Cost of education in Iran

Studying abroad hasalways been one of the most rewarding experiences regardless of some might-bechallenges like the cost. We are always looking forward to seizing betterchances to improve our prospective life, the core of which is education.Depending on the country we opt for continuing our education, the number ofrewards should outweigh the ones of challenges, especially in a matter of thecost. There are some other factors like the safety of the region, reasonablecost of living, a variety of decent universities with the option of winning ascholarship, and of course, how much it is easy to get that scholarship. Let'selaborate on the points and see how much its options are satisfactory forforeign students in Iran, mostly regarding the cost of education in Iran.

The eligibility of theuniversities in Iran has been world-famous due to the services they offer.There are many decent and top universities that welcome students from all overthe world, especially some countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, China, Syria,India, Russian, Pakistan, and many more like. Taking a glance at the overviewsof the universities and the people's comments, you see how beneficial it is tostudy in Iran for Pakistani students as an example. According to statistics,around 40 thousand foreign students are studying in Iran in different topuniversities like Amirkabir, and this number is growing every year. But whyIran?

About Iran

Iran, which is located inWestern Asia, is a mountainous and geographically significant country. It isbordered by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to the north and the PersianGulf to the South. It holds an important position in the region due to itslarge reserves of petroleum and natural gas. It is the 18th largest country,and the population is over 81 million.

It has a great cultureand civilization that dates back to 5000 years ago. The official language isPersian, but you can hear different languages and dialects like Arabic,Turkmen, Gilaki, Kurdish, Armenian, and more. It is home to ancient and modernart, literature, music, and architecture. It is a total wonder for foreigners.

Cost ofliving in Iran

One of the reasons thatdraw students to study in such a wonderland is the affordable cost of livingand the cost of education in Iran, especially when compared with the othercountries. Renting a one-bedroom apartment in a megacity costs about $500 amonth that can be reduced to $300 in case you choose a location outside themajor cities. The cost of utilities, food, public transportation, andentertainment is within your budget.

Why studyin Iran

There are many different reasons that attract students to study in Iran, but the most importantone is a wide range of courses offered in universities that is a push factorfor the international students, courses mostly in chemistry, medicine,engineering, and physics. Many students are interested in studying the cultureand history of Iran, which is why they choose this country. Although it is highlycompetitive for the students to get admission to state-funded universities orscholarships, if they win, they don't pay for tuition or boarding unless theywant to attend Azad university that is self-funded and independent.

In Iran, universitieshave both scholarship and non-scholarship programs, but first, let's name someof the decent universities. To choose the best universities, you need to befamiliar with the most prominent ones; the University of Tehran, AmirkabirUniversity, Tarbiat Modarres University, Iran University of Science andTechnology, Shiraz University, Shahid Beheshti University, and many more. Asyou see, Amirkabir is the second top university in Iran and holds the 477 ranksby Q.S. of the top 1000 universities of the world and. Why is it so?

AboutAmirkabir University of Technology (AUT)

It is known as or TehranPolytechnic, which was established in 1928. It has fallen behind by theburgeoning growth of technology. The number of courses and departments has beenincreasing from five during the first five years to fifteen science andengineering departments in which many courses are offered.

The main departments areAerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, CivilEngineering, Computer Engineering, and Information Technology, ElectricalEngineering, Industrial Engineering, Marine Technology, Mathematics, andComputer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy Engineering,Physics and Nuclear Science, Polymer Engineering, Textile Engineering, and PetroleumEngineering. Each department offers a wealth of academic and non-academicfacilities like equipped libraries, sports facilities, online courses, distantlearning opportunities, and also administrative services.

The students, both males,and females are admitted in three different levels, Bachelor, Master, andDoctoral degrees. There are about 500 staff members whose politeness anddetermination have made them famous. So, if you contact the Admission Office ofthe Amirkabir University of Technology or click on www.aut.ac.ir, you can get any kind of information regarding registration,scholarships, the courses, and whatever you name it. 

How to geta scholarship

To win a scholarship amongmany candidates is like participating in a big competition. First and foremost,you need to know where to look; your chosen university's official website.Preparing as far in advance as possible has a great role in winning it. Therequired documents within the expected time had better be prepared, and youshould check whether you need to attend an interview or not. During theprocess, it is a must for you to work hard and keep motivated. If you can proveyour talent and prodigy via the documents presented or the interview, you canstand out from very many applicants. It can be done by having leadershipskills, doing some extracurricular volunteer activities, and of course, lettersof recommendation.

If you don't want to loseany little chance, it is recommended to read the instructions of theapplications and the application guidance with a lot of care. Having done that,when it is time to submit the form, add an exceptional essay or cover letter,which should be concise, impressive, focused on key terms with no spelling orgrammar mistakes. Overall, you should be realistic. It is a competition thathas both winners and losers. But, if you win, you don't need to pay the cost ofeducation in Iran.

