The Health Ministry has prohibited Iranian students from higher education in medicine and dentistry in Belarus from August 1.
“Until further notice, the ministry will not accredit certificates of students continuing their studies in Belarus as of August 1,” Dr. Hamid Akbari, deputy minister for education announced, ISNA reported.
Foreign students must pass a pre-university course in Belarus if they are interested in medical disciplines. International students have to undergo the course at the Belarusian State Medical University’s Department of Pre-University Training (Preparatory Department) for a fee.
“Over the past year, a large number of Iranian students travelled to the Eastern European country to continue their higher education in medical disciplines; however, they have not been able to enter the university and their future is in limbo,” Akbari noted.
Concerned parents continue to visit the Health Ministry as well as the Belarusian Embassy in Tehran on a daily basis.
The Belarusian State Medical University is located in Minsk, and specializes in medicine and dentistry. In 1921, it became affiliated with the Medicine Department of the Belarusian State University and was autonomous in 1930.
Over 5,000 students are currently studying medical sciences in various fields including general medicine, dentistry, pediatrics, public health, military medicine, and other medical disciplines. The university has an annual foreign admission quota of 200 students.
Hundreds of Iranians who have completed their preparatory courses are waiting to commence the university program but their status is uncertain. That is why the ministry has taken the decision to prohibit new students from joining the course as of August 1, he added.
The rule will not apply to students who have finished their pre-university courses. About 1,600 Iranian students are currently studying in universities in Belarus, in different fields and 400 have graduated so far.
There are an estimated 1,000 centers operating in Iran to send students abroad for higher education.
