SUMS Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Undergraduate prospective students coming to SUMS aim at initiating their university life and realizing their academic goals. So, we encourage all applicants to apply to SUMS. Before you fill in the online application form, make sure that you exhibit the required qualifications and hold the essential documents. As an undergraduate applicant, you should meet certain requirements depending on the program you are applying for. Applications are accepted from graduates of accredited high schools or colleges/universities. Both oral and written competence in the English language is part of the entry requirements for the University. Applicants who have obtained higher marks in Biology, Chemistry (General, Inorganic, Organic) and Physics in high school enjoy preference. Applicants are required to be over the age of 17 in the year of application. The list below outlines required documents for undergraduate application to SUMS:

• A satisfactory academic record: Applicants must obtain a record of transcripts from the institution they have attended. There is no minimum required GPA to secure admission to an undergraduate program. However, competitive applicants have the GPA of 3.00 or above.
• A secondary school diploma or the equivalent certificate

Important notice: Please note that applicants should submit a certified copy of their School Leaving Certificate from an accredited high school/senior secondary school and certificate listing all the subjects they have taken and the grades they have achieved. Please note that the school reports should include all graded results obtained during your studies.

• Curriculum vitae (CV): This includes your personal information as well as your educational background and work experience.
• Cover Letter: This letter demonstrates which program you are deciding to apply for.
• Scanned copy of the main page of your passport in high quality in any graphic file format (PDF, JPEG, PNG)
• Passport size photo
• Language requirements:

English Language Requirements:

Evidence of English Proficiency on the TOEFL or IELTS tests. The minimum score for TOEFL PBT, TOEFL iBT and IELTS is 525, 69 and 5.5 respectively.

NOTE: the following individuals may be waived from providing a certificate of English language proficiency. However, in some cases, they might undergo a language placement test based on the decision of SUMS English Language Department, and based on the decision of SUMS Office of International Admissions for international students.

• Applicants from a native of English speaking countries
• Applicants from countries where English is the official language.
• Applicants who have been educated full-time in the medium of the English language throughout the two most recent years and who remain in full-time education conducted in the English language until the end of the school year in their home country (an official certificate must be submitted).

NOTE: Applicants who have failed to meet minimum language requirements are allowed to apply to SUMS. In case they are admitted to SUMS, they will undergo an English language placement test at the time of their arrival for assessment of their ability in speaking and reading English. If applicant’s English language proficiency does not meet SUMS minimum requirements, s/he is required to pass English language classes for at least one semester before the program or during the program. This decision will be made based on SUMS English Language Department evaluation and placement test and based on the decision of SUMS Office of International Admissions for international students. English Language Classes (for whole 136 hours) costs $2,232. Please note that this fee is completely separate from the tuition fee. If 136 hours is not enough to pass SUMS minimum language requirements, students are required to attend English classes for another semester. At the end of the second semester, if the students still do not succeed to pass SUMS minimum language requirements, they will be denied admission to the offered program.  

Persian Language Requirements:

It is not essential for prospective international students of M.D., M.B.B.S., D.M.D., and Pharm.D. programs to provide evidence of Persian language proficiency to enter their chosen program. However, due to the fact that communicating with local patients (in Persian) is an integral part of clinical practice, students of M.D., M.B.B.S., D.M.D, and Pharm.D. Programs must master Persian language skills including speaking, writing and reading during the basic science stage. Thus, the international programs combine English and Persian as their language of instruction. On the other hand, all the references and exams will be in English.

Students admitted to the above programs will be assessed through a Persian placement test held by the SUMS Persian Language Center upon arrival. Persian language training is provided to the students who should take the Persian course, during the program, beginning from the first semester.

The total obligatory Persian language course duration will be maximum 272 hours. This course can be entirely free depending on the type of the scholarship the student has received. Please check the Table of Expenses for further information.

Should a student fail to fulfill the minimum Persian language requirements after receiving the prearranged amount of education, based on the decision of the Persian Language Center and the Office of Admissions at SUMS, they should keep taking Persian courses until they reach the desired level of proficiency. They should also pay for these extra Persian courses (over 272 hours), even if they have been granted a scholarship.

The major language of instruction for international M.D., M.B.B.S., D.M.D., and Pharm.D. programs at SUMS is English. Courses are offered in English over the Basic Science Stage. After completing the Basic Science Stage, a Persian proficiency test will be held to evaluate the students’ Persian language skills. At this point, students are required to know a good deal of Persian, since they should interact with local patients Persian language.

It should be noted that only those students are eligible to take the Persian Language proficiency test prior to the Physiopathology phase that have participated fully in the Persian Language classes, passed the course and received a written permission from the SUMS Languages Center.

Minimum requirements of Persian language for admission to other undergraduate programs vary depending on the intended program and each prospective candidate will be informed of the required language competence through an e-mail.