Founded in 1999, Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (USAS) was initially known as Kolej Islam Darul Ridzuan (KISDAR) and operated from a temporary campus in Ipoh, Perak. In 2008, the college gained an entirely constructed campus approved by the Perak State Government. Its permanent campus is based in Kuala Kangsar, the royal town of Perak, on a 50-acre donated land by the current Sultan of Perak and the university’s chancellor, Sultan Nazrin Shah.

In 2013, KISDAR was upgraded to a university college level, changing its name to Kolej Universiti Islam Sultan Azlan Shah (KUISAS). Eventually, in 2016, the Prime Minister of Malaysia declared KUISAS with full university status, leading to the establishment of Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah as we know it today.

USAS has a distinct objective of integrating Islamic teachings, such as the principles of al-Sunnah Wa al-Jama’ah, to develop different knowledge branches based on revelation and reason. This is achieved through education, research and dissemination of knowledge through publications. The university also follows the principle of Rahmatan Lil’Alamin, which is to spread blessings and mercy to the world by imparting knowledge, faith, practice and belief in God to its faculty and students. USAS is committed to reflecting these principles in all areas of knowledge, publications, media and activities.

The university aims to promote universal prosperity by restoring the preeminence of Islamic institutions and scholars while exploring advanced areas of knowledge. USAS also has a fourfold mission – education, research, community and internationalisation to achieve this goal.

In education, USAS is dedicated to producing outstanding graduates who embody good practices, moral principles, extensive knowledge and professional competence while meeting the highest standards in the workplace. For its mission in research, USAS is committed to providing a conducive environment for students to explore, strengthen and renew knowledge through research activities. USAS also advocates for humanitarian and social issues. The university strives to internationalise all of its ventures.

Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah’s awards and achievements

USAS has achieved recognition both nationally and globally. The university has been a member of the Asian Islamic Universities Association (AIUA) since 2015 and is the first university to be accredited with Asian Islamic Quality Assurance (AIQA) by the association. The Islamic Finance Talent Development Champion Award recognises the university’s contribution to improving education quality by providing teachers and students with professional training in Islamic finance.

In 2017, Indonesia’s Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education officially recognised USAS and its programmes. The Global Journal Al-Thaqafah (GJAT), an academic and peer-reviewed journal published bi-annually by USAS, was recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education and honoured with the Jurnal Crème 2019 (for Scopus Journal category) award.

In 2021, the university also obtained a research grant and endowment of RM10 million from FWD Takaful, which led to the creation of the USAS Takaful Academy. The funds are intended for research and learning activities at the academy, a research centre that aims to collect intellectual research papers related to takaful in one database and function as a research repository.

Business programmes at Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah

USAS's Faculty of Management and Information Technology consists of two departments – the Management Department and the Information Technology Department.

The establishment of this faculty is geared towards creating a knowledgeable generation with expertise in management and technology. The faculty’s curriculum prioritises problem-solving and integrates valuable Islamic principles into the learning process, adding a unique and enriching student perspective.

The faculty is noteworthy for its successful integration of management and technology, which has resulted in an abundance of resources and expertise to equip graduates with a diverse range of skills. The academic staff comprises experienced professionals in management, computer science and multimedia who are deeply committed to applying their expertise and providing training, planning and ongoing guidance to students. By completing internships in both the private and public sectors, students have the opportunity to gain practical experience and develop valuable skills that will serve them well in their future careers.

The Management Department provides undergraduate and postgraduate business-related programmes.

