Advice Needed Re: Al-Azhar Branches (Tanta, Mansoura, Menoufia)

[eshev]

Asalaam alaikum wa rahmatullah,

My husband is inshaAllah applying to Al-Azhar for Usool Al-Deen. Through the Al-Azhar website I see that Usool Al-Deen is offered in four cities: Cairo, Mansoura, Tanta, and Menoufia (Shibin El-Kom).


I am very hesitant to live in Cairo as we have a small child and I heard there is awful air pollution there, and am thinking a smaller city would be better for life-quality. However, the main reason for going to Egypt is to gain knowledge, and I am aware that one must sit with scholars outside of the regular university curriculum to really benefit and am worried that a smaller city = less scholars.


Could anyone please advise on the cities mentioned above, in regards to quality of studies and available scholars?

Jazak Allah khair