Universities in Iraq

Universities in Iraq are public or private, and most of them fall under the federal Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) in Baghdad. According to Study in Iraq, the ministry's portal for foreign students, higher education is provided by universities, colleges, higher institutes and technical institutes. The Kurdistan Region in the north has its own Ministry of Higher Education, which runs the universities there.

Iraqi universities have started to recruit foreign students actively. Through the Study in Iraq initiative, public and private universities offer places with full scholarships, half scholarships or at the student's own cost. Teaching is mainly in Arabic, with a growing number of tracks in other languages.

How it works

The Study in Iraq portal lists the qualifications available to foreign students:

• Diploma
• Bachelor's degree: usually four years of full-time study, longer in some fields
• Higher diploma
• Master's degree: usually one to three years of full-time study, often ending with a thesis or research project
• Doctorate (PhD)

The public sector includes comprehensive universities and four technical universities (Northern, Middle, Al-Furat Al-Awsat and Southern), which teach applied and engineering programmes. Private universities and university colleges need the ministry's approval and are supervised by its Private University Education Directorate. Quality is overseen by the ministry's Supervision and Scientific Evaluation Apparatus, which is working on programme-level accreditation. In September 2026 the ministry reported that 32 Iraqi universities appear in the Times World University Rankings 2027.

Examples from our directory: the University of Baghdad states that it was founded in 1908 and is the oldest university in Iraq; its Faculty of Law dates from 1908 and its Faculty of Engineering from 1921. The University of Mosul, in the north, has a Bologna Process office, student dormitories and an officially accredited IELTS test centre. Iraq University College in Basra is a private institution established in the 2004-05 academic year with the ministry's approval; its departments range from civil and power engineering to law, cyber security, artificial intelligence and business. The University of Thi-Qar in Nasiriyah is one of the public universities on the Study in Iraq portal, and Koya University is in the Kurdistan Region.

Admission

Iraqi school leavers enter public universities through the ministry's central admission system. International students apply through the Study in Iraq portal: they create an account, choose a university and a level of study, and follow the application guide published on the portal. The ministry also publishes a universities guide for students outside Iraq. Universities in federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region exchange students too: in September 2026 the two ministries agreed to raise mutual admission places from 400 to 1,000 per side for undergraduates and from 100 to 250 for postgraduates.

Most programmes require good Arabic. Some universities now teach in other languages: the University of Baghdad opened an English-language law track for first-year students in 2026-27, after an earlier French-language track. English-taught programmes may ask for a test score, and the University of Mosul's IELTS centre is one place to take it. Ask the university which documents it needs to recognise your school-leaving certificate or degree.

The Iraqi e-visa is valid for 30 days, so it is meant for short stays. Students admitted to a full programme should ask the university's scholarships and cultural relations office, and the Iraqi embassy in their country, which visa and residence permit they need.

Costs and funding

Study in Iraq offers three funding routes:

• Full scholarship: covers study costs and accommodation
• Half scholarship: covers half of the study costs
• Self-funded study: the student pays the fees, which the ministry describes as low

The portal does not publish fee amounts. Private institutions set their own fees; Iraq University College, for example, publishes its admissions, fees and tuition for the 2026-27 academic year on its website. Ask each university for the current fee for your programme.

How to choose

• Language: check whether the programme is taught in Arabic, English or another language, and what level is required.
• Public or private: public universities take part in the scholarship scheme; private colleges set their own fees and need ministry approval.
• Type of programme: a comprehensive university, a technical university or a specialised university college.
• Region: federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have separate ministries and admission rules.
• Accommodation: ask whether the university has dormitories for foreign students, as the University of Mosul does.

Frequently asked questions

Can foreign students study at Iraqi universities?

Yes. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research accepts applications from foreign students through the Study in Iraq portal, from diploma to PhD level.

Are there scholarships for international students in Iraq?

Yes. Study in Iraq offers full scholarships, which cover study costs and accommodation, half scholarships, which cover half of the study costs, and self-funded places.

Can I study in English in Iraq?

Only in some programmes. Most teaching is in Arabic, but the University of Baghdad, for example, has opened an English-language law track from 2026-27.

How long does a bachelor's degree take in Iraq?

Usually four years of full-time study, although some fields take longer.