Foreign students studying in Iran rise to 35,000

TEHRAN –A total of 35,000 foreign students are studying in Iranian universities in the current academic year that started on September 22, compared with 27,000 students last year, an official with the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology has said.

“Last year, students from 90 countries were studying in the country. Iranian universities are hosting students from different nations including Japan, China, Palestine, Syria, Bahrain, Iraq, India, Lebanon, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, as well as European countries, IRNA quoted Kianoush Suzanchi as saying.

He made the remarks at the graduation ceremony of foreign students held inthe city of Shiraz on Thursday.

“Almost 62 percent of the students who are studying in Iran are post-graduate students; we are about to fulfill our goals in scientific authority,” the official noted.

The official called foreign students to promote Persian language in their homelands. 

New services to be provided for foreign students

In March, Hashem Dadashpour, the former head of the Organization of Student Affairs, said that the organization would offer new services to foreign students studying in the country’s universities, ISNA reported.

Moreover, online language learning systems would be launched for applicants to take Persian language courses before entering Iran and prepare to study in universities, he added.

In September 2023, Dadashpour said the ministry of science was planning to increase the number of international students to some 320,000 from currently around 100,000 by 2026.

“There was an increase in the number of international students over the sixth National Development Plan (2017-2021). The seventh development plan (2022-2026) has also put increasing the figure to around 320,000 on the agenda,” he explained.

“Strengthening scientific authority, developing public diplomacy, and expanding the Persian language are the three main reasons for attracting international students,” Dadashpour said, IRIB reported.

He went on to say that the principle of attracting international students is a major strategy and plan for the Ministry of Science.”

Dadashpour stressed that the international campus of universities is the center of attracting international students and managing their affairs, but all university vice-chancellors are responsible for international students as much as Iranian students.

He pointed out that “International students’ attendance at the cultural events of the university helps Iranian students to get more familiar with them and their culture.”

“Also, international students can have their own cultural and artistic organization.”

The infrastructure of the university, educational and cultural planning, and the university staff should all attract students in a way that gives them a different positive view of Iran as they get back home.

The deputy head of the student affairs organization considered it important to provide suitable centers and platforms for teaching the Persian language to international students in universities.

Dadashpour stated, “Learning the Persian language is an important precondition for studying in Iran.”

The 61st meeting was held with the motto of cultural transformation of the university and smart governance.

Iranian universities recent global ranking 

For the second consecutive year, Iran ranked second with 87 universities included in the D-8 group universities in 2023.

D-8, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for development cooperation among eight Islamic nations, namely Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.

Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings (ISR)  placed 29 Iranian universities among top institutions worldwide for interdisciplinary science research.

ISR is a project launched in association with Schmidt Science Fellows; it ranked a total of 749 universities from 92 countries.

University of Tehran with a global ranking of 77 was placed first in the country. 

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings placed 32 Iranian universities in the list of top universities in 2025, compared to 31 universities in 2024.

Published annually since 2009, the QS Asia University Rankings highlight the top universities in Asia each year. 

University of Tehran (with a global ranking of 87) is placed first among Iranian universities, followed by Sharif University of Technology (ranking 97 globally) and Amirkabir University of Technology (ranking 114 globally), Mehr news agency reported.

Isfahan University of Technology, Shiraz University, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, University of Tabriz, Shahid Beheshti University, and University of Isfahan are ranked fourth to tenth, respectively. 

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 placed 85 Iranian universities among the top institutions compared to 75 universities in 2024.

The 2025 rankings include 2,092 ranked universities from 115 countries. 

Sharif University of Technology ranked first in the country with a global ranking of 301-350.

Amirkabir University of Technology, and Iran University of Science and Technology (ranking globally 351 –400) were placed second.

Courtesy of Tehran Times