Ramadan Rahimi Dasht-Louie, a member of the Education Committee of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (Parliament), noted the 300% increase in tuition fees for medical sciences programs at Islamic Azad University, stating that students in these programs have become indebted to the university due to their inability to pay the fees.
On Sunday, December 22, Rahimi announced in an interview with the state-run ILNA news agency that the tripling of tuition fees for medical sciences at Islamic Azad University was abruptly announced, leaving the Parliament and the Ministry of Science uninformed.
This Majlis member stated that if Islamic Azad University intended to increase tuition fees, it should have been mentioned in the registration guide for entrance exams, adding that this decision has violated the rights of university entrance exam candidates.
He pointed out: “If candidates are admitted to medical sciences programs but do not register, they can no longer participate, and in this way, their rights are also violated.”
Students of medical sciences at Islamic Azad University have been staging protests since October 13 against the tuition fee hikes and the resulting economic pressures.
During this time, they have repeatedly protested in front of university buildings and various institutions, including the Majlis, the Presidential Office, the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, and the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education.
Rahimi called for the appointment of an oversight body by Massoud Pezeshkian to monitor Islamic Azad University, saying: “There must be clarity regarding supervision of tuition fees, activities, registrations, and all educational and training affairs of Islamic Azad University.”
Rahimi added that currently, there is no regulatory body in the executive branch to evaluate the performance of Islamic Azad University, and it is unclear which ministry, or agency should be addressed in case of issues at this university.
Tuition hikes at Islamic Azad University in recent years have also sparked student protests.
Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, President of Islamic Azad University, described tuition increases as natural in June 2022, stating: “We are a cost-revenue organization and do not rely on governments.”
Islamic Azad University was established in May 1982 on the proposal of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and is considered the wealthiest university in Iran.
The university’s expenses are funded through tuition fees from students, governmental and public contributions, and support from state institutions, as per its charter.
Tuition per semester for high-demand fields such as dentistry, pharmacy, and medicine has tripled, reaching 90 million rials (annually 180 million rials), approximately $1,168–$2,336. The total semester payment for these fields ranges from 112 million to 135 million rials ($1,455 to $1,754), with some universities also requiring 50%, 25%, or 10% of the next semester’s tuition upfront at the beginning of the first semester.
According to applicants in these fields, in higher semesters, tuition can reach 450 million rials (approximately $5,845), and by the end of their studies, they must pay 3 billion rials (approximately $39,000) to Islamic Azad University.
The minimum wage for a worker with two children in Iran is approximately $142.
