Test-Out Policies

• Students may choose to test out of Arabic I to IV. A ‘Test-out’ designation indicates that the student has demonstrated a level of Arabic language proficiency that exceeds the requirements of a particular level. Consequently, Mishkah University will grant the student an exemption from enrolling in any Arabic language courses within the scope of their established competency.
  
• The processing of test-out results is limited to the finals week of each semester. Should a student take the test after the designated date, the processing of their request will be deferred to the finals period of the following semester.
  
• Please be advised that successful completion of the test-out process and the official addition of credits to the student’s academic record are required conditions for registration into the subsequent Arabic course level, given that each course in the Arabic language series functions as a prerequisite for the next.

Procedures

• Students must formerly declare their intention to test-out and specify the exam they wish to take by filling out the form in their Orbund Account
• Test-outs will be conducted on a designated day during finals week of each semester. (Please refer to the Exam Schedule)
• Upon submission, the Registrar will issue the students a test link from Fawakih Institute via the Orbund form. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up on all notifications received through Orbund at their university email address. Please refer to the test information outlined in the section below for further guidance. Once the student has completed the requisite tests, their scores will be sent directly to the Mishkah registrar for processing.
• Grades will subsequently be assessed by the Academic Advisor to determine the final test-out level and compliance with academic standards.
• Following the evaluation of test scores, the Finance Department will determine the total applicable fees and advise the student accordingly on the payment procedure.
• Each class that is tested out of will be treated like a transferred course and students will pay the standard Mishkah transfer fees of $100 per course to receive credit for these classes. For example, a student successfully tested out of Arabic II – to receive credit for both Arabic I and Arabic II on the record, they will pay transfer fees of (2 x $100 = $200). They can then enroll in Arabic III.
• Upon completion of all required steps, the Registrar will enter the corresponding credits into Orbund .Credits will be added to transcripts on a Pass/No Pass basis – students will not receive a letter grade and the test-out will not impact the students GPA.

Initial Examination

• Applicants seeking exemption from Arabic I through IV must first take the Initial Arabic Test-Out Examination, which assesses comprehension of Arabic I and II. The Initial Test evaluates student performance in Grammar, Morphology, Listening, and Vocabulary at both Level I and Level II
• Access the Initial Test here: https://fawakih.org/initial
• Students who score 69% or below in Level I Grammar and Morphology must enroll in Arabic I. 
• Students scoring 70% or above in both Grammar and Morphology qualify for Arabic II, effectively testing out of Level I, even if their overall aggregate score falls below 70%. These  students will be automatically redirected through the link to the secondary examination, which may be completed if they wish to also test out of level II and upwards.

Secondary Examination

• Students who score 70% or higher on the Initial Examination will automatically receive the Secondary Test-Out, which evaluates their mastery of Arabic III and Arabic IV (“Intermediate Curriculum”).
• In general if a student attains: 
  – below 50%, they can bypass Arabic II and enroll in Arabic III.
  – Achieving 50-69% on the secondary test qualifies the student to bypass Arabic III and enroll in Arabic IV.
  – Achieving 70% or higher on the secondary test qualifies the student to bypass Arabic I–IV and receive full credit for those courses.
• However, all test scores must be assessed by the advisor as the final decision is not just based on the overall score, but also the individual scores that the students earned in each section of the test.
  
  

• Students with previous experience or qualifications in memorization or tajweed may test out of Quran Memorization and Tajweed I and/or Quran Memorization and Tajweed II.
• Students who have obtained an Ijazah in Quran shall be eligible to undertake test-outs for both courses. Students who do not hold an Ijazah will be qualified for the Quran Memorization and Tajweed I test-out only.
• An Ijazah (إجازة) is a recognized certificate of authorization issued by a qualified Quran scholar or institution, affirming that the holder has demonstrated proficiency in Quran memorization and recitation in accordance with the rules of Tajweed.
• For the Ijazah to be considered valid, it must be verified through direct submission from the issuing authority to Mishkah’s Registrar’s Office. Ijazah documents submitted by the student themselves will not be accepted as sufficient verification.
• To initiate a test-out request for Quran and Tajweed courses, students must complete and submit the designated form on Orbund, clearly indicating the course for which the test-out is sought.  
• Students are also responsible for arranging the direct submission of a copy of the Ijazah by its issuing authority to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@mishkahu.com. Documents submitted through any other channel will not be considered valid for verification purposes.
• The test out fee is $150 for each course. Students will be notified of how to pay the fee.
• Once the fee is paid, the student will be instructed on how to take the written and oral test. Exams will be held on a designated day during Finals Week every semester. (Please refer to the Finals Schedule on the Mishkah Website: https://mishkahu.com/students/examination-schedule/).
• Students are advised to regularly monitor their Mishkah university email address for any notifications or updates related to their request.
• If the student successfully completes both the oral and written section they will receive credit for the course on their record.
• Credits will be added to transcripts on a Pass/No Pass basis – students will not receive a letter grade and the test-out will not impact the students GPA.
• If the student does not pass the test out exam, they will be required to enroll in the course and pay the associated tuition fees.