The Study in Iraq Scholarship Program is run by Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR). It opens seats at more than 80 public and private Iraqi universities to international students, from Diploma level up to PhD. What makes it unusual is the structure. Instead of one all-or-nothing scholarship, there are three channels: Fully Funded, Half Funded and Self-Funded. Even the cheapest channel comes with free dormitory housing, visa and residency processing, and health insurance.
For Pakistani students, the obvious draw is medicine and engineering at a lower cost than many regional alternatives. The obvious risk is recognition and safety, which vary by university and city. This guide covers both sides. You can also read the full scholarship details on our scholarship page.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) |
| Funding | Fully Funded (100% tuition), Half Funded (50% tuition) or Self-Funded, all with free dorm, visa/residency and health insurance |
| Levels | Diploma, Bachelor's, Higher Diploma, Master's, PhD |
| Fields | All fields, including Medicine/MBBS, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering, Nursing, Sciences and Humanities |
| Deadline (2026 cycle) | Postgraduate: July 2026. Undergraduate: September 2026. Dates shift slightly each cycle, so confirm on the portal. |
| Country | Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region |
| Official site | studyiniraq.scrd-gate.gov.iq |
Three channels, one shared floor of support
Think of the program as a base package with tuition support layered on top. Every channel includes free dormitory accommodation, visa and residency permit processing, and health insurance for the duration of study. The difference is tuition:
- Fully Funded: a 100% tuition exemption on top of the base package.
- Half Funded: a 50% tuition exemption on top of the base package.
- Self-Funded: you pay tuition yourself, but still get the free dorm, visa/residency processing and health insurance.
There is one thing the package does not include, and it matters. The program does not list a cash stipend, and students are not permitted to work during their studies. So the housing and insurance are meant to replace outside income, not add to it. You will need your own money for food, transport, books and travel home. If your family cannot support those costs for the full length of the degree, the Fully Funded label alone will not get you through it. Our guide to bank statements and proof of funds is a useful reference for planning that budget.
Is it open to Pakistani students?
Yes. Eligibility is based on academic merit rather than nationality quotas. The basic conditions are:
- You are a non-Iraqi citizen, born to non-Iraqi parents.
- You have not previously obtained a seat at an Iraqi university.
- You hold a valid passport with at least 6 months of validity remaining.
- Your academic certificates are officially translated and legalized/attested before upload.
There is no HEC nomination quota and no embassy-run process for this program at the moment. You apply directly through the MoHESR portal, with no embassy interview and no third-country agent required. That is good news if you are tired of nomination rounds, but it also means nobody in Pakistan is checking your application before it goes in. Every mistake is yours to catch.
The grade and age thresholds for the Fully Funded channel
This is where most applicants should spend their time. The Fully Funded channel sets a minimum average and a maximum age for each field group.
| Fully Funded track | Minimum average | Maximum age |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Medicine | 90% | 25 |
| Undergraduate Dentistry / Pharmacy | 85% | 25 |
| Undergraduate Engineering / Nursing | 65% | 30 |
| Undergraduate Sciences / Humanities | 60% | 30 |
| Master's | 65% | 45 |
| PhD | 70% | 50 |
The Half Funded and Self-Funded channels carry progressively lower grade thresholds and relaxed or no age limits. Their exact numbers change by year, so check the current table on the official portal before deciding which channel to target.
A practical warning for FSc and A-level students. The thresholds are stated as percentages, and Pakistani results come in marks or CGPA. If you are close to the line for medicine or dentistry, confirm that your grade calculation matches Iraq's percentage system before you pick the Fully Funded channel. Assuming a borderline result will round up in your favour is how people waste their strongest university choices.
The engineering and nursing thresholds are much lower. A student with 65% who wants an engineering degree has a realistic shot at full tuition coverage here, which is not true of many fully funded programs elsewhere.
How the five university choices work
You can choose up to five universities in order of preference within a single application. Up to three of those choices go under the Fully Funded channel, and one each under Half Funded and Self-Funded. You do not file separate paperwork for each university.
The choices can mix institutions across the country: long-established public universities in Baghdad, Basra and Mosul, and Kurdistan Region institutions in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. Some Kurdistan universities, such as the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani and the University of Kurdistan Hewler, follow American-style, English-medium curricula.
