US Sanctions Block English Tests, Jeopardizing Iranian Students’ Global Study Dreams
Thousands of Iranian students hoping to study overseas now face a major challenge. New US sanctions have stopped important English language tests inside Iran. This means many students cannot meet the requirements for universities abroad.
Nikki, a 32-year-old, planned to study psychology in Italy. She was going to take the TOEFL English test this month. But the test was cancelled, leaving her deeply upset. Nikki works at a pastry shop in Lahijan. She said she cried for days after hearing the news.
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) manages the TOEFL exam. They said the US Treasury stopped giving licenses for the tests. This forced them to suspend exams in Iran. Other tests, like PTE and Duolingo, are also unavailable.
Taking these exams now means traveling to another country. However, this is too expensive for most Iranian families. Iran has faced international sanctions for many decades. The country’s money, the rial, has become very weak.
The rial recently reached about 2.2 million to one US dollar. Inflation also hit 89 percent by late August. This makes it very hard for people to afford travel and new exam fees. Nikki is trying to get a loan to travel to Armenia for the test. She said she must now use money saved for her health for the trip.
Leila, a 32-year-old from Tehran, also had her plans disrupted. She got into an arts program in Berlin. But she cannot afford to leave Iran to take the exam. She said there is great despair among students wanting to study abroad. Leila may now choose to study inside Iran.
Students are sharing advice in online groups. They discuss traveling to countries like Armenia, Iraq, or Turkey. But many say the costs are too high. One student said going to Istanbul for the exam is only for rich people.
Iranian officials have criticized the suspension. They said Washington is targeting every Iranian citizen. Iran’s Science Minister, Hossein Simaei Saraf, called the move “Stone Age” behavior.
