Countries
Costs, visa process, work rights, scholarships and university options for studying in Syria.
Syria's higher-education system consists of public universities supervised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHE), private Syrian universities, and the online Syrian Virtual University. The MoHE lists public universities in Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia (formerly Tishreen), Homs, Hama, Tartous, Al-Furat and others, and around two dozen private universities (MoHE institution lists).
Admission to public universities is organised through MoHE-run 'differentiation' (comparison) rounds. Homs University publishes a separate track for Arab and foreign applicants, requiring the secondary certificate legalised by the issuing country's foreign ministry, the Syrian embassy there and the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, plus a certified translation. A 2024-25 MoHE announcement for private universities states that Arab and foreign students pay fees in US dollars and that non-resident Syrians and Arab/foreign students together may not exceed 40% of seats per faculty. No current official fee schedule for foreign students at public universities could be found; one public university's fee page states that fees are currently unavailable.
The security and travel position is the dominant factor. The UK (FCDO), Germany (Auswaertiges Amt) and Canada advise against all travel to Syria, and the US State Department is reported to maintain a Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisory. Several of these governments state that consular help is extremely limited or unavailable inside the country, and German and Canadian advice describes cash-based payments with unreliable card and ATM use. Syria's transitional authorities operate an e-visa portal, and the UK and Canada state that a visa is required, including for study.
Sanctions have changed substantially since 2025. The US terminated its Syria sanctions programme (E.O. 14312, June 2025), Congress repealed the Caesar Act (December 2025) and the State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded on 24 August 2026, while list-based sanctions remain. The EU lifted its economic sanctions in May 2025 and, per Council documents and press summaries, extended measures against the former Assad regime to 1 June 2027. Practical banking and payment access can still differ from the legal position; this must be confirmed with the university and the sending bank before any transfer.
No official information on accommodation for foreign students found.
When planning the total budget, separate one-off and monthly items. Budget planning guide
UK FCDO states a visa is required to travel to Syria, applications and status checks are made at evisa.sy, processing is about 5-7 days and passports must be valid at least 3 months after arrival. Canada states visas are required for tourist, business and student travel, that non-Arab nationals cannot obtain a visa at the border and must apply at a Syrian embassy or consulate, passports must be valid 6 months beyond departure, and that stays over 14 days must be registered with the Syrian Immigration and Passports Office before day 15. Germany states German citizens can usually obtain a visa on arrival but that this may not be possible at some land borders; the US is reported to describe visa on arrival at Damascus airport and Lebanon/Jordan crossings for US citizens. These descriptions differ by nationality and date. A student-specific entry category, its documents, fees and the residence-permit procedure were not found on an official Syrian source (evisa.sy could not be opened: certificate error).
Travel advisories, sanctions and payments
As of 2026-10-26: UK FCDO advises against all travel to Syria (updated 2 Sep 2026; cites unpredictable security, terrorism, regional strikes and airspace closures; no consular support from within Syria; travel against advice may invalidate insurance). Germany's Auswaertiges Amt maintains a travel warning (page of 25 Oct 2026): bombings, shootings, kidnappings and robberies occur, personal safety cannot be assured anywhere including Damascus, coastal areas, the northeast and Homs are named as higher-risk, the Damascus embassy is closed to general visitors with emergency help via Beirut. Canada: 'Avoid all travel', 'If you're in Syria, you should leave' (updated 23 Jul 2026), citing armed clashes, Israeli airstrikes, terrorism, rising kidnapping risk, arbitrary detention, power/water/fuel shortages, extremely limited medical care and no Canadian office in Syria. US State Department: Level 4 'Do Not Travel', page dated 7 Aug 2026, as reported by a search result snippet (the page itself returned 403 and was not read). Turkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs: no current Syria travel advisory was found in the announcement list (page 1 of the 'Yurt Disi Seyahat Duyurulari' list does not include Syria; only a 2012 advisory surfaced in search); the Turkish position must be checked directly at mfa.gov.tr / konsolosluk.gov.tr. EU: there is no EU-level travel advisory; member-state advice (Germany above) applies.
