm-3:00pm

    *All timings are in Central Time (Dallas, TX).

    We have a modified daily schedule during Ramadan of 10:00am — 3:00pm (Central Time).

  • We offer two parallel tracks at the seminary:

    Track 1: In-person: Students who commit to this track, regardless of whether they are enrolled full time or part time, will be required to attend all of their enrolled classes at the Qalam campus at their allotted times and will be expected to complete all assignments and assessments on time.

    Track 2: Remote: Students who commit to this track, regardless of whether they are enrolled full time or part time, will be required to attend all of their enrolled classes live remotely at their allotted times and will be expected to complete all assignments and assessments on time.

    Students on both tracks will have TA’s who will regularly check in on them in regards to attendance and academic progress. Students will have to abide by the Qalam Attendance Policy in order to maintain the standards and requirements of the Seminary. Students who successfully complete the Academic year, fulfilling both live Attendance and Academic requirements, will receive a certificate in the courses that they completed. The certificate is reflective of the fact that the student studied under the live tutelage of the instructor, whether in-person or remotely, and met all other Academic standards.

  • In the past, in response to the disruption caused by the pandemic, the Qalam Seminary began offering an asynchronous track for our 5-year ʿĀlimīyah program, referred to as the Course Completion (CC) Track. After much consideration, we have decided to discontinue the asynchronous track. The primary motivation for this change in policy is our desire to offer each and every student a high quality experience of taʿlīm, tarbiyah, and ṣuḥbah (education, spiritual development, and fellowship). Achieving this without requiring students to regularly interact with their teachers and classmates is a near impossible task.

    Our expectation is that all of our students attend their classes live, be it online or in-person. We recognize that individual life circumstances and schedules may prevent some students from achieving the attendance requirement for every class, so if you feel you have some extenuating circumstances, feel free to contact us.

  • If you have wanted to learn the Arabic language and develop an understanding of the Qur'an, learn the foundations of the religion and give back to your community; or understand the Islamic sciences at a deeper level and contribute to the field, then our programs are designed for you. It is important to note that these are intensive programs that require commitment and dedication. The students, their families, and the team at Qalam sacrifice a lot for this program and we encourage students to understand the nature of the program before they make such a great decision.

    Please browse the remainder of our website to learn more, and contact us if you have any unanswered questions.

  • Qalam does not provide housing accommodations for students. However, upon admission, we provide a recommended list of apartment complexes, etc. in the area. We also put accepted students in touch with each other so that they may arrange roommates among each other.

  • While we require that students have completed high school prior to our program, as it is quite academically rigorous and intensive, we may make exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

    Any students who apply and do not meet the age requirement have their applications reviewed by a select committee to determine whether they would be a good fit for the Qalam Seminary community.

    Please email admissions@qalaminstitute.org for further questions.

  • There are no official restrictions, but students who worked on the side in previous years found it extremely challenging to manage work along with their studies. The Qalam Seminary programs are intense. It is highly recommended to not work during the course of the program if their finances allow for that. Certain students may be able to work part-time on the weekends if they are able to keep up with their coursework.

  • In addition to the regular class hours (which can be anywhere between 45 min to 6 hours, depending on your course load), students can expect to spend a minimum of 2-3 hours daily on homework. In addition, studying for exams can sometimes take 3-4 hours outside of class.

  • Students in person should be equipped with the appropriate utensils to take detailed and diligent notes, as well as be able to access their textbooks. Our textbooks are all available in a PDF format. Many students benefit from an iPad or other tablet alongside a laptop, but neither is a requirement.

    A laptop or computer and a strong internet connection is required for those interested in attending online class, and for everyone else to maintain and receive contact/assignments from staff and fellow students.

    Students are also encouraged to have their own Musḥaf of the Qur’ān in addition to typical school supplies.

  • All of our classes are available online for international students to benefit from. Please keep in mind, however, that classes are required to be attended live, so the student needs to take the time difference into consideration. All class timings are in Central Time (Dallas, TX).

    Applicants applying from abroad may be granted admission as an in-person student. However, Qalam Institute does not currently assist in visa processing, nor do we have the authority to grant student visas. As such, the applicant must make their own legal and financial preparations to make the move and attend classes in-person.

  • No, unfortunately. Students are required to know how to read Arabic in order to enroll in the Classical Arabic program.

  • Admissions are done on a semi-rolling basis, where applicants are accepted in waves. After completing all steps of the application process, you will receive further information. There will be constant communication throughout the entire process, inshaAllah.

  • Yes, Qalam does offer financial aid and scholarships. Details regarding financial aid are offered on a case-by-case basis upon admission to one of our programs.

    We at Qalam believe that finances should never hinder someone from learning their deen. That's why we encourage you to apply regardless of your financial situation.

    If you scroll up on this page, you will find a full breakdown of our tuition, as well as all the forms of assistance we provide.

  • The application fee will be waived until February 16th, 2025.

    If we are past that date, and the price of the application is a barrier for you to apply, please email admissions@qalaminstitute.org and we will do our best to accommodate.

  • Please contact admissions@qalaminstitute.org