Iraq is engaged in a bold program of education reform. HCED leads the first phase of the reform initiative which includes the establishment of a scholarship program. It is the goal of the HCED to place thousands of Iraqi students into universities in the U.S. and the U.K. over the next five years. HCED will begin with a pilot program that will create the first class of 500+ students to study in the U.S. or the U.K. beginning in 2010.  Eventually, the initiative will send thousands of Iraqi students per year over the next five years to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia to complete their higher education studies.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki (center) visits AED on July 25, 2009 to announce the new scholarship program.

The selection process for students is completely objective and transparent, based primarily on academic grades and test scores.  Students will be selected from every Iraqi province with the number of scholarships awarded proportionate to the provincial populations. To be considered for the scholarship, criteria for the applicants include the following:

• Must be a citizen of Iraq and residing in Iraq for the past two years
• Must have an excellent record of academic achievement
• Agreement to return immediately to Iraq upon program completion
• Proof of provincial residency, via jinsiah

Degree levels are undergraduate and graduate study. More information is available on the HCED website: http://www.hcediraq.org/

Initiative Updates

8/2010: The next application for scholarship eligibility opens up for Iraqi citizens.  Applicants have until August 31 to complete their HCED scholarship application. At least 1000 applicants are expected to be chosen for study beginning in 2011.

6/4/2010: The first students under the IEI scholarship program arrive at their U.S. university of study.

3/17/2010: HCED plans to send students to the United States by May 31, 2010.

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