University of Basrah : Rankings, Fees & Courses Details

About University of Basrah

The University of Basrah was established in 1967 and is located in the southern region of Iraq, in Basrah governorate. The university has three independent campuses: Karmat Ali Campus, which includes the Colleges of Education, Agriculture, Engineering, and Science; Bab Al-Zubair Campus, which includes the Colleges of Economics, Medicine, Nursing, Arts, and Law; Al-Qurna Campus, which includes the Colleges of Education and Science. The University of Basrah also has five research centres, including the Polymer Research Centre, the Date-Palm Research Centre, the Marine Science Centre, and the Centre for Basrah and Arab Gulf Studies. In addition, the university owns several consulting centres that provide services to the community and private sectors, such as the Engineering Consulting Centre, the Veterinary Consulting Centre, and the Agriculture Consulting Centre. The Agriculture Centre contributes significantly to the production of feedstuffs, fish breeding, and food products. The university employs 3,685 academic staff members and 4,584 administrative employees. It provides free accommodation (the Student Village) for students coming from other Iraqi provinces. In 2025, more than 2,000 students were admitted to Master’s programs, and around 900 students were admitted to PhD programs.

Inside the campuses, buses transport students from the main gate to their colleges in the early morning and afternoon. Each college has its own library and computer room to support undergraduate learning. In the 2024–2025 academic year, the number of undergraduate students attending morning classes was 47,401 (male: 16,145; female: 31,256), while 22,784 students attended evening classes (male: 11,875; female: 10,909).

The University of Basrah began offering free scholarships in 2024 to students from Asian and African countries who wish to study at the university. Currently, around 100 international students are enrolled. Each college also maintains well-equipped laboratories with modern scientific materials and apparatuses, enabling students to gain practical experience and acquire strong qualifications for their future careers.

Most theoretical classes—particularly in the Colleges of Medicine, Science, and Engineering—are taught in English language. Instructors are committed to delivering intensive and scientifically based lectures in accordance with the regulations of the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. All curricula are updated regularly to align with modern international standards and ensure educational sustainability.

The University of Basrah organizes various workshops for staff and students and plays an active role in community service by visiting orphanages, supporting cancer patients, and collecting donations for financial assistance. The Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture frequently conduct field visits to farmers and agricultural lands, providing essential services.

The university also operates one of the largest hospitals in the Middle East—the University Hospital, located in central Basrah—which provides medical services to the community. In addition, the university offers free residential accommodation for staff members.

Both the Marine Science Centre and the Ecology Department actively contribute to reducing pollution emissions in the southern region, especially given the presence of major oil industries. They conduct hundreds of research programs and publish numerous articles on climate change impacts and mitigation methods, supported annually by the university.

The University of Basrah also operates a water treatment and production centre with a capacity of up to 1,400 m³, as well as a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that performs mechanical, physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove pollutants.

Over recent years, the university has launched many collaborations with domestic and international universities, formalized through agreements that promote joint research, academic support, and training. The university also provides financial support for scientific conferences held by the Colleges of Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Science, Engineering, and Ecology. Finally, the University of Basrah possesses strong human resources and has developed private investments primarily in education, scientific research, and entrepreneurship.