Sun Mar 30 08:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Major Changes Announced for Iran’s 1404 University Entrance Exam (Konkur)

**Tehran, Iran** – The Iranian Ministry of Education has announced significant changes to the 1404 national university entrance examination (Konkur), including a shift in weighting for high school records and exam scores, new registration deadlines, and restrictions on re-registration for previously accepted students.

The exam will be held in two sessions: May 11-12, 2024 (Nabat-e Aval) and July 5-6, 2024 (Nabat-e Dovom). Registration for the first session took place from December 25th, 2023 to January 4th, 2024, with over 805,000 applicants. Registration for the second session will occur in two periods: March 22-28, 2024 and April 16-19, 2024.

A key alteration is the increased weighting of high school transcripts. The final score will now be 60% based on high school records (grades 11 and 12) and 40% from the exam itself, a shift from the previous 50/50 split. This change applies to the main examination groups (mathematics and engineering, experimental sciences, and humanities), while the arts and foreign languages groups have a different weighting: 70% exam score and 30% high school record. Students from the old education system are also exempt from grade 11 record submission. Students who previously took the exam are also exempt from record submissions.

Further changes include:

* **Revised Regional Quotas:** Applicant’s region will be determined based on their last three years of high school.
* **Restrictions on Re-registration:** Students accepted into fully funded programs in 2023, including medical, dental, pharmacy, and veterinary programs, are barred from re-registering. Students accepted into other fully funded programs in 2022 or earlier may register conditionally, requiring withdrawal from their previous institution before the registration deadline. Exceptions exist for those accepted into non-fully funded programs in 2023 or earlier.
* **Medical Students:** Students completing mandatory service requirements under the Physician and Paramedical Services Act must have begun their service to register. Those withdrawing from studies in 2022 or earlier must repay tuition fees.

These changes aim to reform the highly competitive university entrance system in Iran. The Ministry of Education’s website provides additional details and clarifies specific regulations.

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