Iran University of Science and Technology
دانشگاه علم و صنعت ایران
Iran's oldest engineering school, founded in 1929, with the country's only faculties of railway and automotive engineering.
- Students
- 12,556
- International
- 7%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 29:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €2,400
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1929
About IUST
Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) began in 1929 as the Governmental Technical Institute, the first Iranian institution set up to train engineers. It moved to its present campus in Narmak, north-east Tehran, in 1963 and took university status and its current name in 1978. In 1995 it awarded Iran's first PhDs in materials, metallurgical and traffic engineering.
IUST is organised into about 15 schools, most of them in engineering: electrical, mechanical, civil, industrial, computer, chemical, petroleum and gas, materials, architecture, and specialist schools of railway, automotive and progress engineering, alongside mathematics, physics and chemistry. It also has branch campuses outside Tehran, including Arak and Behshahr. THE's 2026 data counts about 12,600 students, around 7% of them international.
Most undergraduate places go to Iranian students, but IUST runs an International Campus that admits non-Iranian applicants to bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes through its own online portal. Teaching is in Persian: international bachelor's students spend their first two semesters on intensive Persian alongside mathematics and physics, then choose a major. On 28 March 2026 a university building was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike, as reported by AP and Anadolu Agency; international applicants should check current conditions and their own government's travel advice before applying. IUST suits students who want a technical, engineering-heavy degree in Tehran and are prepared to study in Persian.
Nothing is Impossible
University motto
Why students choose IUST
IUST has the only school of railway engineering in the Middle East and Iran's only school of automotive engineering.
It ranks joint 504th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, which the university reports as 4th in Iran.
International applications through apply.iust.ac.ir are free: there is no fee for applying, document review or the preliminary acceptance letter.
International tuition is published in euros per semester (the rial equivalent of EUR 1,200 per semester for bachelor's programmes), which is low compared with most engineering universities abroad.
Admissions
International bachelor's intake for the first semester of 2026-27 (1405-1406); 2027-28 details not yet published
Selectivity
IUST does not publish an acceptance rate. International applications are reviewed by the International Campus office and then by faculty departments on grades and CV quality, within the capacity each department sets; the rules say late applicants may lose priority.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school diploma (non-Iranian applicants) | Non-Iranian high school diploma holders are admitted to an international bachelor's route; applicants upload transcripts for the last three years of high school, a passport or ID copy and a photo. No minimum grade is published |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | A valid foreign passport and no Iranian citizenship; the rules say dual citizenship leads to cancellation of registration |
| Choice of major (bachelor's) | Admitted students take a common first year (Persian, Mathematics 1-2, Physics 1-2, English), then list up to 5 preferred majors; places are allocated on first-year GPA, credits passed and Persian proficiency score |
| English language | Teaching is in Persian. International bachelor's students take intensive Persian in their first two semesters (4 hours a day, 4-5 days a week) and continue Persian classes in semesters 3 and 4. Master's and PhD applicants must submit a Persian language course certificate, or complete at least one semester of language study before classes start. |
Deadlines
- International bachelor's applications, first semester 2026-27 Non-bindingOpened 25 July 2026; no closing date published
This is the 2026 intake and has now passed its opening; IUST has not yet announced the 2027-28 bachelor's round.
For 2026-27, IUST opened international bachelor's applications on 25 July 2026 (no closing date published). International master's applications closed on 26 June 2026, extended to 9 October 2026 (17 Mehr 1405) for some fields; PhD applications stay open until further notice. Dates for 2027-28 entry have not been published yet; watch apply.iust.ac.ir.
How to apply
Apply online at apply.iust.ac.ir, either individually or through an agency licensed by Iran's Student Affairs Organization. Upload diplomas, transcripts and a CV in Persian or English; after acceptance, obtain a clearance (SAORG code) from the Student Affairs Organization and register in person with transcripts translated into English and authenticated by an Iranian embassy or consulate.
What admissions looks for
- A complete academic record: the rules say applications without full transcripts get lower priority, and bachelor's applicants need their last three years of high school transcripts.
- Grades and CV quality, which the International Campus uses to screen files before passing them to faculty departments.
- Fit with a department's available capacity, since admission is capacity-based.
- Commitment to learning Persian: bachelor's students' Persian score counts when majors are allocated after the first year, and graduate applicants need a Persian course certificate.
Tips for applying to IUST
- 1 Apply early in the round: admission is capacity-based and IUST warns that late applicants may lose priority.
- 2 Get your diploma and transcripts translated into English and authenticated by an Iranian embassy or consulate in your home country before you travel, as they are required at registration.
- 3 If you hold Iranian citizenship as well as another nationality, you cannot use the international route; the rules say dual citizenship cancels registration.
