Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

What is required is to hasten to get married, and no young man or young woman should delay marriage for the sake of studies, because marriage does not prevent any such thing. It is possible for a young man to get married in order to protect his religious commitment and morals, and enable him to lower his gaze. Marriage serves many purposes, especially in this day and age. Because delaying it is harmful for both young women and young men, every young man and every young woman should hasten to get married if there is a man who is compatible with the woman, and if a man can find the right woman – in accordance with the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, and whoever cannot afford it should fast, for it will be a shield for him.” Saheeh – agreed upon. 

This includes both young men and young women; it does not apply only to men, rather it includes everyone – they all need to get married. We ask Allaah to guide us all. 

Majmoo’Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah, 20/421-422. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: 

There is a widespread habit whereby a girl or her father will refuse marriage to one who proposes to her so that she may complete her secondary or university education, or so that she may teach for a number of years. What is the ruling on that, and what is your advice to the one who does that? Some girls may reach the age of thirty and not be married. 

He replied: 

The ruling on that is that it is contrary to the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If there comes to you one with whose character and religious commitment you are pleased, then marry (your daughter or female relative under your care) to him.” (al-Tirmidhi, 1084). And he said: “O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and protecting one’s chastity.” 

Refusal to get married means losing out on the benefits of marriage. What I advise my Muslim brothers who are guardians of women, and my Muslim sisters, to do is not to refuse marriage for the sake of completing studies or teaching. A woman can stipulate that her husband let her stay in school until her studies have ended, or that he let her continue to work as a teacher for one or two years, so long as she is not busy with her children. There is nothing wrong with that. Moreover, the importance of a woman acquiring university-level knowledge in a field that we do not need is something that may be subject to further examination. 

What I think is that if a woman has completed the elementary level of education, and she knows how to read and write to such a level that she can benefit from reading the Book of Allaah and its tafseer, and reading the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and its commentary, then that is sufficient, unless she wants to study  fields of knowledge that the people need, such as medicine and the like, so long as there is nothing haraam in her studies and it does not involve mixing and the like.