Passion International University - USA

What Passion International University - USA does

Passion International University – USA (PIUSAD) is a private, US-domiciled higher education institution offering Islamic-rooted academic programs to an international student base. The institution originated in Egypt in 2010, expanded through Morocco (2015) and into the United States with Colorado (2019) and Florida (2026) locations, and is led by President Dr. Ismail Ahmed. It operates across more than 30 countries through a hybrid delivery model combining distance education, face-to-face instruction, and blended learning, supported by online registration, WhatsApp-based counseling, and a network of university agents.

PIUSAD's core academic offering comprises nine faculties — Islamic Sciences, Education, Development and Humanities, Business Administration, Computing and Information, Media, Law, Sciences for People of Determination, and Archaeology, Tourism, and Hospitality — yielding over 200 labor-market-oriented specializations delivered by 200+ professors and doctors drawn from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Ancillary products include an online Islamic counseling service staffed by licensed counselors, a peer-reviewed scientific journal registered with the US Library of Congress, an academic publishing house, the International Association of Passionate People (a global student/alumni community), and the China-Arab Intercultural Research Center.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: tuition and academic fees across degree programs (subscription-style, annual billing, marketed as affordable), per-session online Islamic counseling (professional services), and academic publishing revenue. The institution is actively pursuing official recognition from the U.S. Department of Education and holds memberships in the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW, under ICESCO/OIC), the Islamic Universities League (IUL), and the Union of Afro-Asian Universities (UAAU). In 2026, PIUSAD also initiated a cooperation with the Grand Mosque of Paris to deliver youth skills development programs.

Name

Passion International University - USA

Legal name

PIUSAD – INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY FOR SCIENCES, ARTS AND DEVELOPMENT

Website

https://usa.edu.ba

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PIUSAD is a US-domiciled private Islamic higher education institution offering 200+ specializations across nine faculties, delivered via distance, face-to-face, and blended learning to students in more than 30 countries, with revenue from tuition, online counseling, and academic publishing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), 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

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Distance higher education
• Islamic higher education
• Online university programs
• Academic publishing services
• Online Islamic counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue generated from tuition fees for degree programs and academic courses across nine faculties offering over 200 specializations. Programs are designed to be affordable and accessible.
2. Online Counseling Services: Revenue from private online Islamic counseling services provided to students and the public on a per-session basis.
3. Academic Publishing: Revenue from academic publishing house operations, including peer-reviewed journal publications and book releases by university faculty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Passion International Islamic University in the USA (PIUSAD) is a private higher education institution that delivers degree and non-degree programs across nine academic faculties covering Islamic Sciences, Education, Development and Humanities, Business Administration, Computing and Information, Media, Law, Sciences for People of Determination, and Archaeology, Tourism, and Hospitality. The university delivers instruction through distance education, face-to-face classes, and blended learning models to students in more than 30 countries. It also provides ancillary services including online Islamic counseling, a peer-reviewed scientific journal registered with the US Library of Congress, and an academic publishing house.

Product overview

Passion International Islamic University in the USA (PIUSAD) is a higher education institution offering over 200 specializations across nine distinct faculties. The university operates a flexible education delivery system combining distance learning, face-to-face, and blended learning across more than 30 countries. The nine faculties include: Islamic Sciences, Education, Development and Humanities, Business Administration (Islamic Administrative Sciences), Computing and Information, Media, Law, Sciences for People with Determination, and Archaeology, Tourism, and Hotel Management. Beyond academic programs, the university provides ancillary services including online Islamic counseling, a peer-reviewed scientific journal registered with the US Library of Congress, an academic publishing house, a global alumni association, and a China-Arab Intercultural Research Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Faculty of Islamic Computers and Information: Faculty offering Islamic computer sciences and information technology programs.
• Faculty of Islamic Media
• Faculty of Islamic Education
• Faculty of Islamic Development and Humanities
• Faculty of Islamic Law and Jurisprudence
• Faculty of Islamic Sciences
• Faculty of Islamic Administrative Sciences
• Faculty of Islamic Sciences for People of Determination
• Faculty of Islamic Archaeology, Tourism, and Hospitality
• The Peer-Reviewed Journal
• International Association Of Passionate People
• CHINA-ARAB INTERCULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER

