University of Baghdad
جامعة بغداد
Iraq's oldest and largest public university, admitting international students through the national Study in Iraq programme.
- Students
- 62,622
- Student–faculty
- 10:1
- ratio
- Founded
- 1957
- QS World Ranking
- 801-850
- 2027 edition
About UoBaghdad
The University of Baghdad is Iraq's first and largest public university. It was formally established in 1957, bringing together older colleges that include the College of Law (1908), the College of Engineering (1921) and the College of Medicine. The university dates its own history from the 1908 law college. Its best-known campus, at Al-Jadriya on a bend of the Tigris, was master-planned by Walter Gropius's firm, The Architects' Collaborative, and is entered through the landmark open arch.
Today the university has 26 colleges, 4 institutes and 11 research centres, spread over several campuses in Baghdad. It reports 62,622 students, including 9,379 postgraduates, and 8,201 faculty members. Its medical group includes the College of Medicine, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, and the Colleges of Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing and Veterinary Medicine. The university offers 178 bachelor's, 252 master's and 155 PhD programmes.
Iraqi students enter through the Ministry of Higher Education's central admission system. International students apply through the ministry's Study in Iraq programme, which offers fully funded, half-funded and self-funded places. It suits students who want a recognised Iraqi degree, especially in medicine, engineering, sciences or Arabic and Islamic studies, and who are ready to handle the country's visa and residency procedures.
Why students choose UoBaghdad
Fully funded Study in Iraq scholarships cover tuition, university accommodation and the Iraqi entry visa fee.
A broad medical group: two medical colleges plus dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and veterinary medicine.
178 bachelor's programmes across 26 colleges, from engineering and sciences to law, languages, fine arts and Islamic sciences.
The Al-Jadriya campus, designed by Walter Gropius's firm, sits on the Tigris in central Baghdad.
Admissions
2026-27 Study in Iraq cycle (latest published); 2027-28 dates not yet announced
Selectivity
The university does not publish an acceptance rate. Iraqi students are placed through the Ministry's central admission system based on their secondary-school results. For international students, the Study in Iraq guide sets minimum school averages that depend on the programme and funding channel.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school certificate (full scholarship) | At least 90% for General Medicine, 85% for Dentistry and Pharmacy, 70% for Nursing, health technologies and Engineering, 65% for other programmes; applicants aged 25 or under for Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, 30 or under for other programmes |
|---|---|
| Secondary school certificate (half scholarship) | At least 85% for General Medicine, 80% for Dentistry and Pharmacy, 65% for Nursing and Engineering, 60% for other programmes; age limits of 30 or 35 depending on programme |
| Secondary school certificate (self-funded channel) | At least 80% for General Medicine and 75% for Dentistry and Pharmacy; no minimum average and no age limit for other programmes |
| Iraqi students | Central admission through the Ministry of Higher Education, based on the Iraqi secondary examination average |
Deadlines
- Study in Iraq: undergraduate applications (2026-27 cycle) Non-bindingEnd of September (2026-27 cycle)
The 2026-2027 guide says applications usually open in February or March each year, close in July for postgraduate study and at the end of September for undergraduate study. Dates are announced on the Ministry's official websites.
Study in Iraq sets and announces the dates each year. The latest guide (2026-2027) describes a February or March opening and an end-of-September undergraduate deadline; watch the Study in Iraq platform for the 2027-28 announcement.
How to apply
International students apply only online through the Ministry of Higher Education's Study in Iraq platform (studyiniraq.scrd-gate.gov.iq). You can list up to five university choices: three for the fully funded channel (compulsory), one for the half-funded channel and one for the self-funded channel. Upload school certificates with full transcripts, translated into Arabic or English and authenticated by the issuing country's education and foreign ministries and the Iraqi embassy or cultural attaché. You also need proof of identity, a health certificate no more than three months old, and a signed undertaking. Admitted students receive a 60-day entry visa and then a one-year study residence permit, renewed annually.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary school average above the minimum for your programme and funding channel: highest for Medicine, then Dentistry and Pharmacy.
- An age within the limit for scholarship channels (for example 25 or under for a fully funded medicine place).
- Correctly authenticated and translated certificates; applications with major errors, such as a mismatched certificate, are rejected.
- Medical fitness: the Study in Iraq guide says admission is cancelled for contagious or study-preventing illnesses found in the arrival medical check.
Tips for applying to UoBaghdad
- 1 Use all five choices on the Study in Iraq form: three fully funded, one half-funded and one self-funded, to improve your chances.
- 2 Get your school certificate authenticated by your education ministry, foreign ministry and the Iraqi embassy or cultural attaché well before the deadline.
- 3 Fully funded scholarships still leave you paying application fees and health insurance, so budget for those.
- 4 Colleges of Education for Women and the College of Science for Women admit female students only, so check each college before choosing.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in IQD
Study in Iraq offers three channels for international students at the University of Baghdad. Fully funded scholarships cover tuition, accommodation and the Iraqi entry visa fee, while students pay application fees and health insurance. Half-funded scholarships cover 50% of tuition. The self-funded channel charges full tuition. Fees on both paid channels are charged yearly in Iraqi dinars or the equivalent in US dollars, but neither the university nor the platform publishes the amounts online.