United States (State Department fact sheet, updated Aug 2026): the US no longer imposes comprehensive sanctions on Syria (E.O. 14312, 30 Jun 2025); the Syria Sanctions Regulations were removed from the CFR (rule of 25 Aug 2025); the Caesar Act was repealed (signed 18 Dec 2025); Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded on 24 Aug 2026. List-based sanctions remain on Bashar al-Assad and associates, human-rights abusers, Captagon traffickers and other designated actors on the SDN list; export controls (EAR/ITAR) remain with eased dual-use licensing from 2 Sep 2025. European Union: Council documents state that all economic sanctions were lifted by Decision (CFSP) 2025/1096 of 27 May 2025 while measures tied to the al-Assad regime and security grounds were kept; a Council decision of May 2026 extends those measures (the retrieved Council document is an unsigned working draft of 12 May 2026; press summaries report adoption on 18 May 2026 and expiry on 1 June 2027). United Kingdom: not verified (the FCDO page does not mention sanctions). Payments in practice: Canada states that, due to sanctions, some foreign banks have suspended transactions with Syria and Canadian cards may not work; Germany states international credit cards cannot be used anywhere in Syria including ATMs and hotels, so cash is needed, Syrian pounds cannot be exchanged outside Syria, and cash above 5,000 USD must be declared on entry. Foreign students at private universities and at the Syrian Virtual University are charged in USD/EUR. Whether tuition can be transferred from a given country or bank must be confirmed in writing with the university and the sending bank; it was not verified for Turkiye, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine or Azerbaijan.
Nationality-specific notes: Not verified yet
No official source on student work rights in Syria found.; postStudy: Post-study stay rules not found.
After graduation: No official source on post-study stay.
Syrian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Damascus
Aleppo
Latakia
Homs
Damascus University
Damascus · Public
University of Aleppo
Aleppo · Public
University of Latakia (formerly Tishreen University)
Latakia · Public
Homs University
Homs · Public
Syrian Virtual University (SVU)
Online (Damascus-based; exams at accredited centres in Syria and abroad) · Public
Spring 2025 schedule: Arab, foreign and non-resident Syrian students pay in USD or EUR (Syrian residents in SYP). Bachelor course fee 150 USD/EUR; technical-institute and upgrade-programme course fee 150; master / educational diploma course fee 250; English-level course 225; applied-course fee for tourism-and-hospitality 150; capstone project for qualification-and-specialisation masters 850; MS Web Science thesis 1,500; thesis extension per semester 850. Registration fee 100 and semester fee 150 (bachelor) / 200 (master, diploma) per the fee table. Exams abroad 40-85 USD/EUR depending on country.
Al-Furat University
Deir ez-Zor · Public
Hama University
Hama · Public
Tartous University
Tartus · Public
Idlib University
Idlib · Public
Syrian University for Security Sciences
Damascus · State (other ministry)
National University for Defense Sciences
State (other ministry)
Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport - Latakia Branch
Latakia · Private
University of Kalamoon
Deir Atiyah · Private
Arab International University
Daraa · Private
Syrian Private University
Damascus · Private
International University for Science and Technology
Daraa · Private
Wadi International University
Homs · Private
British University in Damascus (BUD)
Damascus · Private
Yarmouk Private University
Daraa · Private
Al-Wataniya Private University
Hama · Private
Cordoba Private University
Aleppo · Private
Ittihad Private University
Raqqa · Private
Al-Shahba Private University
Aleppo · Private
Al-Jazeera Private University
Deir ez-Zor · Private
Arab University for Science and Technology
Hama · Private
Al-Andalus University for Medical Sciences
Tartus · Private
Al-Hawash Private University
Homs · Private
Ebla Private University
Idlib · Private
Al-Sham Private University
Damascus · Private
Qasyoun Private University
Daraa · Private
Al-Shamal Private University
Sarmada · Private
Mari Private University
Hizano · Private
Al-Sham University (Sham International University)
Azaz · Private
Bilad Al-Sham Private University for Sharia Sciences
Damascus · Private
Al-Hayat University for Medical Sciences
Private
Al-Manara University
Latakia · Private
Arab Academy for E-Business
Private
Antioch Syrian University
Maarat Saidnaya · Private
International University for Science and Renaissance
Azaz · Private
Aram University for Sciences
Azaz · Private
Syrian University for Science and Technology
Azaz · Private
Basaksehir University
Al-Bab · Private
Al-Zahraa Private University
Jarabulus · Private
Al-Maali Private University
Al-Bab · Private
Al-Zaytuna International University
Azaz · Private
Al-Rowad University for Science and Technology
Jarabulus · Private
Al-Amanos Private University
Afrin · Private
Faculty of Theology (Private)
Damascus · Private
Al-Maarif University for Applied Sciences
Idlib · Private
Islamic University
Idlib · Private
Higher Institute for Demographic Studies and Research (HIDSR)
Public
National Institute of Public Administration (INA)
Public
Higher Institute of Business Administration (HIBA)
Damascus · Public
Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology (HIAST)
Damascus · State (other ministry)
Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts
Damascus · State (other ministry)
Higher Institute of Music
Damascus · State (other ministry)
Higher Institute of Cinematic Arts
Damascus · State (other ministry)
University of Rojava
Qamishli · State (other ministry)
Information on this page is compiled from official sources and was verified on the date shown. Fees, dates and visa rules change often; check official sources before applying. Empty fields have not been verified yet; ask our advisor for the current information.
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