Guidance College

What Guidance College does

Guidance College is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) institution of higher learning founded in 2012 in Katy, Texas (originally as Al Huda University) and currently operating as a virtual college with a mailing address in Barker, Texas. It delivers degree, certificate, and community education programs in Islamic Studies, Islamic Education, and Islamic Economics & Finance to U.S. residents, international students, returning citizens, high school dual enrollment students, and graduate-level professionals seeking Islamic credentials. The technology backbone is straightforward: all instruction is delivered live and synchronously via Zoom, with course registration, records, and grading handled through the Sycamore Campus learning management system.

The core product portfolio includes an Associate's Degree in Islamic Studies (66 credits), a Bachelor's Degree in Islamic Studies (126 credits), a Master's in Islamic Education with a Teacher Certification track (40 credits), and a Master's in Islamic Economics & Finance (36 credits), alongside certificate programs (Contemporary Islamic Mission, Post Baccalaureate certificates in Islamic Studies, Teacher Certification, and Islamic Finance Professional), a traditional Ijazah program for Quran memorization and recitation certification with Sanad chains, high school dual credit courses, and an annual North American Conference on Islamic Finance (NACIF). The college also operates as an official AAOIFI testing site for the Certificate of Proficiency in Financial Accounting Standards.

Revenue is generated through per-credit tuition ($75/credit undergraduate, $125/credit graduate), administrative fees, the Ijazah program ($1,550 total), community workshop and webinar monetization, and tax-deductible donations including cryptocurrency, stocks, and vehicle contributions. The go-to-market is community-led, with student acquisition driven by outreach to mosques and Islamic centers, multi-platform social media presence, webinars, the NACIF conference, and referral programs. Pricing is positioned as highly affordable relative to comparable institutions, with a 20% tuition discount for veterans, interest-free payment plans, free tuition for returning citizens, and scholarships for converts. The college is ASIC accredited with Premier Status (2024-2028) and is a Candidate for MSCHE accreditation as of June 25, 2026.

Name

Guidance College

Legal name

Guidance College

Website

https://guidancecollege.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Guidance College is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) virtual Islamic higher education institution founded in 2012 in Texas, delivering Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees plus certificates in Islamic Studies, Islamic Education, and Islamic Economics & Finance to U.S. and international students via live Zoom instruction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Islamic Higher Education Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Islamic Colleges & Sharia/Fiqh Institutes (EDAHAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Islamic higher education
• Online degree programs
• Islamic finance education
• Quran ijazah certification
• Virtual learning institution

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition - Undergraduate Programs: Students pay $75 per credit hour for undergraduate degree programs including Associate's and Bachelor's degrees in Islamic Studies.
2. Tuition - Graduate Programs: Students pay $125 per credit hour for graduate degree programs including Master's in Islamic Education and Master's in Islamic Economics & Finance.
3. Application and Administrative Fees: One-time $50 application fee, $25 per transcript, $50 diploma replacement, and $250 per credit-by-exam fee for undergraduate students.
4. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Guidance College accepts donations as a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution (Tax Id: 32-0344845). Donations support returning citizens, scholarships, and general operations. Accepts cryptocurrency, stocks, vehicle donations, and recurring giving.
5. Ijazah Program Tuition: Non-credit CEU program for Quran memorization or recitation certification. Total cost $1,550 ($50 admission + $1,500 tuition) with payment plan options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Guidance College is a virtual, accredited Islamic institution of higher learning that delivers Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degree programs in Islamic Studies, Islamic Education, and Islamic Economics & Finance via live online Zoom classes. It supplements credit-bearing degrees with certificate programs, a High School Dual Credit track, Ijazah Quran certification (memorization and recitation) with Sanad tracing, and free community education webinars and workshops delivered to mosques across the United States.