Use the structure as a safety net. Put your ambitious picks in the Fully Funded slots, and include at least one university with lower entry thresholds as a safety option under the same channel. Then use the Half Funded and Self-Funded slots on places you would genuinely attend. A self-funded seat you cannot afford is not a backup.
Documents and the file size limits that trip people up
The portal asks for six items:
- Translated and legalized academic certificates and transcripts (PDF, max 2MB per file)
- A valid passport copy (max 7MB)
- Birth certificate or national ID
- A passport-style photograph (50x50mm, white background, no glasses)
- A signed written pledge/declaration statement
- Your Master's thesis (PhD applicants only, max 7MB)
Translation and legalization is the slow part. It can go through Iraq's embassy or consulate or an approved translator, and it routinely causes delays, so start weeks before you plan to apply. Pakistani applicants will usually also need their papers in order domestically first; our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide covers that side.
Then compress your files properly. Transcripts over 2MB will fail to upload, and so will a passport scan or thesis over 7MB. Check the photo rule too: 50x50mm is not the standard Pakistani passport photo size, and glasses are not allowed.
Applying on the MoHESR portal
The whole process is online at studyiniraq.scrd-gate.gov.iq.
- Get official translation and legalization of all academic certificates and identity documents.
- Create an account on the portal using a valid email address that you check regularly.
- Activate the account and complete the personal information, passport details and academic history sections.
- Select your funding channel and choose universities in order of preference (up to three for Fully Funded, one each for the other two channels).
- Upload all required documents in the specified file size and format.
- Submit before the channel-specific deadline, then watch the portal and your email for admission decisions and follow-up document requests.
Step six is easy to neglect. Follow-up requests come through the portal and email, and a missed request can stall an otherwise good application.
Timing for the 2026 cycle
For the 2026 cycle, the portal reopened in May 2026. The postgraduate deadline was July 2026 and the undergraduate deadline September 2026, with the academic year starting in September 2026. Dates shift slightly each cycle, so treat these as a guide to the pattern and confirm the current dates on the portal.
Do not plan around the stated deadline. Popular universities and medicine and engineering seats fill up before it. If you want one of those seats, have your translated documents ready before the portal opens in May and apply in the first weeks.
Who this suits, and what to check before you commit
This program makes the most sense for two groups. First, students with strong marks who want medicine, dentistry or pharmacy and are within the age limit. Second, engineering, nursing, science and humanities students whose marks are decent but not top-tier, since the thresholds there are within reach. Master's and PhD applicants also benefit from generous age limits of 45 and 50.
It suits you less if you need a monthly allowance or expect to work part-time. Neither is part of this program.
Before accepting any seat, do two checks. Recognition comes first. Degrees from MoHESR-recognized Iraqi universities can be assessed by PMDC/HEC on a case-by-case equivalence basis after graduation, the same as any other foreign medical or engineering degree. Recognition varies by institution, so research a target university's accreditation status and recognition history before you list it. Safety comes second. Iraq is still a developing study destination for South Asian students, and you should independently verify the situation in the specific city where your university is located. Once you have an admission, our article on student visa rejection reasons is also worth a read, even though visa processing is part of the package here.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Study in Iraq scholarship fully funded?
It can be. The Fully Funded channel gives a 100% tuition waiver, the Half Funded channel 50%, and the Self-Funded channel no tuition waiver. All three include free dormitory housing, visa/residency coverage and health insurance. No cash stipend is listed.
Can Pakistani students apply?
Yes. The program is open to any non-Iraqi citizen born to non-Iraqi parents who has not previously held a seat at an Iraqi university, with no nationality restriction.
What marks do I need for the Fully Funded medicine track?
A 90% average for undergraduate medicine, and you must be 25 or under. Half Funded and Self-Funded channels have progressively lower thresholds, which you should confirm on the portal for the current year.
Can I study in the Kurdistan Region through this program?
Yes. Kurdistan Region universities, including public universities in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, can be listed among your up-to-five choices on the same application.
Do I go through HEC or the Iraqi embassy?
No. There is currently no HEC nomination quota or embassy-run process. You apply directly on the MoHESR portal. The embassy or consulate may still be involved in legalizing your documents.
Can I work while studying in Iraq?
No. Students are not permitted to work during their studies under this program, so plan your living costs in advance.
Check the Study in Iraq official portal and the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for the current cycle, and see the Study in Iraq scholarship page for the full details.