Herat University is a public university in Herat, western Afghanistan. It was inaugurated in 1988, beginning with a faculty of Literature and Humanities.[1] Its website lists 16 faculties, from Medicine and Engineering to Law and Political Science and Theology.[2] Student numbers differ by source: 7,422 on Wikipedia, 10,000 to 14,999 in uniRank’s band.[1][3]
uniRank’s 2026 ranking of Afghan universities puts it 5th in the country.[4] We could not confirm a QS World University Rankings 2027 placement, and the pages we read publish no tuition fee, admission rules or language of instruction.[5][2][3]
Key facts
| Official name | Herat University (the name is also given in Pashto and Dari)[1] |
| Location | Herat, capital of Herat Province, western Afghanistan[1] |
| Type | Public university, recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan[3] |
| Founded | 1988, beginning with a faculty of Literature and Humanities[1] |
| Students | 7,422 (Wikipedia, of which 6,246 undergraduates); 10,000 to 14,999 (uniRank band)[1] |
| Academic staff | 300 to 399 (uniRank band)[3] |
| Faculties | 16 on the university’s website; Wikipedia gives 14 in one place and 16 in another[2] |
| Regional campuses | Wikipedia says the university supports four filial universities in Nimruz, Badghis, Farah and Ghor[1] |
| uniRank 2026 | National rank 5; world rank 11,117[3] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed[5] |
| Tuition | Not published on the pages read (uniRank: “not reported”)[3] |
| Language of instruction | Not stated on the pages read[2] |
| Official website | hu.edu.af |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 9 November 2026.
About Herat University
Wikipedia says Herat University was inaugurated in 1988, beginning with a faculty of Literature and Humanities; its first president was Abubakr Rashed. uniRank also gives 1988 and records recognition by the Ministry of Higher Education from that year.[1][3] The article says the university has cooperated with foreign universities, which led to revised curricula in several faculties, and that it supports four filial universities in the western provinces of Nimruz, Badghis, Farah and Ghor.[1]
Size figures conflict. Wikipedia gives 7,422 students, of whom 6,246 are undergraduates, without a year. uniRank puts enrollment at 10,000 to 14,999 with 300 to 399 academic staff.[1][3] The university’s website gives address and contact details only (Herat, telephone +93 40 225 3399) and no student count.[2]
How is Herat University ranked?
QS 2027: we could not confirm a placement in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026). The 1,001–1,200 band page of the aggregator xuanxiao.org lists no Afghan institution and its country filter does not list Afghanistan. QS itself blocks automated access, so we could not check the full table.[5]
Times Higher Education: THE’s Afghanistan country page lists Herat University without a position and says no Afghan university is in the overall World University Rankings.[6]
uniRank: 5th among Afghan universities in the 2026 edition, with a world rank of 11,117.[4][3] uniRank is a web-based directory ranking, not a research ranking. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Herat University?
The university’s website lists 16 faculties:[2]
- Literature, Art, Theology, Economics, Education, Journalism, Social Science, Public Administration
- Law and Political Science
- Agriculture and Veterinary Science
- Medical and Stomatology (dentistry; the site spells it “Estomatology”)
- Engineering, Computer Science and Science
Wikipedia’s list of 16 faculties adds Applied Science and groups some of the same subjects differently; its introduction mentions 14 faculties and 45 departments, the faculty section 16 faculties and 71 departments.[1] uniRank lists six broad fields (arts and humanities, language and cultural studies, business and social sciences, medicine and health, science and technology, engineering) and does not state degree levels clearly.[3]
What is the current situation for students?
Wikipedia states that after the change of government, women were banned from attending universities and classes in universities, which strongly affected Herat University.[1] UN News reported on 19 January 2023 that the ban on young women attending universities, announced in December 2022, affects more than 100,000 students nationwide.[7] The university’s website pages we read do not address this. Check directly with the university what is currently open to you.
How much does Herat University cost?
We could not confirm any tuition fee. The pages we read contain no fee information, and uniRank marks tuition as “not reported” for local and international students at undergraduate and postgraduate level.[2][3] Ask the university for current fees.
How do you apply to Herat University?
The university’s website pages we read do not describe admission requirements or an application procedure. They list an e-mail address (herat-uni@hu.edu.af) and a telephone number.[2] We give no deadlines because we found none published.
Which language do you need?
No source we read states the language of instruction or a language test requirement. The university has an English section on its website, and Wikipedia gives its name in Pashto and Dari.[2][1]
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Herat University founded?
How many faculties does Herat University have?
Is Herat University in the QS rankings?
How much is tuition at Herat University?
We found no published figure; uniRank lists tuition as “not reported”.[3]
More about studying in Afghanistan
- Afghanistan: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Afghanistan
Sources
[1] Wikipedia: Herat University (secondary source; edit date not visible in the version read)
[2] Herat University: official website (page without a date)
[3] uniRank: Herat University (page without a date; third-party directory)
[4] uniRank: Afghan University Ranking 2026 (2026 edition; no publication date given)
[5] xuanxiao.org: QS World University Rankings 2027, page 22 (QS itself blocks automated access) (QS 2027 edition, published 18 Jun 2026; only the 1,001–1,200 band page was read)
[6] Times Higher Education: Study in Afghanistan (page without a date)
[7] UN News: Afghan girls and women made focus of International Education Day: UNESCO (published 19 Jan 2023)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.