What isrequired?

Initially, you need tofill in the application form, and after preparing some documents in addition tothe above-mentioned ones, you can submit them all. Some documents like,

1. Certificates of your completed documents that must be officially issued;
2. Transcripts of the courses and grades you completed in each semester. They should be officially credited and issued;
3. Any documentations like dissertations, essay summaries, and letters of recommendation;
4. A copy of the page in your passport that shows personal data and photographs.
5. An officially issued document showing you have a good command of the Persian language; otherwise, you must participate in Persian language classes for about three months.

It should be pointed outthat all the documents should be translated and submitted in both languages,Persian and English. The translated documents must be stamped by theauthorities like the Ministry of the Justice Administration and JusticeAdministration. Beware that the university must verify the transcripts. Theoriginal documents should be scanned, not the copies. When you scan thedocuments, both the front and back sides must be scanned and submitted. Thepersonal information presented on the documents should be the same, like yourname, birth date, and so on. Since the university authorities check the authenticityof your documents, proofread them all before submitting them.  

Generally speaking, youshould be academically eligible to get the scholarship and minimize the cost ofeducation in Iran. Your CV and documents are studied concisely. Anyway, for B.A.or BSc, you must be under 24 years old and for M.A. or MSc under 28, and 31 forPh.D. The required GPA for B.A. and M.A. in Technology, Engineering, and BasicSciences are 14 out of 20. This number increases to 16 for Ph.D.

Therequirements for a student visa

To get a student visa,Iran has its own policies and regulations that are easy to maintain. Whoeverwishes to study in Iran can get a student visa by going through a specialprocess. The documents needed are as follows:

1. Two application forms;
2. A passport that is valid for six months;
3. Two recent photographs;
4. Visa fee;
5. And a form of acceptance from an accredited university or educational center.

You may be interviewed,so be prepared. To increase the likelihood of winning the scholarship, beginthe process of getting a visa as early as possible in order to be matched withthe time schedule of the university you want to attend. Do not postponeanything up to the last moment. Be the first on the line. However, if you don'thave a chance to win the scholarship but are still interested in beingbenefited from the great services of Iranian universities, Amirkabiruniversity, to be exact, you should know something about approximate tuition.

Tuitionfees

If you want to getadmission from private and self-funded Iranian universities, like Azaduniversity, you need to pay the tuition fee and also all the expenses relatedto your education and also the ones related to life. In case you are chosen asa top student and can achieve seniority, you might be able to get ascholarship. However, tuition fee for international students can be summarizedas follows:

If you are from anon-Persian-speaking country and interested in majoring in Humanities, Socialand Behavioral Sciences, each semester, you need to pay 1250 dollars. Thisnumber increases to 2300 dollars for those of you who register in Arts,Engineering, Basic Sciences, Agriculture, and Veterinary Medicine. Studentsfrom Persian-speaking countries pay less than the amount mentioned for studyingin the same majors.

If it happens that youdon't have any course credits, tuition fees will be calculated based on somefactors. If your degree is Ph.D. and you are waiting for the ComprehensiveExam, the fixed tuition is 50% of the full tuition in addition to full tuition feesfor a semester. The condition is the same if you are waiting for the approvalof the proposal except that you need to pay just 50% of fixed tuition fees. Thetuition for dissertation equals full tuition fees for 4 semesters afterapproval of the proposal plus 50% of Fixed tuition fees for subsequentsemesters.

If your degree is M.A. orM.Sc., the tuition for the thesis is full tuition fees for 2 semesters afterapproval of the proposal in addition to 50% of fixed tuition fees forsubsequent semesters. It should be notified that tuition fees should be paidfully.

Accommodationand the cost

Where to stay while youare in another country for education is so important. It should be convenientenough not to distract you from studying. It's worth noticing thatinternational students can benefit from high-quality accommodation. You havetwo options; student dormitories and private accommodation. However, you mayneed to have your own blankets, pillows, sheets, and some kitchen utensils.

Most dormitories are fullyfurnished with double rooms and a shared kitchen, bathroom, and living room.The laundry facilities are shared too. Females and males live in separatebuildings. If you check everything in advance through the officialwebsite, www.aut.ac.ir, you can comeprepared. 

The quality, facilitiesand the price of a private accommodation depend on where you choose to live.Finding a place, you should sign a contract covering the length of the rental,the monthly rent, and every detail you and your landlord agreed on. But, keepin mind that you should never transfer the money before you see the flat andsign the contract. 

Amirkabir universityoffers 8 dormitories for boys, 8 for girls, and 4 family dorms. They are facilitatedwith free unlimited Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, on-site convenience store,facilities for table tennis, darts, foosball, chess and etc. you can fully beinformed just by clicking on the site. So, talking about education, Iran is oneof the best choices.