Education in Iraq: school stages, the ministerial exams and university admission

In short

Schooling in Iraq is run by the Ministry of Education and moves through primary, intermediate and preparatory stages. Each of the last two stages ends with a national ministerial exam that every student sits on the same papers. The Sixth Preparatory exam, often called the Wazari or baccalaureate exam, decides which university and subject a student can enter.

School stages

Primary school covers the first six grades. Intermediate school follows for three grades and ends with the Third Intermediate ministerial exam, which a student must pass to continue. The preparatory stage lasts three more grades. In the fourth preparatory grade students choose a branch, usually scientific or literary, and from then on study the subjects of that branch.

The ministerial exams

• Third Intermediate: a national exam taken at the end of the intermediate stage. The core subjects include mathematics, science and English, together with Arabic and the other national subjects.
• Sixth Preparatory, scientific branch: the Wazari exam for students who studied mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.
• Sixth Preparatory, literary branch: the Wazari exam for students who studied subjects such as history, geography and English.

Results are reported as an overall average, and that average is the main number used for university placement.

University admission

Public universities are supervised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Places are given through a central admission process in which students list their choices and are placed according to their Sixth Preparatory average and the places available in each programme. Some programmes, such as medicine, dentistry and pharmacy, are filled from the highest averages. Some colleges, for example arts and sports, also hold their own aptitude tests.

English in Iraq

English is a school subject from the primary stage, and many universities teach scientific subjects in English. Higher education bodies also run English proficiency tests, such as the Iraqi National English Proficiency Test (INPT), for students and graduates.

Subjects and branches

In the scientific branch students concentrate on mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, together with Arabic, English and religious education. In the literary branch the emphasis moves to subjects such as history, geography, economics and languages. The branch a student chooses in the fourth preparatory grade shapes the university programmes that are open to them, so it is worth discussing the choice with teachers and family early.

Exam sessions

The ministerial exams are held once a year, with a second session for students who need to retake. The ministry publishes the timetable, the rules for each exam and the way results are announced. Because the papers are national, every student answers the same questions at the same time, and marking follows the ministry's own scheme. Students should always follow the official instructions for registration and for what may be brought into the exam hall.

Languages

Arabic is the main language of instruction. Kurdish is used in schools in the Kurdistan Region, which also has its own education authority, so students there should check the rules that apply to them. English is taught as a foreign language throughout school and is the language of instruction for many science and medical programmes at university, which is why strong English helps beyond the exam.

How to use practice tests well

A mock test is most useful when it is taken under real conditions. Set a timer, work without notes and answer every question before you look at the explanations. Then read the explanation for each question, including the ones you got right, because the reasoning is often more useful than the answer. Keep a short list of the topics where you lost marks and return to them in the next week. Repeat the same exam a few weeks later and compare your results topic by topic rather than only by the total.

Flashcards work best in short daily sessions. Use them for definitions, formulas, dates and vocabulary, and use the mock tests to practise applying those facts. If a topic keeps going wrong, go back to your textbook or class notes first and then return to the questions.

Planning the year

Start from the date of the official exam and work backwards. Give each subject a weekly block, put the hardest subjects in your best study hours and leave the last weeks for full practice papers. Teachers can set a mock test or a deck as homework for a class, and parents can follow a child's progress from a family group. Both are free.

Preparing with GetMyMockTest

GetMyMockTest offers free practice in English for the exams below. Check the exact subjects, format and dates with the Ministry of Education before you sit the real exam.

• Third Intermediate: practice in mathematics, science and English.
• Sixth Preparatory, scientific branch: mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.
• Sixth Preparatory, literary branch: English, history and geography.
• English proficiency: grammar, vocabulary and reading practice for the INPT.
• General knowledge: questions on Iraq's history, geography, science and culture.