WANA (Oct 05) – Iran’s Ministry of Science says universities across the country are now hosting students from 101 countries, with a long-term plan to expand foreign enrollment to 320,000 students by the end of the Seventh Development Plan.

 

Saeed Habiba, head of Iran’s Organization for Student Affairs, emphasized that the plan is being actively pursued at the highest levels of government, including by the President.

 

Habiba said that despite current economic and political challenges, Iran has developed a clear strategy to attract more international students. “We currently have 60,000 foreign students studying in Iranian universities, and applications continue to grow,” he added.

 

He highlighted that most of these students are from Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and India, and that their presence brings foreign currency income and supports Iran’s “knowledge economy.”

 

Experts note that Iran’s universities, with their strong academic capacity and history of international cooperation, offer a valuable opportunity for the country to promote scientific diplomacy and integrate international education into its broader strategic planning.

Iran Hosts 60,000 Foreign Students from 101 Countries. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Iran Hosts 60,000 Foreign Students from 101 Countries. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Tabriz University

Universities are seen as powerful instruments of academic diplomacy, opening doors to cultural, social, and scientific engagement with the wider world. The University of Tabriz, Iran’s second-oldest university, has in recent years successfully hosted several thousand international students, many of whom are expected to become informal ambassadors of Iran after graduation.

 

In recent years, East Azerbaijan Province has made notable progress in attracting foreign students as part of its intercultural academic strategy.

 

According to expert estimates, each international student at the University of Tabriz spends around $6,000 per semester on tuition and living costs — a meaningful contribution to Iran’s knowledge-based and educational economy. The number of international students is also a key metric in global university rankings, including those by Times Higher Education.

 

Over 3,800 Foreign Students Studying at the University of Tabriz

Mohammad-Taqi Alemi, President of the University of Tabriz, stated that more than 1,000 foreign students from various countries have graduated from the university to date.

WANA - Foreign Nationals students

Foreign National students. Social media/ WANA News Agency

“At present, over 3,800 international students from seven countries are studying at the University of Tabriz — a flagship institution and Iran’s second-oldest university, whose degrees are internationally recognized,” Alemi said.

 

The University of Tabriz, as the leading academic center in western and northwestern Iran, currently hosts students from Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, China, and Syria, playing an increasingly significant role in regional higher education.

 

Alemi added that 714 new foreign students were admitted this year, 85% of whom are Iraqi nationals. “After Qom University, the University of Tabriz now hosts the second-largest number of international students in Iran,” Alemi noted.

 

He also pointed out that, beyond public universities, about 60,000 international students are enrolled in the Islamic Azad University system, with Iraqi citizens accounting for nearly 80% of all foreign students in Iran.

 

According to the university’s data, the presence of these 3,800 foreign students brings in at least $60 million annually in tuition and related revenues.

 

The university began enrolling international students in 2016, starting with six students from Georgia and Azerbaijan, and since then, more than 1,000 international students have graduated from the institution.