- 4 Start Persian before arrival if you can: your Persian proficiency score, together with first-year grades, decides which of your up to 5 preferred majors you get.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
IUST does not publish scholarships for international undergraduates. Tuition is set in euros per semester and collected in Iranian rials at the rate the university approves for that semester (cash is not accepted); housing, meals and health insurance are paid separately by the student.
- Free
- Application and preliminary acceptance fee
- EUR 1,000, or EUR 1,200 for Computer Engineering, English Language Teaching, Management, Economics and Progress Engineering
- Master's tuition (per semester, 2026-27)
- EUR 1,200
- PhD tuition (per semester, 2026-27)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (autumn and spring)
Railway Engineering
Taught in the only school of railway engineering in the Middle East.
Automotive Engineering
IUST has the only school of automotive engineering in Iran.
Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
IUST awarded Iran's first PhDs in materials and metallurgical engineering in 1995.
Civil Engineering
One of the university's founding engineering disciplines, with departments ranging from geotechnics to highway and transportation engineering.
Architecture
IUST was for many years the only engineering university in Iran with a school of architecture.
Research
- IUST runs research centres in fields including automotive engineering, cement, electronics, materials and information technology.
- The university reports 12 research centres, nine centres of excellence and 19 specialised libraries.
- It is a member of the UT5 consortium of five leading Iranian technical universities.
- IUST is placed 201-300 in Mathematics in ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2026, the same band as in 2025.
Schools & faculties
- School of Electrical Engineering
- School of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Civil Engineering
- School of Computer Engineering
- School of Industrial Engineering
- School of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- School of Architecture and Environmental Design
- School of Railway Engineering
- School of Automotive Engineering
- School of Progress Engineering
- Schools of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry
Student life
IUST's main campus is a walled, tree-lined site in Narmak with red-brick faculty buildings, a central library and its own football stadium. Student life is shaped by the engineering majority and by Tehran around it. International students are supported by an International Students Office and the International Campus, which also refers students to Persian language courses. Housing, meals and health insurance are the student's own responsibility and are paid separately from tuition.
- The IUST Stadium, used mainly for football, is the university's main sports venue.
- A central library on campus, part of a network of 19 specialised libraries.
- An IUST Summer School and student exchange programmes run by the international affairs office.
- Satellite campuses in other Iranian cities, including Arak and Behshahr.
Housing. IUST's international admission rules state that housing and meals are the student's own responsibility; ask the International Students Office about options when you receive your acceptance letter.
Location
The main campus is on Hengam Street near Resalat Square in Narmak, a residential district of north-east Tehran. Tehran is Iran's capital and largest city, with a metro network and the Alborz mountains to the north. International students should check current travel advice and visa rules before committing, as the 2026 conflict involving Iran affected Tehran, including the IUST campus.
Nearest airport: Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA)
Notable alumni
- MA Mahmoud AhmadinejadSixth President of Iran and former Mayor of Tehran; BS, MS and PhD from IUST
- TM Tahmineh MilaniFilm director; BS 1986
- TN Touka NeyestaniPolitical cartoonist; BS
- HK Homayoun KhorramMusician, composer and violinist; BS
- JS Jalil ShahiCivil engineering professor, founder of Yazd University and former IUST president; BS
- MR Mohsen RezaeeFormer commander of the IRGC and secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council; BS
Frequently asked questions
Can international students study at Iran University of Science and Technology?
Yes. Non-Iranian applicants apply to bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes through IUST's International Campus portal at apply.iust.ac.ir. Applicants must hold a foreign passport and not have Iranian citizenship.
How much is IUST tuition for international students?
The rial equivalent of EUR 1,200 per semester for bachelor's programmes (EUR 2,400 a year), and EUR 1,000-1,200 per semester for master's programmes in 2026-27. Fees are published in euros and collected in Iranian rials at the university's approved rate.
Is IUST taught in English?
No. Teaching is in Persian. International bachelor's students spend their first two semesters on intensive Persian with mathematics and physics, and graduate applicants need a Persian course certificate or a semester of language study.
Is there an application fee at IUST?
No. IUST says that submitting an application, the document review and the preliminary acceptance letter are free of charge.
When is the IUST deadline for 2027 entry?
It has not been announced yet. For 2026-27, international bachelor's applications opened on 25 July 2026, so watch apply.iust.ac.ir from mid-2027.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- IUST International Affairs: IUST ranked 504th in QS World University Rankings 2027 (news, 1405/4/8)
- IUST International Affairs: international bachelor's admission opens for first semester 1405-1406 (news, 1405/5/3)
- IUST International Affairs: Student Admission
- IUST International Affairs (English home page)
- IUST International Affairs: Introduction
- IUST International Students Admission portal (bachelor's notice 1405-1406: EUR 1,200 per semester, first-year programme; master's extension to 17 Mehr 1405)
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