What is the ruling on congregational prayer and the iqamah for female students?

Question:
Is it better for female students to pray in congregation or individually in the university dormitory? And is the iqamah required of them?

Answer:
All of that is permissible. The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the women in the time of the Prophet used to pray individually, and sometimes they would pray in congregation, though rarely and for a short time. So if they pray in congregation, there is nothing wrong with it, and they are to be hoped for reward in that. There is also a benefit: each one learns from the other. If they pray in congregation, some of them learn from others, so there are benefits in it, especially if a knowledgeable woman leads them: they learn from her character, her actions, her movements, her stillness, and her recitation. This is good. It has been narrated from Umm Salama and Aisha that they used to lead the women in prayer on some occasions.
So if a woman leads the women or her classmates, or if a female professor leads her students, that is good, along with teaching, guidance, and advice, and directing them to knowledge regarding prayer that may be hidden from them. However, this is not obligatory, nor is it specified, but it is recommended if it is facilitated. And if they pray individually, there is nothing wrong with it, and there is no iqamah or adhan required of them. The adhan and iqamah are the concern of men.