Aston (This update: 23rd March 2011)

Admissions to Masters at Aston Iraqi Bachelors degree:

Takes 4 years to complete. Courses in take 6 years, while courses in , architecture, dentistry and veterinary medicine take 5 years to complete.

International Office advise for PG admissions: • 70% to be equivalent to a 2.1 • 65% equivalent to a 2.2

For students holding Bachelor’s degrees from the below institutions: • Al-Nahrain Uni , • Al-Mustansiriyah University • The University of Basrah • • Duhok University • Koya University • University of Mosul • The University of Salahaddin (Arbil) • Hawler Medical University (Arbil) • Sulaimani University • The University of Technology (Baghdad)

International Office recommends for students from not listed above but listed on Naric they can also be considered for Masters at Aston, but with more caution than the above.

Admissions to PhD at Aston Iraqi Masters degree:

A Masters is appropriate for admissions to PhD. Would advise also checking for a Bachelors at 70% and above.

Masters degrees vary from two to three years in duration and are offered in most fields including arts, exact and natural , and technology, medicine, dentistry, and agriculture.

For admission onto local Master’s programmes, the majority of universities require candidates to obtain an overall score of at least 65% in the Bachelor degree. Most Master’s courses consist of three semesters culminating in end of term examinations. Successful students proceed to undertake one years’ research work in his or her field of study. This period may be extended by up to six months. At the end of the research period candidates submit a thesis which must then be defended by a specialist examining committee consisting of a minimum of three members (at least two of whom are external) in addition to his or her supervisor.

At some universities a credit unit system is used for Masters degree programmes. For example, at the University of Dohuk, the total number of credits units required is between 32 and 40; between 24 and 28 of which must have been obtained from taught courses and between 8 and 12 credit units from the dissertation.

Students holding Scholarships Please inform the International Office either [email protected] or [email protected]

Aston University IRAQ: Institutional information (This update: 23rd March 2011)

Public Universities

اﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻨﺼﺮﻳﺔ / Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad .1 ﯼﺷﻚﯼﭘﺰ ﯼرێهﻬﻮل ۆﯼزاﻧﻚ / Hawler Medical University .2 ﺑﻐﺪاد - اﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ / Islamic University, Baghdad .3 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﻨﻬﺮﻳﻦ / (Nahrain University, Baghdad (formerly the Saddam University for Engineering and Sciences, Baghdad .4 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﺴﻠﻴﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ / University of Sulaimany, Zankoy Sulaimany .5 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﺻﻼح اﻟﺪﻳﻦ / University of Salahuddin, Arbil .6 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻷﻧﺒﺎر / University of Al-Anbar .7 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﺑﺎﺑﻞ / University of Babylon .8 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﺑﻐﺪاد / University of Baghdad .9 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﺒﺼﺮة / University of Basrah .10 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ ذي ﻗﺎر / University of Dhi Qar .11 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ دﻳﺎﻟﻰ / University of Dila .12 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ دهﻮك / University of Dohuk .13 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ آﺮﺑﻼء / University of .14 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ آﺮآﻮك / University of Kirkuk .15 ﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﻜﻮﻓﺔ ﺟﺎ / University of .16 ,ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ آﻮﻳﺔ / University of Kuya .17 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﻤﻮﺻﻞ / University of Mosul .18 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﻘﺎدﺳﻴﺔ / University of Qadisiya .19 اﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﺘﻜﻨﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺔ / University of Technology, Baghdad .20 ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﺗﻜﺮﻳﺖ / University of Tikrit .21 ة واﺳﻂﺟﺎﻣﻊ / University of Waasit, Al Suweirah .22 INTERNAL COMMUNICATION International Office: Update on Iraq Scholarships and Applications Liza Rodger: [email protected] February 2011

To: All school admissions staff CC: Jo Ladwa - Registry, International Office staff, Chris Bergin - Finance

Iraq Scholarships

There are 3 scholarships which the International Office is currently aware of: 1. Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher and Scientific Research a. Based in Baghdad b. Funds paid to University through Iraq Embassy in London http://www.iraqiculturalattache.org.uk/ c. Students from Iraq and Kurdistan region are eligible to apply d. Main website: http://www.mohesr.gov.iq/ 2. Kurdistan Regional Government Ministry of and Scientific Research a. Based in Erbil b. Funds paid to the student direct including fees and living costs (no London office) c. Students from Kurdistan region are eligible to apply d. Main website: http://www.mhe-krg.org/ e. Scholarship letters come from the students’ institution – e.g. http://www.suh-edu.com/ 3. Higher Committee for Education Development (HCED), As part of the Iraq Education Initiative a. Based in Baghdad b. Main website: http://www.hcediraq.org/ c. Applications come through the British Universities Iraq Consortium (BUIC) http://www.buic.ac.uk/index.php d. Aston has just joined BUIC and will start receiving HCED applications

Applications Processing

• Please refer to the Iraq qualifications guide and your usual English language requirements, using the CELCA in-house preparatory English programmes where possible. Often if students have funding for Masters or PhD they will also be able to secure funding for the relevant preparatory English programme you recommend. • For the first two scholarships above applications will be received direct to the University via the normal methods. • For the HCED applications they will come to the International Office through the BUIC mailbase. The consortium offers students the chance to complete one applications form in order to be considered by over 30 UK institutions. The International Office will filter for subject relevance and if appropriate process the application onto SITS and the forward the reference number and attached scanned documents to you by email. If an offer can be made we need to notify [email protected] 'Fouad Ali Hussien' at the HCED. Please also cc. Liza Rodger into any offer email notifications.

English Language

• The British Council now organises monthly IELTS tests, alternating between Baghdad and Erbil. Students need to contact the British Council direct to obtain the dates because of security reasons. • In January the University of Salahaddin, Arbil, hosted a visit from the British Council Director and announced plans for IELTS testing also to be offered at the University in the near future.

Further Information

If you have any queries or become aware of any further information regarding Iraq scholars applying to Aston University please do not hesitate to contact [email protected]