Dentistry

Entry Requirements

Open to international students worldwide; Iranian citizens and dual nationals holding an Iranian passport cannot apply (they must take the Konkoor national exam). Selection requires a minimum GPA of 3.00 out of 4.00 (or equivalent) and English proficiency — IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 69 or TOEFL PBT 525 — at the time of registration. Without a certificate, English classes are obligatory: applicants take the ZUMS International College placement test at registration and receive an Exemption or English Classes Registration Certificate; if the level is not sufficient for the programme's English classes, at least one semester of English classes must be passed before or during the programme. Natives of English-speaking countries and applicants whose previous degrees were taught in English are exempt. Applying is free and entirely online (no mail applications); admissions are rolling all year round, the fall semester starts late September and the spring semester early February. Processing takes about 3 months plus 6–8 weeks for the student visa, so complete applications should be submitted at least 5 months ahead — by October for February sessions and by June for September sessions. The admission offer, conditional or unconditional, is valid for one year. English is the language of instruction at ZUMS, but students of M.D., D.D.S. and other majors involving interaction with patients must also learn Persian at ZUMS International College, starting as soon as their education begins — the course cannot be postponed or dropped. The Persian programme has 6 levels of 60 hours each, plus a 20-hour prerequisite course for students whose mother tongue uses a different writing system. Students start at beginner level by default or may request a placement test ($15 for the first attempt, $50 to retake). Afghan students whose mother tongue is Dari Persian are exempt, and Tajik students take only the Persian writing courses, unless the Office of International Admissions specifies otherwise.