Help Iraq / Services / Education / Tertiary Education

Tertiary Education

Refugees and asylum-seekers can access tertiary education as foreign students in Iraq.

  • Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI): Per government directive, unless a refugee or asylum-seeker student completed their secondary schooling inside KRI, those wishing to enrol in a KRI university must first equalize their school certificates from their country of origin.
  • Central and Southern governorates: Enrolment in higher education similarly requires equalization of certificates for those who completed secondary school studies outside of Iraq. Those who have completed their secondary school in Iraq can enrol in public universities.

Scholarships and Opportunities

  • DAFI Scholarship:  Whilst UNHCR had previously supported a small number of DAFI scholars in Iraq, from the 2025-2026 academic year, this scholarship programme will no longer be accepting new enrollments.
  • Overseas Opportunities: To find accredited higher education academic or scholarship programmes outside of Iraq that have been verified by UNHCR, visit: https://services.unhcr.org/opportunities/. UNHCR may not be directly affiliated with a higher education opportunity listed, nor administering applications and overseeing admission