A decision by Lebanon’s state-run Faculty of Sciences to admit only Shiite students into a Master’s program has triggered an uproar on social media, reviving concerns over sectarian influence in higher education.

The list of successful applicants to the research-based Master’s program in Microwave physics, published last week, showed that all ten admitted students belonged to the Shiite community. The revelation fueled criticism that the Lebanese University, the country’s only public university, continues to mirror Lebanon’s sectarian divides.

“This is a national university, not a sectarian club,” one commentator wrote, while another quipped: “I’d love to one day see a George or a Rita on the list, but apparently they’re just not good enough.”

Critics alleged that the selection reflected more than demographics. Some accused administrators of leaking exam questions to ensure the success of Shiite applicants, while blocking candidates from other sects.

Ali Kanj, dean of the Faculty of Sciences, dismissed the accusations as baseless. He told the Lebanese news outlet Al-Modon that admissions to Master’s programs are handled by each campus separately and often reflect the sectarian makeup of the area.

“Students tend to choose programs offered near where they live, which leads to this kind of homogeneity,” he said. “This is the reality of the country, though we wish the university could be a single space where everyone comes together.”

Kanj said the physics department, which oversees the program, attracts very few students compared to more popular fields like computer science. Four years ago, he added, the program was nearly suspended for lack of enrollment.

“As for this particular Master’s, I want to clarify that all students who completed M1 and applied were welcomed. No applicant meeting the conditions was rejected,” he said. “In physics, we rarely reject anyone at all … there is no real competition since almost everyone who applies gets accepted.”

Kanj said admissions were based not on a written exam but on an interview conducted by a two-member faculty committee, which reviewed each candidate’s file and assigned a grade.

The dean also pushed back against allegations that the program’s coordinator, said to have ties to Hezbollah, had influenced admissions.

“Even if a coordinator has political leanings, that doesn’t mean he controls the program,” he said. “Admissions are decided by a two-member committee appointed by the dean.”

According to Kanj, 15 students — all from the Shiite community — applied this year. Two did not attend interviews, two failed to meet the required average, and one was placed on the waiting list, leaving ten admitted.

“In some programs, out of 16 students, only one comes from a different community. In others, all the students are from the same sect,” Kanj acknowledged.

The dean insisted, however, that the latest uproar was misplaced.

“In physics specifically, the number of available seats exceeds the number of applicants. That alone disproves claims of favoritism,” he said. “If there had been competition for limited places, we might suspect manipulation. But that is not the case here.”