On October 28, 1961, Minister of Religious Affairs issued a decree No. 17/1961, to authorize the establishment of the Faculty of Sharia at the Faculty of MT in Surabaya and Malang. Then on October 1, 1964, the Faculty of Islamic Theology in Kediri was established by the decree of the Minister of Religion No. 66/1964.
Starting from three (3) faculty, Minister for Religious Affairs deems it necessary to issue Decree No. 20/1965 on the establishment of IAIN Sunan Ampel based in Surabaya, as described above. History records that without taking a long time, IAIN Sunan Ampel was able to grow rapidly. In the period between 1966-1970, IAIN Sunan Ampel has 18 (eighteen) faculties spread over three (3) provinces: East Java, East Kalimantan and West Nusa Tenggara.
However, when the accreditation of faculties in IAIN applied, five (5) out of 18 (eighteen) of the faculty was closed for incorporation into other faculties accredited and adjacent location. Furthermore, by government regulation number 33 in 1985, Faculty of MT Samarinda released and handed over its management to Banjarmasin IAIN Antasari. In addition, faculty Tarbiyah Bojonegoro moved to Surabaya and were transferred to the faculty of MT IAIN Surabaya. In a subsequent growth, IAIN Sunan Ampel has twelve (12) faculties scattered throughout East Java and one (1) faculty in Mataram, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.
Since mid-1997, through Presidential Decree No. 11 In 1997, the entire faculty under the auspices IAIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya which are outside of IAIN Sunan Ampel off into the College of Islamic Studies (STAIN) autonomous. IAIN Sunan Ampel since then also concentrated in only 5 (five) faculty are all located on the campus Jl. A. Yani 117 Surabaya.
