Muslims studying abroad often ask one crucial question before deciding on what and where to eat: “Is it halal?”
In places where Islam is a minority religion, halal food options are often scarce and hard to find.
A 2022 study shows that Muslim student groups are located at only 28% of US colleges and universities – a number that is low for a country that says it triumphs in diversity. On the same note, a 2024 study found that 43% of US higher education institutions do not serve food suitable for Muslims to consume.
Yet, global Muslim consumer spending across the halal economy was valued at US$2.43 trillion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$3.36 trillion by 2028. So, it’s clearly a segment that needs to be served, literally.
A picture of a halal food stand. Source: Hussein Haidar Salman via Pexels
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What’s so important about halal food, anyway?
Food is fuel. You can’t expect to trek an uphill battle of assignments, perhaps a part-time job, and life responsibilities without your engine running. Yet, for some Muslim students, that lack of fuel isn’t a scarcity by choice.
For Muslims, halal food isn’t an option — it’s a law by faith. The word “halal” is Arabic for “lawful or permitted,” and it doesn’t only apply to food. It refers to actions, objects, and foods allowed by Islamic law for Muslims to participate in.
In terms of food, it’s a fairly straightforward rule book. No pork. No alcohol. No meat that isn’t slaughtered according to Islamic dietary laws. Products and eateries that are 100% halal should have a certification displayed.
The problem at hand: the lack of access to halal food in non-Muslim countries.
The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reported that 53% of Muslim university students in the US faced food insecurity on their campuses. In the UK, food price hikes are sending millions of Muslims into dire need through Ramadan.
Whether it’s easy to source halal food off-campus depends on where you live.
If you’re in London, England, you’re more spoilt for choice. It’s one of the more halal-friendly Western cities, with loads of kosher and halal food shops. In Canada, Muslims make up only 1.10% of the country’s population — so it’s a harder task to broach.
In the US, the possibility’s a total toss-up, depending on your location.
One Quora user writes: “Where I live, in California, there are quite a few Muslims. You can find some halal items at large chain stores, but you can also find large selections of fresh halal meats at the Middle Eastern markets.”
It was a different story when they travelled to Nevada, however.
“I was hoping to find a store that sold halal foods. I ended up going to a ‘kebab and gyro’ place that claimed to have halal foods, but based on the staff and people eating there, I still kinda doubt it was,” they continued. “I couldn’t find any markets either that had halal snacks, but I never checked the large chain stores.”
That’s another issue — if there’s no halal certification at a market restaurant, then there’s no guarantee that each and every ingredient used is lawful. A restaurant may have a sign front and centre saying “no pork, no lard,” but is the chicken or beef slaughtered right?
It brings this constant speculation that can be tiresome to deal with day-to-day.
Sourcing halal food, however, isn’t the only tribulation sweeping through those who identify as Muslim.
How to find halal food in and out of campus
SMuslims adhere to dietary laws determining what is permissible (halal) and forbidden (haram). The consumption of pork and alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited. Source: Noval via Pexels
Student communities
A lot of universities have student communities and organisations that cater to Muslims.
Some universities in the US and Canada have the Muslim Students Association dedicated to establishing and maintaining Islamic societies on college campuses, as well as unifying Muslim students from different cultural backgrounds.
In the UK and Ireland, there is the Federation of Student Islamic Societies, which provides support and a platform for Muslim students to connect and engage with each other.
These communities are great sources to guide and suggest halal food available both in and out of your campus.
Student unions
Your student union is also a place to ask for information regarding halal food.
Consisting of elected student representatives, they are knowledgeable about various aspects of college life, student concerns, and campus policies, including halal food in university dining.
But if your campus does not serve halal food, the student union is the one who will raise awareness, advocating for change to cater to Muslims on campus.
Seek advice everywhere
Other than recommending some halal spots to eat, most mosques prepare food for you, especially during the fasting month.
Another option is to visit cities, towns, or even neighbourhoods that have a sizeable Muslim population. According to Reddit users, Chicago is one of the biggest and best places to be for a Muslim, with masjids, Islamic schools, and halal food being easy to find.
Other examples include Birmingham in the UK (a third of its population are Muslims), Toronto and Montreal in Canada (two-thirds are Canadian Muslims), and China’s Gansu and Qinghai provinces (with the greatest number of Muslims).
