Tarbiat Modares University

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.

About Tarbiat Modares University

TMU was established in 1982 as the first comprehensive graduate school in Iran. Most PhD programmes in basic sciences and engineering were first offered there. Its stated mission is to train academic staff and researchers for universities and higher-education centres and to provide an environment for research.^[1] The international office adds that it hosts engineering, art, basic sciences, medical sciences and humanities in one university and that its faculty members are dedicated solely to postgraduate teaching and research.^[4]

The 17 faculties include Humanities, Basic Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Medical Sciences, Mining and Material Engineering, Agriculture, Management and Economics, Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Art and Law.^[1] The main campus is in Tehran; the Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences is in Noor in Mazandaran Province, the Faculty of Agriculture lies on the Tehran–Karaj highway about 17 km from Tehran, and some master’s programmes are taught at the Arvand Campus in Abadan.^[6]

The site gives two sets of numbers for students and research centres: more than 7,300 master’s and 3,700 PhD students and 14 research centres in one passage, and 5,209 and 4,021 students and 23 research centres in another.^[1] Wikipedia gives 7,970 students without a year.^[5]

How is Tarbiat Modares University ranked?

We could not confirm a position for Tarbiat Modares University in the QS World University Rankings 2027. A Tehran Times article dated 27 June 2026 counts 11 Iranian universities in that edition but names only eight (the University of Tehran, Sharif, Amirkabir, Iran University of Science and Technology, Isfahan University of Technology, Tabriz, Shahid Beheshti and Shiraz); Tarbiat Modares is not among them. QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access, so we could not check the list there.^[3]

The university’s news section carries an item titled “Tarbiat Modares University 2024 Ranking”, which we did not read. Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Tarbiat Modares University?

TMU offers MA/MSc degrees in 171 academic programmes and PhD degrees in 132.^[1] Master’s programmes last two years, by course work with a thesis defence. PhD programmes last four to five years, either by course work or by research, and include a comprehensive exam and a dissertation defence.^[6]

The international office publishes a separate list for each faculty of programmes with available capacity for international applicants, as downloads. Check these lists before you apply, because only some programmes admit international students in a given year.^[6] The pages we read do not state which programmes are taught in English.

How much does Tarbiat Modares University cost?

These are per-semester tuition fees for international students in euros for 2025–2026. After acceptance you must pay a prepayment of the first semester’s tuition.^[2]

Scholarships and tuition discounts

The university lists discounts on tuition rather than cash grants: 20% for the top-ranked student in each semester and field and 10% for the second-ranked; 10% for relatives studying at the same time; 10% for Persian language and literature and for fields related to the history and culture of Iran and Islam; 20% for applicants whose previous degree is from TMU and 10% for those whose previous degree is from another Iranian university.^[8]

Living costs

The university estimates monthly living costs in Tehran for 2025–2026 at $128 to $280 in total, including dormitory or other approved accommodation ($25 to $100), university restaurants ($25 to $100), insurance ($8 to $10) and transport.^[2]

How do you apply to Tarbiat Modares University?

Applications go through the official portal at apply.modares.ac.ir, where you can review programmes, upload documents and track your application.^[7] The university published a call for international applicants to master’s and PhD programmes for the academic year 2026–2027 on 20 June 2026.^[9]

• Documents: a readable scan of the passport’s first page, a personal photo, official transcripts and certificates for the bachelor’s degree (master’s applicants) or bachelor’s and master’s degrees (PhD applicants), proof of English or Persian proficiency, and a short CV; two recommendation letters are optional. PhD applicants must state whether their programme is research-based or taught/research-based.^[7]
• Degrees from abroad: must be approved by the Iranian embassy in the country where they were earned. Documents must be in Persian or English, and translations need a valid university seal and signature.^[7]
• After acceptance: register at adab.saorg.ir (the national system for non-Iranian students), upload the required documents and send the resulting code through the university’s admission system. You must pay the first-semester prepayment, enter Iran on a student visa and apply for educational residency. Attendance is mandatory from the start of the semester.^[7]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme; the portal and the international office publish the current ones. Contact: tmu.int@modares.ac.ir.^[7]

Which language level do you need?

The admission page asks for proof of language proficiency in English or Persian but names no test or level. Applicants with no proof of language proficiency must attend the university’s Persian language courses after final acceptance.^[7] Documents may be submitted in Persian or English.^[7] The pages we read do not say in which language each programme is taught, so ask the faculty or the international office before you apply.

More about studying in Iran

• Iran: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Iran

• Amirkabir University of Technology
• Isfahan University of Technology
• Sharif University of Technology
• University of Tehran