The foreign students' tuition fees in Iran are priced based on the exchange rate of the currency sold at the exchange center and are deposited into the universities' accounts. Currently, the selling rate of the dollar at this center is about 180,000 tomans, which is considered as the basis for calculating the tuition fees of foreign students.
Changes in the Tuition Calculation System
According to the cabinet's resolution, selected banks appointed by the central bank are required to receive the currency from foreign students and other applicants referred by universities and educational institutions, and to deposit it daily into the dedicated foreign currency accounts of these centers at the central bank. These changes have been made to facilitate the tuition payment process for foreign students and ensure timely deposit of foreign currency funds into the universities' accounts.
Since 2001, with the approval of the law regulating part of the financial regulations of the government, universities and higher education institutions have been allowed to admit foreign students and charge them tuition fees to cover part of their costs. This policy has created new opportunities for attracting international students to Iran's educational system.
New Tuition Fees and Their Impacts
According to the new resolution, the central bank is required to calculate the universities' foreign currency funds based on the selling rate of the currency at the exchange center and deposit them into their dedicated revenue accounts according to the schedule announced by the country's treasury. Currently, the selling rate of the dollar at the exchange center is 180,550 tomans and the selling rate of the euro is about 202,000 tomans.
The tuition fees for foreign students in Iran vary based on their field of study and educational level. However, the tuition for an undergraduate student in medical fields is set at approximately 3,000 to 7,000 dollars annually. With the exchange rate at the center, this amount will reach about 541 million to 1 billion 260 million tomans. This significant increase in costs could affect foreign students' decision-making regarding continuing their studies in Iran.
Overall, the new changes in the foreign students' tuition calculation system could have important consequences for universities and students. These developments, alongside other factors such as educational quality, student life, and job opportunities after graduation, could influence the process of attracting international students to Iran.
Read more: Sacrificial women in Imam Hussein Square (AS) have started their training · Yar Ahmadi: International support does not cover the costs of Iran's hosting of refugees