Halal food in university: The institutions that offer the most to Muslim students
US
The University of Michigan collaborates with the school’s Muslim Coalition to serve halal food for Muslim students, with dining staff undertaking “extensive food handling and procurement practices.”
Other university dining that serve halal food include:
You can find halal food in university dining at the University of Bath. Source: University of Bath/Facebook
UK
The University of Bath hosts The Market, which offers both vegan and halal food at good deals — like a chicken tikka sandwich — according to a student on ResLife.
Here are some of the other universities in the UK that serve halal food:
Australia
At the University of Western Australia, the dining hall chefs serve a variety of foods through breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including those which cater to halal dietary needs. The menu changes daily, so you’ll unlikely get bored of the food too.
University dining in Australia that serves halal food:
Canada
The University of Guelph offers halal food in its university dining. Source: University of Guelph/Facebook
At the University of Toronto, employees are trained on halal food law — done according to the regulations set by the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). They serve meats and products sourced from “Zahiba” animals, meaning they are slaughtered according to Islamic law.
Other universities that do the same are:
In China, there is a big Muslim population in northwestern regions like like Xinjiang, Ningxia, Gansu, and Qinghai. Source: Muhamad Guruh Budi Hartono via Pexels
A list of universities across the world with halal food
Aside from the “Big Four” countries for studying abroad, there are plenty of other universities across the globe that provide halal foods for Muslim students and faculty. here are a list of them.
| Country | Universities offering halal food |
|---|---|
| US | University of Michigan, Boston University, Dartmouth College, University of Rochester, University of Delaware |
| UK | University of Bath, University of Sussex, University of Kent, University of Leicester, University of Sheffield |
| Australia | University of Western Australia, Curtin University, Bond University, Federation University Australia |
| Canada | University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, McMaster University, Concordia University, University of Guelph |
| South Korea | Hanyang University, Sejong University, Sun Moon University |
| Japan | University of Tokyo, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Sophia University |
| China | South China University of Technology, Peking University, Ningxia University |
| Hong Kong | University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| Singapore | Singapore Management University, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University |
| Malaysia | University of Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| Denmark | Technical University of Denmark |
| Thailand | Chulalongkorn University |
| Taiwan | National Taiwan University of Science and Technology |
| Turkey | Lokman Hekim University |
| India | BS Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology |
Best countries for halal food
While there are more countries and institutions nowadays that offer halal food for the Muslim population, there are still some standout locations in the world that have excellent halal choices.
Malaysia is a Muslim-majority with a stringent halal certification process. Virtually, every university canteen would offer halal-certified food. Malaysia is consistently rated the world’s top halal-friendly destination
Turkey, with its 99% Muslim population, is also a top destination for halal food. In fact, halal isn’t even a question you need to ask.
Other Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia also offer a great selection of food for Muslim students.
Frequently asked questions about halal food
What should I do if my university doesn’t offer halal food at all?
Start with your student union and any Muslim student association or Islamic society on campus — they often have the strongest institutional knowledge of what’s available nearby, and are usually the ones with the standing to formally push the university’s catering team for change.
In the meantime, local mosques frequently prepare meals, especially during Ramadan, and neighbourhoods with a larger Muslim population (rather than just the university area) are often your best bet for halal-certified grocery stores and restaurants.
How can I tell if a restaurant or product is genuinely halal if there’s no certification displayed?
A sign reading “no pork, no lard” isn’t the same as halal certification. It only tells you what’s excluded, not whether the meat was slaughtered according to Islamic law.
Look for recognised halal certification logos (bodies like IFANCA in North America, or the relevant national halal authority elsewhere), and when in doubt, ask staff directly about their supplier and slaughter method rather than assuming based on the restaurant’s cuisine or signage.
Does Ramadan get harder or easier depending on where and when you study?
Both — it depends on your location and the year. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, Ramadan shifts about 10–11 days earlier each year, cycling through every season over roughly 33 years. Fasting hours are determined by daylight, so students in far-northern countries fast far longer during Ramadans that fall in summer than those that fall in winter. Ramadan 2027, for instance, is expected to fall in early-to-mid February — one of the more manageable timings for Northern Hemisphere students, since days are shorter. Wherever you are, isolation during Ramadan is a separate, equally real challenge — leaning on a student Islamic society or local mosque community can help offset the loneliness of fasting away from family.
Disclaimer: This article was last updated on July 16, 2026.