Announcement of Validity for Ministry of Health Approved University List for 2026

The Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran, in its latest announcement published today, April 15, 2026, declared that the list of universities approved by this ministry for the 2025-2026 academic year is also legally valid for the 2026-2027 academic year entrants. This decision was made to create stability in candidate planning and to prevent confusion among applicants for study abroad [1].

Details of Ministry of Health Announcement No. 186087 According to this announcement, all individuals intending to begin their studies at foreign universities in the 2026-2027 academic year must select their destination university from the previously approved list. This list includes universities evaluated based on three prestigious international rankings: QS, Times, and Shanghai. The extension of last year's list validity means that no new universities have been added, and previous universities have maintained their status until further notice [1][2].

Importance of Choosing a University from the Approved List Students must note that studying at universities outside this list will have serious consequences. According to the regulations of the Educational Services Center, academic degrees issued by non-approved universities will not be evaluated in Iran under any circumstances. This means the inability to work in the Iranian healthcare system, no permission to establish a private practice, and the inability to participate in specialty exams. Furthermore, currency facilities and military service educational exemptions are only granted to students studying at approved universities [2][3].

Evaluation Criteria and Potential Changes The Ministry of Health emphasized that the list of approved universities is reviewed periodically based on changes in global rankings. However, for 2026 entrants, the 2025 list will remain the criterion. Applicants are required to personally inquire about the status of their desired university through the official portal of the Ministry of Health before taking any action to obtain admission or paying registration fees to student recruitment agencies [1].

Conditions for Transferring to the Country One of the common questions from students is the possibility of transferring to domestic medical universities. According to the resolutions of the Supreme Council for Medical Sciences Planning, transferring a student from abroad to the country is only possible if the student was enrolled in one of the Ministry of Health's approved universities at the start of their studies and meets other general and specific conditions, including minimum grade requirements and completing specific units [3]. The extension of the current list's validity provides the necessary transparency for candidates intending to return to the country.