Undergraduate programmes

Diploma programmes:

• Diploma in Accountancy
• Diploma in Business Administration

Bachelor’s degrees:

• Bachelor of Islamic Finance (Honours)
• Bachelor of Accountancy (Honours)
• Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours)
• Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) Marketing
• Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) Entrepreneurship

Postgraduate programmes

Master’s degrees:

• Master of Islamic Finance
• Master of Management
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

PhD programmes:

• PhD In Management

Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah admission requirements and process

Admission requirements

Undergraduate programmes

Diploma in Accountancy

• A minimum of three credits at SPM level, including in mathematics and a pass in English; OR
• STPM or equivalent with a minimum grade C (CGPA 2.00) in any subject, a credit in mathematics and a pass in English at SPM level; OR
• STAM with a minimum grade Maqbul, a credit in mathematics and a pass in English at SPM level; OR
• SKM Level 3 in a related field; OR
• Other equivalent qualifications recognised by the Malaysian Government
• English language competency requirement for international students:
  • Minimum score IELTS 5.5; OR
  • Band 4.0 MUET or equivalent

Diploma in Business Administration

• A minimum of three credits at SPM level; OR
• STPM or equivalent with a minimum grade C (CGPA 2.00) in any subject; OR
• STAM with a minimum grade Maqbul; OR
• SKM Level 3 in a related field; OR
• A recognised certificate or equivalent in a related field with a minimum CGPA of 2.00; OR
• Other equivalent qualifications recognised by the Malaysian Government
• English language competency requirement for international students:
  • Band 3.5 MUET; OR 
  • CEFR High B1 or equivalent

Bachelor of Islamic Finance (Honours)

• Matriculation, foundation or equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.00 and a pass in mathematics at SPM level or equivalent; OR
• STPM or equivalent with a minimum grade C (CGPA 2.00) in two subjects and a pass in mathematics at SPM level or equivalent; OR
• STAM with a minimum grade Jayyid and a pass in mathematics at SPM level or equivalent*; OR
• Diploma or equivalent in muamalat and Islamic finance or a related field with a minimum CGPA of 2.00. (For a candidate with a CGPA below 2.50 but above 2.00, you can be accepted subject to an internal evaluation process); OR
• Diploma or equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.50; OR
• DKM, DLKM or DVM in a related field; OR
• Other equivalent qualifications recognised by the Government of Malaysia
• Arabic language requirements:
  • Students must undergo an Arabic language proficiency course at the beginning of the programme except for candidates with a pass in the Arabic language at SPM, STPM, STAM, foundation, diploma or equivalent
  • Students must pass the Arabic proficiency course as a prerequisite to related core courses. However, this does not prevent students from taking core and non-core courses that do not require an Arabic language proficiency course
  • Credit for the Arabic language proficiency course is an additional credit to the programme and can be considered for the graduating credit with a minimum CGPA of 2.00

Bachelor of Accountancy (Honours)

• A Band 2 in MUET AND
• STPM or equivalent with a minimum grade C+ (CGPA 2.33) in two subjects and obtained credit in mathematics at SPM level or equivalent; OR
• STAM with a minimum grade Jayyid and obtained credit in mathematics at SPM level or equivalent; OR
• Diploma or equivalent in accountancy or in a related field with a minimum CGPA of 2.50; OR
• Matriculation, foundation or equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.50 and obtained credit in mathematics at SPM level or equivalent; OR
• A Malaysian Vocational Diploma (DVM) with credit in Bahasa Malaysia at SPM level or equivalent, an academic CGPA of at least 2.00, a vocational CGPA of 2.67 and an all-competent vocational module; OR
• Other equivalent qualifications recognised by the Government of Malaysia
• English language competency requirement for international students:
  • Minimum Score IELTS 5.5; OR
  • A TOEFL score of 550 OR equivalent

Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours)

Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) Marketing

Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) Entrepreneurship

• STPM or equivalent with a minimum grade C (CGPA 2.00) in two subjects; OR
• STAM with a minimum grade Jayyid; OR
• Matriculation, foundation or equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.00; OR
• Diploma or equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.00; OR
• An advanced diploma or equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.00; OR
• DKM, DLKM or DVM in a related field; OR
• Other equivalent qualifications recognised by the Government of Malaysia
• Additional requirements: 
  • A pass in mathematics and English at SPM level or equivalent
• English language competency requirement for international students:
  • Minimum score Band 4 in MUET OR
  • CEFR (Low B2) OR equivalent