Products and services

• Faculty of Islamic Sciences Academic faculty offering degree specializations in core Islamic sciences and religious studies for students seeking Islamic higher education across the university's nine-college structure.
• Faculty of Islamic Education Academic faculty focused on Islamic education methodologies and pedagogical training for students pursuing teaching and educational leadership roles.
• Faculty of Islamic Development and Humanities Academic faculty offering degree specializations in Islamic development studies, brain science, multiple intelligences, linguistic skills, cognitive development, and humanities disciplines.
• Faculty of Islamic Administrative Sciences Academic faculty focused on Islamic business administration and management sciences, providing business and management specializations grounded in Islamic principles.
• Faculty of Islamic Computers and Information Academic faculty offering specializations in Islamic computing, information technology, cloud computing, and digital transformation disciplines.
• Faculty of Islamic Media
• Faculty of Islamic Law and Jurisprudence Academic faculty offering degree studies in Islamic law (Sharia) and jurisprudence for students pursuing legal and religious scholarship careers.
• Faculty of Islamic Sciences for People of Determination Academic faculty dedicated to Islamic education and sciences for people with special needs (People of Determination), providing accessible learning pathways.
• Faculty of Islamic Archaeology, Tourism, and Hospitality Academic faculty offering degree specializations in Islamic archaeology, tourism management, and hospitality studies.
• Online Islamic Counseling Service Per-session online Islamic counseling service delivered by licensed professional counselors, available anytime and anywhere to students and the public.
• Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journal Peer-reviewed scientific journal registered with the US Library of Congress, used to publish scholarly research by university faculty and external contributors.
• Academic Publishing House University-affiliated academic publishing house producing peer-reviewed journal publications and book releases by university faculty.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operates across more than 30 countries with distance, face-to-face, and blended learning modalities.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and moderate.

• Grand Mosque of Paris (Masjid Paris Al-Kabir)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026PIUSAD's President Dr. Ismail Ahmed presented a cooperation initiative to the Grand Mosque of Paris during its centennial commemoration. The university offered free youth skills development programs through its initiative that has already been activated in over 30 countries. The partnership aims to promote dialogue between Islamic and French cultures through educational programs, with PIUSAD providing over 200 expert faculty members to support this initiative.
• Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW)coreOthersPIUSAD is an active member of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), which is affiliated with ICESCO (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), stemming from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) — the second-largest intergovernmental organization with 57 member states. FUIW coordinates efforts among higher education and scientific research institutions across Islamic countries.
• Islamic Universities League (IUL)coreOthersPIUSAD holds a prominent membership in the Islamic Universities League (established 1969), a key international body coordinating Islamic higher education institutions.
• Union of Afro-Asian Universities (UAAU)coreOthersPIUSAD holds an active membership in the Union of Afro-Asian Universities, expanding its network across the Afro-Asian region for academic collaboration and student exchange.
• ICESCO (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)moderateOthersPIUSAD's membership in FUIW places it under the umbrella of ICESCO, an intergovernmental organization established in 1969 under the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, providing international academic legitimacy and network access.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Open University (IOU): A non-profit Islamic online university offering tuition-free undergraduate and graduate programs to students globally. Most direct comparator for PIUSAD's distance-learning, international-Muslim-student, multi-country delivery model.
• Al-Azhar University: The preeminent global Islamic university, offering Islamic sciences, law, and humanities programs to international students including via distance education. Directly comparable to PIUSAD in mission and core curriculum, though far larger and more established.
• Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) at HBKU: Qatar Foundation's college of Islamic studies offering graduate programs in Islamic finance, jurisprudence, and public policy with a global research focus. Comparable in pursuit of moderate, internationally credible Islamic higher education.
• American Open University: An online Islamic university operating globally with distance learning programs in Islamic studies and Arabic. Overlaps with PIUSAD on the digital, multi-country delivery model serving international Muslim learners.
• Mishkah University: US-based Islamic university offering undergraduate and graduate programs in Islamic studies, business, and education with online and on-campus modalities. Direct competitor in the US market for moderate Islamic higher education.
• Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University: Turkish foundation (faith-affiliated) university offering programs across Islamic studies, business, engineering, and health sciences with international student recruitment. Similar model of a modern, faith-affiliated university targeting international Muslim learners.
• International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM): A leading Islamic international university offering programs across Islamic sciences, law, business, and humanities to a multinational student body. Comparable in mission to combine Islamic values with modern higher education delivery.
• Islamic University of Madinah: Major Saudi-based Islamic university that historically served international Muslim students, particularly through scholarships. Competes with PIUSAD for the same target audience of international Muslim students seeking Islamic higher education credentials.

Others

• ICESCO (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization): Intergovernmental organization affiliated with PIUSAD via FUIW membership that coordinates educational and scientific initiatives across 57 OIC member states. Indirect ecosystem participant shaping the regulatory and partnership environment PIUSAD operates in.

Broad incumbents

• Maarif Foundation (Turkish Maarif) Universities Network: State-sponsored network operating schools and universities across multiple continents, including in Africa and Asia, with a faith-informed but modernization-focused curriculum. Comparable as a globally distributed Islamic-educational delivery network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/passionuniv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqH-wIFy_NCoYp--GvNRUnQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/USA042019
• Instagraminstagram.com/ismail.elsharkawe
• TikToktiktok.com/@passion.universit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/passion-international-university-usa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Passion International University - USA