Iraq approves extra-credit rule for master’s admissions to fill unfilled seats

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq’s Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Abdulhussein al-Musawi, has approved a procedure allowing universities to process master’s degree applications and award bonus points to candidates. The decision grants university councils, along with non-affiliated faculties and institutes, the authority to add up to five points to applicants who scored between 40 and 44 on the competitiveness exam. Under the rules, the extra points can only be applied if a program has unfilled seats under its admissions plan, and must be used to place candidates with the strongest qualifying scores. The ministry ordered that all processing be completed within three days of the directive’s notification date and circulated to educational institutions. Universities are required to enact their admissions decisions once the placement process is finalized. The ministry said the delegation of authority is intended to prevent vacancies in master’s programs and allow more applicants to secure places in postgraduate studies.