Sharif University of Technology
دانشگاه صنعتی شریف
One of Iran's most selective engineering and science universities, filled almost entirely through the national Konkur exam.
- Founded
- 1966
- QS World Ranking
- #390
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
- 74 acres (about 30 ha)
About Sharif
Sharif University of Technology in Tehran was founded in 1966 as Aryamehr University of Technology, with four engineering departments (electrical, metallurgical, mechanical and chemical) and 412 students chosen by national examination. It was renamed after the 1979 revolution. It is a public university under Iran's Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, focused on engineering, the physical sciences and mathematics.
Sharif's own admissions page describes it as the first choice of many of Iran's top secondary-school graduates. Each year the national university entrance exam (Konkur) in the mathematics and physical sciences stream, taken by more than half a million candidates, fills about 1,000 undergraduate places at Sharif; the university reports that of one recent intake, 98 had ranked in the national top 100 and 600 in the top 1,000.
Its best-known graduate is Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win the Fields Medal. International admission is limited: Sharif says it hosts students of more than 15 nationalities at bachelor's and master's level and admits outstanding international applicants, but it publishes little current information in English on routes, fees or deadlines, and its website could not be reached from outside Iran during this review. The university suits exceptionally strong mathematics and physics students, overwhelmingly from Iran's own school system.
Why students choose Sharif
Extremely strong peer group: Sharif reports that 98 of one recent intake had ranked in the national top 100 of the Konkur.
A focused engineering and science university that grew from four founding engineering departments (electrical, metallurgical, mechanical and chemical) to about 16 main departments.
Alumni include Fields Medallist Maryam Mirzakhani and many Iranian engineers, scientists and public figures.
An international campus on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf, established in 2005, offers engineering and management degrees.
Admissions
2027-28 academic year
Selectivity
Sharif does not publish an acceptance rate. It reports that the national Konkur in the mathematics and physical sciences stream, with more than half a million participants, fills about 1,000 undergraduate places each year, and that of one recent intake 98 were in the national top 100 and 600 in the top 1,000.
Typical entry requirements
| Iranian Konkur (national university entrance exam) | Top national ranks in the mathematics and physical sciences stream; Sharif reports 600 of one recent intake ranked in the national top 1,000 |
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Deadlines
No 2027-28 international deadlines could be verified. Sharif's website was unreachable from outside Iran during this review, so check directly with the university's international affairs office.
How to apply
Iranian students are placed through the national Konkur. For international students, Sharif states that it admits outstanding applicants from around the world, with routes for undergraduate, graduate, transfer and visiting students, and it has an International Affairs office; current application details were not available on a reachable official page, so contact the university directly.
What admissions looks for
- For Iranian applicants, a very high national rank in the Konkur mathematics and physical sciences stream.
- For international applicants, strong academic records and individual merit, assessed competitively regardless of nationality.
Tips for applying to Sharif
- 1 Treat Sharif as a Konkur-driven university: almost all undergraduate places go to top-ranked Iranian exam candidates.
- 2 International applicants should contact Sharif's international affairs office directly, as up-to-date English admission and fee information is scarce.
- 3 Check current travel advice and your own government's rules on study in Iran before applying.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in IRR
Sharif does not publish tuition or scholarship information for international undergraduates on a page that could be reached for this review.
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Mathematical Sciences
Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win the Fields Medal, graduated in mathematics in 1999.
Electrical Engineering
One of the four founding departments of 1966.
Materials Science and Engineering (formerly Metallurgy)
A founding department; football star Ali Daei took a BSc in metallurgical engineering here.
Chemical Engineering
A founding department; chess grandmaster Elshan Moradi holds a BSc in chemical engineering.
Industrial Engineering
Sports broadcaster Adel Ferdosipour holds a master's in industrial engineering from Sharif.
Research
- Sharif runs an international campus on Kish Island, established in 2005, teaching engineering and management.
- Its founding in 1966 under Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi and later reform under Hossein Nasr drew on the model of MIT.
Schools & faculties
- Department of Electrical Engineering
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering (founded as Metallurgical Engineering)
- Department of Mathematical Sciences
- Department of Aerospace Engineering
- Department of Industrial Engineering
- International Campus (Kish Island): Faculty of Engineering and Science
- International Campus (Kish Island): Faculty of Management
Student life
Sharif's main campus is in the Tarasht neighbourhood of western Tehran, near Azadi Square and the Azadi Tower. It is a compact urban campus of about 30 hectares with a strongly academic culture, shaped by students who ranked near the top of the national entrance exam.
- Main campus close to Azadi Square, one of Tehran's main transport hubs.
- International campus on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf.
- Students of more than 15 nationalities at bachelor's and master's level.
Location
Tehran is Iran's capital and largest city, set against the Alborz mountains. Sharif's main campus is in the west of the city near Azadi Square and the Azadi Tower, a major transport hub. Prospective international students should check current travel and security advice for Iran.
Nearest airport: Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA)
Notable alumni
- MM Maryam MirzakhaniMathematician, first woman to win the Fields Medal; graduated in mathematics in 1999
- AD Ali DaeiFootball player and coach; BSc in metallurgical engineering
- AF Adel FerdosipourFootball commentator and TV presenter; master's in industrial engineering
- EM Elshan MoradiChess grandmaster; BSc in chemical engineering
- OK Omid KokabeePhysicist; undergraduate at Sharif from 2000
- AL Ali LarijaniPolitician and former Speaker of Iran's Parliament; BSc in computer science and mathematics
- ML Mohammad-Javad LarijaniPolitician and mathematical logician; studied electrical engineering
Frequently asked questions
How do you get into Sharif University of Technology?
Iranian students are admitted through the national Konkur exam. Sharif reports that about 1,000 undergraduate places are filled each year from more than half a million candidates in the mathematics and physical sciences stream.
Can international students study at Sharif?
Yes, but in small numbers. Sharif says it admits outstanding international students and hosts more than 15 nationalities, but it publishes little current English information on requirements, fees or deadlines.
Is Sharif taught in English?
Sharif's main Tehran programmes are part of the Iranian system; its international campus on Kish Island is the one Wikipedia lists as English-medium. Confirm the language of instruction for your programme with the university.
Who is Sharif University's most famous graduate?
Maryam Mirzakhani, who studied mathematics at Sharif, graduating in 1999, and became the first woman to win the Fields Medal.
How much does Sharif cost for international students?
Sharif does not publish international undergraduate fees on a page that could be reached for this review, so contact the university's international affairs office.
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.
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