Postgraduate programmes

Master of Islamic Finance

• A recognised bachelor’s degree in muamalat and Islamic finance or its equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.50 out 4.00
  • If candidates without a muamalat and Islamic finance bachelor’s degree are admitted, prerequisite modules in muamalat, Islamic economics, Islamic finance or muamalat administration must be taken to adequately prepare them for their advanced studies
• Candidates with a recognised bachelor’s degree in MIF or any related fields who have not achieved a CGPA of 2.50 or its equivalent can be accepted subject to a minimum of five years of working experience in a relevant field.

Master of Management

• Entry requirements (master’s degree by coursework):
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a relevant field with a minimum CGPA of 2.50; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a relevant field with a minimum CGPA of 2.00 but not reaching 2.50 may be accepted subject to thorough internal assessment; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a non-related field, with a minimum CGPA of 2.00 and relevant work experience may be accepted subject to thorough internal assessment; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a non-related field with a minimum CGPA of 2.00 and no work experience in the relevant field may be accepted subject to passing prerequisite courses
• Entry requirements (master’s degree  by mixed-mode):
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a relevant field with a minimum CGPA of 2.75; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a relevant field with a minimum CGPA of 2.50 but not reaching 2.75 may be accepted, subject to a thorough internal assessment; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a relevant field with a minimum CGPA of 2.00 but not reaching 2.50 may be accepted, subject to five years of work experience in the related field and through a thorough internal assessment; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a field not related with a minimum CGPA of 2.50 may be accepted, subject to work experience in the related field and through a thorough internal assessment; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a field not related to the minimum CGPA of 2.00 but not reaching 2.50 may be accepted, subject to five years of work experience in the related field and through a thorough internal assessment; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a field not related with a minimum CGPA of 2.00 as approved by the Senate of the respective institution and without work experience in the related field may be accepted, subject to passing prerequisite courses
• English language competency requirement for international students:
  • Minimum score Band 4 in MUET; OR
  • CEFR (Low B2); OR equivalent

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• A bachelor’s degree with at least a CGPA of 2.50 out of 4.00 or equivalent qualification; OR
• A bachelor’s degree but not reaching a CGPA of 2.50 out of 4.00; OR equivalent qualifications can be considered for admission, subject to having at least five years of working experience in a relevant field

PhD In Management

• A master’s degree in business or a related field; OR
• Other qualifications equivalent to a master’s degree
• For postgraduate studies, international students are required to achieve a minimum score of 6.0 for IELTS or its equivalent

The application process for future students

• Step 1: Select your course
  Explore the range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses offered by USAS.
• Step 2: Examine the requirements
  After selecting your course, review the entry requirements to make sure you are eligible.
• Step 3: Registration
  Go to the online application available on the university website and register your application.
• Step 4: Review your application
  Check the status of your application after seven days.
• Step 5: Offer letter
  If your application is accepted, you will receive an offer letter and further details regarding your admission.

Registration fees

The registration fees differ based on the type of courses and may vary for both local and international students. Below is a table with a detailed breakdown of the registration fee.

Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah intake dates

USAS’s intake dates for 2024 are February, July and September.

Scholarships and financial aid

USAS has set up the Outstanding Student Scholarship Scheme (SBPC) to attract outstanding students to pursue their studies at USAS. The scholarships are available to students who are enrolled in full-time studies at the foundation, diploma, bachelor's degree, master's degree or doctorate levels at USAS.

In addition to scholarships provided to students, USAS offers loan management services and education assistance consisting of loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), Baitulmal Fisabilillah Islamic Religious Council and Malay Custom Scholarship State of Perak (MAIPk). Fee deductions are available through KWSP or SOCSO, as well as scholarships and financial assistance from a long list of other agencies.