Review the current entry terms and deadlines, including the separate scholarship deadline. Applications are reviewed after all required materials arrive. Official decisions are communicated electronically on a rolling basis after review. Follow the instructions and response deadline in your offer letter.

Applicants normally need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, foundational knowledge of Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, and Aqida, intermediate Arabic reading and writing, and demonstrated recitation and memorization of at least one juzʾ of the Qur’an. See the complete eligibility criteria.

A bachelor’s degree is the normal entry requirement. Do not assume that experience, an Alimiyyah qualification, or another certificate automatically replaces it. Contact Admissions before applying if your qualifications differ. Any waiver or provisional admission is a decision of the Admissions Committee, not an automatic entitlement.

Submit the application and nonrefundable application fee, official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended, a current résumé or CV, a personal statement, and the required recommendations. The portal gives current prompts and payment instructions. Review Application Documents before submitting.

The July 2026 policy allows up to four letters, including academic and community references as specified by the Admissions Committee. Follow the number requested for your application. Choose referees who know your preparation and potential; they must submit recommendations directly through BIS’s designated admissions system. Ask Admissions if the instructions are unclear.

BIS may invite applicants to one or more interviews and may assess Islamic sciences, Arabic, Qur’an recitation and memorization, and readiness for graduate study. The Admissions Committee may request additional documents or assessments. Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission.

BIS accepts applications only from jurisdictions where it is authorized and able to provide educational services. Contact Admissions with your location before making plans or paying for external evaluations. Confirm eligibility, credential requirements, and participation arrangements individually; do not assume online access establishes eligibility or immigration sponsorship.

After admission, students may petition for eligible graduate coursework that is substantially equivalent to MIRL courses. Official transcripts and course documentation are required, and BIS may assess competency. Transfer admission does not guarantee transfer credit. Admissions and Academic Affairs must confirm the applicable limit and your individual award. See transfer admission.

After accepting an offer and paying the required enrollment deposit, you may request a deferral. Approval is case by case, normally for no more than one academic year. Courses, schedules, and scholarship arrangements are not guaranteed to remain unchanged. Students who have already completed a BIS course should ask about leave of absence instead.

No. BIS is authorized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to award the Master in Islamic Religious Leadership. Degree authorization is distinct from institutional accreditation. Review BIS’s current Authorization & Accreditation statement rather than assuming the two are equivalent.

MIRL requires 102 credits: 90 credits of required coursework, 10 credits of supervised internships, and a two-credit Capstone Writing Project. The curriculum integrates sacred texts and Islamic sciences, contemporary context, spiritual and ethical development, and practical leadership. Explore the curriculum and graduation requirements.

The normal full-time plan extends over three academic years. Part-time study takes longer. Follow the approved plan for your cohort and confirm prerequisites, course availability, and internship timing with Academic Advising. The degree plan is a planning guide; sequencing and offerings may change.

Yes, MIRL permits part-time study. Choose a realistic load with Academic Advising. Employment and other commitments must not materially interfere with attendance, preparation, internships, or academic progress. BIS may require a reduced load or adjusted plan if those commitments prevent satisfactory progress.

The 2026–27 handbook permits online, in-person, hybrid, and other approved formats. Each syllabus identifies its format and required in-person activities. Confirm the current timetable and attendance expectations with Admissions before arranging travel or assuming the degree can be completed entirely remotely.

English is the principal language of instruction, assessment, and institutional communication. Arabic is studied and used for Qur’an, Hadith, jurisprudence, and other primary Islamic sources. The intermediate Arabic admission requirement applies even though the principal teaching language is English.

Students complete 10 credits of supervised internships in BIS-approved settings and a two-credit Capstone Writing Project. Placements may include mosques, educational institutions, chaplaincy settings, nonprofits, and youth or family programs. The capstone connects academic research with internship or applied-leadership experience. Approval, supervision, and the applicable guides determine individual requirements.

Auditing is separate from degree-credit enrollment and requires the designated BIS request process. Auditors ordinarily receive no academic credit and cannot ordinarily use BIS scholarships for audited courses. Partial MIRL completion does not automatically award a certificate. Non-degree certificate programs have separate requirements and availability; contact Admissions about any individual-course option.

MIRL prepares students for Muslim religious leadership, education, pastoral and community service, and institutional leadership. Specific roles may require additional qualifications, endorsement, or professional approval. BIS offers vocational support but does not guarantee employment, appointment, ordination, certification, endorsement, or placement.

In addition to the 102 credits, students must meet the academic and competency requirements: a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4.5 scale, intermediate Classical Arabic, the tajwīd examination, memorization of at least three juzʾ of the Qur’an and forty hadiths, the exit examination and interview, good standing, and institutional clearance. See the complete graduation requirements.

Complete all standard requirements plus at least three approved Distinction courses totaling at least nine additional credits, for a minimum of 111 credits overall. Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.7, meet the academic standard in each Distinction course, and remain in good academic and institutional standing.

Before finishing, students participate in a graduation audit with Academic Advising and designated BIS personnel. It checks coursework, internships, capstone work, Qur’an and Hadith requirements, assessments, and outstanding institutional obligations. Completion of credits alone does not establish graduation clearance; follow the deadlines communicated by BIS.

For 2026–27, credit tuition is $600 per credit hour. The annual institutional fee is $1,200; the handbook lists $950 for a student entering in Spring. Audit tuition is $300 per credit hour. Review Tuition & Scholarships and confirm your individual charges with BIS.

Plan for books, technology and Internet access, travel, internships, retreats, and personal or educational expenses where applicable. These are generally paid directly by the student unless BIS states otherwise. Your total cost depends on credit load, program choices, and individual circumstances; confirm billed charges through BIS.

BIS offers limited institutional scholarships based on factors including merit, financial need, leadership, community service, academic progress, and available funds. Apply by the published scholarship deadline. Awards are not guaranteed or automatically renewed; the scholarship policy, award letter, and renewal terms govern. Review scholarship information.

BIS does not currently participate in federal or state-sponsored student grant or loan programs. Ask Admissions about BIS institutional scholarships and the applicable application process.

BIS may offer approved installment plans. A plan does not reduce the amount owed. Contact BIS before the due date to request an arrangement and obtain approval; an extension is not automatic. Continue to follow the approved dates and conditions and review your Populi account for charges.

Use the official drop or withdrawal process; stopping attendance or telling an instructor alone is not official withdrawal. Refunds depend on the recorded request date, term length, and governing policy. Scholarship adjustments may change your balance. Review the payment and refund policy linked from Tuition & Scholarships before changing enrollment.

Faculty support course learning, while Academic Advising helps with course loads, prerequisites, progression, internships, and capstone planning. BIS provides access to the Digital Theological Library and may provide or facilitate reading, writing, research, study-skills, Arabic, and Qur’an support. Syllabi identify required materials. Explore the Faculty & Scholars directory.

Contact the Executive Assistant as early as possible to describe the access barrier and requested adjustment. BIS reviews requests individually and may require appropriate supporting documentation. Approved adjustments are confirmed in writing; they provide access while preserving essential academic and program requirements.

Use the official Academic Calendar and BIS’s current registration communications. Confirm your course schedule and any required activities before making commitments. Add/drop, withdrawal, and other deadlines have different academic and financial effects.