Product overview

Guidance College is a virtual Islamic institution of higher learning offering a portfolio of degree programs, certificate programs, and community education services. The core academic offerings include Associate's and Bachelor's degrees in Islamic Studies (AAIS/BAIS), a Master's in Islamic Education (MAIE) with teacher certification track, and a Master's in Islamic Economics & Finance (MAEF). Certificate programs include a Contemporary Islamic Mission certificate, Post Baccalaureate Certificate of Islamic Finance Professional, Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Islamic Studies, and Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification. Community education services include the Ijazah Program for Quran recitation and memorization certification, Webinar Series featuring monthly Islamic knowledge sessions, and community workshops covering Islamic finance, family issues, and contemporary topics. The college also hosts the annual NACIF (North American Conference on Islamic Finance) and offers a High School Dual Credit program for early college enrollment. All instruction is delivered virtually in a live format via Zoom, with programs designed for accessibility and affordability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Associate's Degree in Islamic Studies

Quantifiable outcome

• 42.8% related vocational employment rate for 2015-2019 graduating classes
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MSCHE (Middle States Commission on Higher Education)coreOthers · 25 June 2026Guidance College is a Candidate institution and member of MSCHE. The Commission's most recent action was to grant candidate for accreditation status on June 25, 2026. MSCHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
• ASIC (Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges, and Universities)coreOthersGuidance College holds International Accreditation from ASIC with Premier Status for 2024-2028. ASIC is one of the largest international accreditation agencies operating in 70+ countries, recognized in the UK by UKVI, ISO 9001:2015 accredited, and a full member of INQAAHE.
• AAOIFI (Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuidance College is an official AAOIFI testing site for the Certificate of Proficiency in Financial Accounting Standards (CPFAS). Students can register through Guidance College for in-person testing in Houston, Texas.
• Lake Forest CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACIF (North American Conference on Islamic Finance) conference partnership. Lake Forest College hosting NACIF 2026 conference.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• AAOIFI (Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions): AAOIFI is the global standard-setting body for Islamic finance, offering the CPFAS certification that Guidance College administers at its Houston testing site. It is an ecosystem partner and standards body rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Mishkah University: Mishkah University is a U.S.-based online Islamic university offering accredited degrees in Islamic studies, education, and Arabic. It is a direct competitor in the U.S. virtual Islamic higher-education market, with a similar tuition-led model.
• Bayan Claremont (Bayān Claremont Islamic Graduate School): Bayan Claremont is an Islamic graduate school in the U.S. offering accredited master's degrees in Islamic studies and chaplaincy. It directly overlaps with Guidance College's MAIE and graduate Islamic studies offerings.
• Zaytuna College: Zaytuna College is a U.S.-based Muslim liberal arts institution offering undergraduate degrees with Islamic studies focus and is accredited by WSCUC. It is the most directly comparable accredited U.S. Islamic higher-education peer to Guidance College, competing for the same Muslim student market.
• International Open University (Islamic Online University): International Open University is a large online Islamic university offering undergraduate and graduate programs in Islamic studies and Arabic. It competes head-to-head with Guidance College in the U.S. and global virtual Islamic higher-education segment.

Emerging players

• AlMaghrib Institute: AlMaghrib Institute is a U.S.-based Islamic seminaries and short-course provider offering intensive weekend Islamic education. It overlaps with Guidance College's certificate, Ijazah, and community education programs for adult Muslim learners.
• American Open University: American Open University is an online higher education provider focused on affordable, flexible degree programs. It is comparable to Guidance College in virtual delivery and low-cost tuition, though not faith-specific.
• Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research: Yaqeen Institute is a U.S.-based Islamic research and education organization producing digital Islamic content, courses, and webinars. It overlaps with Guidance College's webinar series and community education offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/guidance2011
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCamD-LiCVPVt_QrLsrsy3Vw
• Facebookfacebook.com/guidancecollege2011
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guidance-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/guidancecollege2011
• TikToktiktok.com/@guidancecollege

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guidance College