Layered Selection for Al-Azhar Egypt: Is It Still Relevant?

Who does not know Al-Azhar Asy-Syarif University in Egypt? This oldest Islamic educational institution in the world remains the top choice for santri and students in Indonesia aspiring to deepen their knowledge of Islamic heritage.

The allure of Al-Azhar never fades; on the contrary, interest in studying in the Land of a Thousand Minarets continues to experience significant escalation year after year.

In response to this high enthusiasm, since 2006, the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has taken on the role as regulator through the organisation of official selections.

In the early decade (2006–2013), this mechanism was relatively simple: students who passed the written selection and interview could directly handle administration and enter the lecture rooms in the same year.

However, over time, the pathway to Al-Azhar has undergone a fundamental transformation, which now in 2026, demands us to re-evaluate its relevance.

Evolution and the paradox of language matriculation

The first turning point occurred in 2014, when Al-Azhar implemented the obligation of Daurah Lughah or language matriculation as an instrument for standardising Arabic language competency.

As a consequence, although Kemenag still conducts selections, prospective students are still required to follow the ikhtibar tahdid mustawa (competency levelling test) upon arrival in Egypt through the Markaz Syekh Zayed li Ta’lim al-Lughah al-’Arabiyyah li Ghayr an-Nathiqin Biha (MSZ) in Cairo.