TEHRAN – The National Education Assessment Organization, in cooperation with the Organization of Students Affairs, held the first Persian language proficiency test for international students in Tehran on Thursday.

On January 24, Abbas Qanbari-Baghestan, an official with the Organization of Student Affairs, said attaining a specified score in learning the Persian language will be a key requirement for foreign students to be admitted to Iranian universities from the next academic year, which will start in fall 2026.

The test includes listening, speaking, and writing sections, he added.

Highlighting the importance of providing quality education for international students, the official said Persian language teaching centers play a key role in attracting foreign students and preparing them to major in universities. So, they should do their best to employ experienced professors to provide the best educational courses to help foreign students learn the Persian language.

Nearly 60,000 foreign students are currently studying in Iranian universities, compared with 35,000 students in the past Iranian academic year, which started on September 22, 2024.

Despite existing challenges, Iran has managed to attract students from 101 countries, Saeed Habiba, the head of the Organization of Student Affairs, said in October 2025.

The scientific capacity of the country’s universities and their positive record in international cooperation are a valuable opportunity that must be seized to transform the presence of foreign students into a national discourse and strategic planning, the official said, adding that the students are mainly from Afghanistan, India, Iraq, and Pakistan.

MT/MG