Al-Azhar University's Current Student Population: A Comprehensive Overview

Al-Azhar University is a public university in Cairo, Egypt, with a rich history dating back to its founding in 970 or 972 AD. It has a current enrolment range of over 50,000 students, including more than 25,500 international students. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various faculties, including Islamic studies, engineering, medicine, and agriculture, with a well-deserved reputation as one of the most prestigious centres of Islamic learning in the world.

Al-Ajhar University's student population is over 50,000

Al-Ajhar University has an impressive 359 academic departments, 42 centres, 6 hospitals, and 27 general administration units. The university offers a wide range of subjects, from Islamic law and theology to medicine, engineering, and agriculture. It is also one of the most prestigious universities for Islamic learning and is known as the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world.

The university's main campus is located in Cairo's urban Nasr City neighbourhood, with additional branch campuses in Assuit, Tanta, Mansoura, Alexandria, Zaqaziq, Qena, and Shebin-Elkom. The campus has a library, housing, and sports facilities, and it offers international exchange programs.

Al-Ajhar University is a public non-profit institution and is highly rated by independent university rankings, including QS International and THE, placing it among the top universities in the world.

The university has 9 institutes and 359 academic departments

Al-Azhar University is a public university in Cairo, Egypt, with a rich history and impressive credentials. It is Egypt's oldest university, founded in 970 or 972, and is the only university in the Arabic world to have survived as a modern university.

The university has a vast array of academic departments, institutes, faculties, centres, hospitals and administrative units. With 359 academic departments, the university offers a diverse range of courses and programmes for its students.

The academic departments are spread across 9 institutes, providing a broad and comprehensive education. The exact composition of these institutes is unclear, but the university has a strong focus on Islamic and Arabic learning, with a long history of teaching these subjects.

The university's academic departments are organised within a faculty structure. Al-Azhar University has 81 faculties, including the Faculty of Islamic Theology, Faculty of Jurisprudence and Law, Faculty of Arabic Language, and Faculty of Islamic Call "Dawa".

In addition to these faculties and academic departments, the university also has 42 centres, 6 hospitals and 27 general administration units, making it a large and complex institution.

It is ranked #327 in Best Global Universities

Al-Azhar University is a public university in Cairo, Egypt, and is the country's oldest degree-granting university. It was founded in 970 or 972 and is known for being a prestigious centre of Islamic learning. In addition to higher education, Al-Azhar also oversees a national network of schools with approximately two million students.

Al-Azhar University is ranked #1001-1200 in QS World University Rankings 2025. It is ranked 801-1000th in the World University Rankings 2025. In other subjects, it ranks as follows:

• Life Sciences: 401-500th
• Clinical and Health: 501-600th
• Medicine and Dentistry
• Computer Science: 601-800th
• Engineering: 501-600th
• Chemical Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Physical Sciences: 601-800th
• Geology, Environmental, Earth and Marine Sciences
• Physics and Astronomy
• Mathematics and Statistics

Al-Azhar University has an impressive history and is the only university in the Arabic world to survive as a modern university. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate study programs, with 81 faculties, 9 institutes, 359 academic departments, 42 centres, 6 university hospitals, and 27 general administration units. The main thematic focus areas of the university are Science and Technology, Management and Business Administration, Arts, Languages and Humanities, Agriculture, Dentistry, and Medicine.

The university has an extensive curriculum, offering programs in business, economics, science, medicine, engineering, and agriculture, in addition to its well-known Islamic teachings.

It is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university

Al-Azhar University is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university, with a rich history dating back to its founding in 970 or 972 CE. Located in Cairo, Egypt, it was established by the Fatimid Caliphate as a centre for Islamic learning, where students studied the Qur'an, Islamic law, logic, grammar, rhetoric, and even the calculation of the phases of the moon. Over the centuries, Al-Azhar has evolved and expanded, solidifying its reputation as one of the most prestigious universities for Islamic studies.

The university's long-standing influence and prestige are evident in its ability to attract renowned scholars, even during times when Cairo boasted numerous other institutions of Islamic learning. This prestige was further enhanced during the Ottoman period, when Al-Azhar became the preeminent institution for Islamic learning in the Sunni Muslim world.

In addition to its academic prowess, Al-Azhar also oversees a vast network of schools with approximately two million students. As of 1996, over 4,000 teaching institutes in Egypt were affiliated with the university, highlighting its extensive reach and impact on education in the country.

Al-Azhar's library is another significant aspect of its heritage, housing about seven million pages of rare manuscripts. In partnership with a Dubai-based IT enterprise, the university launched the Al-Azhar Online Project to preserve and digitise these valuable scripts, making them accessible to a global audience.

The university's curriculum has evolved over time, with non-religious subjects being introduced in 1961. Today, Al-Azhar offers a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across various faculties, including Islamic Theology, Jurisprudence and Law, Arabic Language, Islamic and Arabic Studies, Education, Engineering, and Agriculture.

Al-Azhar University's long history, academic excellence, and continued dedication to preserving and disseminating knowledge make it a cornerstone of higher education in Egypt and a renowned institution worldwide.

The university has branch campuses in 7 other cities

Al-Azhar University is a public university in Cairo, Egypt, and is the country's oldest degree-granting university. It is known as one of the most prestigious universities for Islamic learning.

Al-Azhar University has branch campuses in seven other Egyptian cities:

Assuit

A city in Upper Egypt, Assuit is known for its large Coptic Christian population and its textile industry.

Tanta

Located in the Nile Delta region, Tanta is a centre for the cotton ginning and textile industries.

Mansoura

The capital of the Dakahlia Governorate, Mansoura is situated in the northeastern Nile Delta. The University of Mansoura is one of the largest universities in Egypt.

Alexandria

Egypt's second-largest city, Alexandria is a major economic centre and an important industrial zone.

Zaqaziq

Zaqaziq is the capital of the Sharqia Governorate in the Nile Delta. It is known for its agricultural production and textile industry.

Qena

A city in Upper Egypt, Qena is located on the east bank of the Nile River. It is a major producer of sugar and aluminium.

Shebin-Elkom

Shebin-Elkom is the capital of the Monufia Governorate in Lower Egypt. It is an important industrial centre, known for its textile and food industries.

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