- Tuition, accommodation and entry visa fee covered; student pays application fee and health insurance
- Fully funded scholarship (Study in Iraq)
- 50% of tuition covered, paid annually in IQD or USD equivalent
- Half-funded scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters; the academic calendar is set by the Ministry of Higher Education
General Medicine (College of Medicine and Al-Kindy College of Medicine)
Two medical colleges, with the highest Study in Iraq thresholds: a 90% school average for a fully funded place.
Engineering (College of Engineering and Al-Khwarizmi College of Engineering)
Engineering has been taught since 1921, and international scholarship applicants need a 70% average.
Law
The College of Law, founded in 1908, is the oldest of the university's constituent colleges.
Dentistry and Pharmacy
Professional medical-group degrees requiring an 85% average for a fully funded international place.
Laser and genetic engineering (postgraduate institutes)
Specialist institutes for laser studies and for genetic engineering and biotechnology sit alongside the colleges.
Research
- Research centres include the Iraqi National Cancer Research Center, the Natural History Museum and Research Center, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
- The university publishes ten scientific journals indexed in Scopus, according to the Study in Iraq guide 2026-2027.
- Specialist postgraduate institutes cover laser studies, genetic engineering and biotechnology, accounting and financial studies, and urban and regional planning.
Schools & faculties
- College of Medicine
- Al-Kindy College of Medicine
- College of Dentistry
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Engineering
- Al-Khwarizmi College of Engineering
- College of Science
- College of Law
- College of Administration and Economics
- College of Languages
- College of Fine Arts
- College of Education for Pure Science (Ibn al-Haitham)
The university runs a Rehabilitation and Employment unit (career.uobaghdad.edu.iq). It does not publish graduate employment rates.
Student life
Most students are Iraqi, and campus life centres on the colleges and the large Al-Jadriya campus by the Tigris. Other colleges sit on campuses elsewhere in the city. A Student Activities Department runs competitions, arts and sports programmes. The university has a health centre, a central library, a museum and an interactive campus map. University dormitories, including the Al-Jadriya complex for women, are managed by a dedicated internal housing department. Fully funded international students receive accommodation as part of their scholarship.
- Al-Jadriya campus with its landmark open arch, designed by The Architects' Collaborative.
- Student Activities Department organising arts, cultural and sports competitions.
- Separate women's colleges for education, science and physical education.
- University museum and Natural History Museum and Research Center.
Housing. The university runs student dormitories (internal sections), including a women's housing complex at Al-Jadriya, and fully funded Study in Iraq scholars are given university accommodation.
Location
Baghdad is Iraq's capital and largest city, on the Tigris in central Iraq; the university puts its population at about 8 million. The university's colleges are spread across several campuses in the city, the largest at Al-Jadriya. Official travel advice, as of 30 September 2026: the UK government (FCDO, page last updated 22 July 2026) advises against all but essential travel to Baghdad province and against all travel to Sadr City. Check your own government's advice and your insurance before travelling.
Nearest airport: Baghdad International Airport (BGW)
Notable alumni
- AW Abdurrahman WahidFourth President of Indonesia; studied at the University of Baghdad on scholarship
- AO Ahmad ObeidatFormer Prime Minister of Jordan; bachelor's degree (1961)
- SA Sinan Al ShabibiGovernor of the Central Bank of Iraq (2003-2012); BSc in economics (1966)
- DG Donny George YoukhannaArchaeologist and former Director General of Iraq's National Museum; BA, MA and PhD in prehistoric archaeology
- SA Suad al-AttarPainter and printmaker; studied at Baghdad University, and her Baghdad show was the first solo exhibition by a woman artist in Iraq
- HN Hisham N. AshkouriArchitect and urban designer; Bachelor of Architecture, first in class (1970)
Frequently asked questions
How do international students apply to the University of Baghdad?
Through the Ministry of Higher Education's Study in Iraq platform, choosing up to five universities across the fully funded, half-funded and self-funded channels. Admitted students receive an entry visa and then an annual study residence permit.
Does the University of Baghdad offer scholarships to international students?
Yes. Fully funded Study in Iraq scholarships cover tuition, accommodation and the entry visa fee, and half-funded scholarships cover 50% of tuition. Students pay application fees and health insurance.
What grades do I need for medicine at the University of Baghdad as an international student?
The 2026-2027 Study in Iraq guide sets a 90% secondary school average for a fully funded General Medicine place (age 25 or under), 85% for a half-funded place and 80% for the self-funded channel.
When is the Study in Iraq deadline?
In the 2026-27 cycle, applications usually opened in February or March and closed at the end of September for undergraduates. The Ministry announces each year's dates on its official websites.
Is it safe to study in Baghdad?
Check official travel advice before you decide. As of 30 September 2026, the UK FCDO's Iraq advice (last updated 22 July 2026) advises against all but essential travel to Baghdad province and against all travel to Sadr City.
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.
- University of Baghdad: Scholarships for international students (non-Iraqi)
- Study in Iraq: International Student Guide 2026-2027 (Ministry of Higher Education, PDF)
- Study in Iraq platform (Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research)
- University of Baghdad: University Statistics
- University of Baghdad: About
- University of Baghdad: Students and Graduates
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to UoBaghdad in the QS World University Rankings 2027.