As-salamu alaykum,
As the fresh breezes of Rabi’ al-Awwal flow through the air, I am filled with excitement as Ribāṭ University’s first term begins in just four weeks. This is a remarkable milestone for all of us, including you! You have helped carry this vision forward by trusting in Rabata, and I am so grateful.
Important information about fees:
This year, the Ribaat Academic Institute graduated into Ribāṭ Riverstead, our lifelong learning program for Muslim women at Ribāṭ University! With this transition, registration fees have been updated to reflect the learning experience students will now receive, including more instructional time, faculty support, updated platforms, and course design.
This marks one of the first significant registration fee adjustments at Rabata in over a decade. When the Ribaat Academic Institute began in 2013, level one courses were $100 each, later increasing to $125. Upper level courses were $200 and $225. Now, with Ribāṭ Riverstead, we have simplified the structure with a standard $150 registration fee for most courses, along with an expanded learning experience.
You may notice that many courses have now been assigned credit values. This creates greater flexibility between Ribāṭ Riverstead and Ribāṭ University. Some courses overlap between the two, meaning a Ribāṭ Riverstead learner may study alongside a degree-seeking student and if she decides to apply to a degree program later, her courses taken at Riverstead will roll over into her new degree.
So the registration fee for Riverstead courses is now $150 and to make things even easier, each credit hour for the university-level courses is $150. This is where you may get confused by price increases. Make sure to look at the credit hours when looking at the cost of an individual course.
Arabic Courses:
Arabic is one example of this. Ribāṭ Riverstead learners can continue through the Arabic program without enrolling in a degree program, while the courses themselves carry credit values for degree-seeking students. Arabic courses have expanded from 1 to 1.5 credit hours, with additional guided practice, a scaffolded Personal Project, a new Reading Room component, and increased faculty support. Since each Arabic couse is 1.5 credits, the cost has now increased to $225 (150 per credit hour x 1.5 credits).
Tajwid Courses:
We are excited to offer a number of ijaza programs through the Ribāṭ Sanad Center. Registration fees within the Sanad Center, as well as for Quran courses housed in Riverstead, have been updated in relation to the expanded services students receive, including one-on-one tutoring, theory development, organized group learning, and additional enrichment. Many courses include multiple teachers, while programs such as the Quran Khitmah Project and Crowning Venture offer additional weekly enrichment alongside recitation lessons. Please email Quran@rabata.org for more information about the fee structure at the Sanad Center.
Open University-level courses:
Students who choose to register for an available university-level course, or receive permission to enter an upper-level course, will register according to that course’s credit value at the university rate of $150 per credit hour. Credits earned may be eligible to apply toward a future Ribāṭ University degree if a learner later applies and is admitted to a degree program.
We are Committed to You
Ribāṭ Riverstead remains committed to making women’s education attainable. Students may continue taking courses one at a time without enrolling in a degree program, and installment plans and scholarships will remain available for different financial circumstances.
These changes support a richer, more consistent learning experience while preserving what has always made Ribāṭ distinctive: illuminating scholarship for women by women filled with joy, meaningful mentorship, and knowledge that transforms families and communities.
May Allah place baraka in this next chapter and make it a source of benefit for generations of women to come.
Dr. Tamara Gray
President
Ribāṭ University