Study and find schools in Iran

Studying in Iran

Iran's universities teach mainly in Persian (Farsi). For international students, the main routes are full degree programmes at Iranian universities, government scholarships and Persian language courses. Universities that accept foreign students work within national rules: international admissions, scholarships and student welfare are coordinated by the Student Affairs Organization (Sazman-e Omur-e Daneshjuyan) of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.

Studying in Iran involves more paperwork than in many other countries, mainly because of document legalisation and the student visa. Check your own government's travel advice and the current rules before you apply.

The education system

Higher education is supervised by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology; national entrance exams for Iranian students are run by the National Organization for Educational Testing. University degrees follow a sequence of levels, each of which is required for the next:

• Kardani: associate degree
• Karshenasi: bachelor's degree
• Karshenasi arshad: master's degree
• Doktora: doctorate (PhD)

Persian is the language of instruction at most programmes. Universities run Persian language centres (AZFA, short for teaching Persian to non-Persian speakers) for international students, and the Student Affairs Organization has classified these centres into five quality tiers.

Admission and recognition

Admission rules for self-funded international students are set by each university within the national framework. The University of Kashan, for example, admits non-Iranian, non-scholarship applicants in two stages: first an initial admission based on academic and identity documents, which does not yet give the right to enrol, and then a final admission after the Student Affairs Organization has issued a study permit. Its requirements include:

• Bachelor's degree: a secondary-school diploma equivalent to the end of Iranian secondary education, plus pre-university study
• Master's degree: a valid bachelor's degree and approval by the academic department
• Doctorate: valid bachelor's and master's degrees and approval by the academic department
• An interview with the academic department

Certificates and transcripts from the applicant's country must be certified by that country's embassy, by Iran's diplomatic mission and by Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and submitted with Persian and English translations. Secondary-school diplomas must also be validated by the Ministry of Education's centre for international affairs so they can be matched to Iranian pre-university study. At Kashan, the documents for final admission are due by the end of Esfand (around mid-March) for the first semester and by the end of Shahrivar (around mid-September) for the second.

Applications start online: at Kashan, the applicant registers the request on the university's admission system and receives a tracking code, then contacts the foreign-student admissions office to check that the file is complete. For non-Iranian applicants already living in Iran, the university allows three to six months after initial admission to obtain a study passport, a student visa and legal residence.

Admitted students who do not know Persian, or whose diploma comes from their own country, must complete a Persian course at a language centre at one of the universities designated by the Ministry of Science.

Student visa

Non-Iranian students who do not live in Iran must enter the country with a passport and a student visa (type E) and then complete their enrolment; the University of Kashan does not finalise enrolment until it has seen the student visa. The visa follows the university's admission and the Student Affairs Organization's approval. The organisation has reported joint work with Iran's immigration and passport police to make visa, residence and transit procedures easier for international students. Apply through the Iranian embassy or consulate in your country.

Costs and scholarships

International students who are not on a scholarship pay tuition fees, which the Student Affairs Organization handles as a separate service; fees are set per university and programme, so ask the university for the current amount in writing. The organisation also manages scholarships for international students, including monthly stipends and insurance for scholarship holders. Iranian students can apply to the Student Welfare Fund for educational and housing loans.

Where to study

Kashan, a historic city in central Iran, is home to the University of Kashan. It received its founding permit in the Iranian year 1352 (1973-74), and a year later 200 students began studying mathematics and physics there. Today it has faculties including Humanities, Physics, Architecture and Arts, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Literature and Foreign Languages, Chemistry, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Natural Resources and Earth Sciences, a university campus (pardis) and a Persian language centre for non-Persian speakers.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study in Iran without speaking Persian?

Most programmes are taught in Persian. Admitted students who do not know Persian usually have to take a Persian course at a university language centre designated by the Ministry of Science before starting their degree.

What visa do I need to study in Iran?

Students who live outside Iran need a student visa (type E). It is issued after the university and the Student Affairs Organization have approved the admission.

How do I get my documents accepted?

Diplomas and transcripts must be certified by your country's embassy, Iran's diplomatic mission and Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and translated into Persian and English.