Jordan is highly ranked on several important indices for students and residents. Some highlights include:
There are four kinds of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Jordan:
1. Public Universities: There are 10 such HEIs in the country, including the oldest and highest ranked Institution of Tertiary Education, the University of Jordan, which opened in 1962. The Ministry of Education directly funds and supervises the functioning of public Universities in Jordan, and the highest ranked Universities in the country are all public.
2. Private Universities: There are 17 privately funded HEIs in Jordan. They have a lower endowment than public Universities; the shortfall is made up by the higher tuition fees charged. The first private HEI in Jordan (Al-Ahliyya Amman University) was set up in 1989.
3. Community Colleges: The majority of HEIs in Jordan are of this type; there are 51 Community Colleges in the country. Their aim is to increase access to higher education by running foundation programs, short term courses, and continuing education initiatives to cover working professionals, adults, and high school graduates who wish to acquire a basic diploma before joining the workforce.
4. World Islamic Sciences and Education University: This unique Institution has three campuses, and conducts academic and research activities in several areas of Islamic Law and Theology, in addition to Arts, Sciences, Business, Engineering,and Architecture.
After High School, students have the option of studying towards an Intermediate Diploma at a Community College or Jordanian University. This can last either 2 or 3 years, and usually includes a practical training section. Therefore, it is similar to technical or vocational education in other countries, and allows students to join the workforce either 1 or 2 years earlier than they would if they had enrolled in a full time Bachelor’s degree program. Students must complete 36 credits per year, with weightage being given to practical and industrial training courses.
Undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Jordanian Universities are intensive four year courses for most disciplines. Unusually, Engineering Undergraduate Programs last five years, as do Dental and Pharmaceutical degree programs. Finally, Medical Integrated Degree programs take six years to complete. In applied programs like Engineering, the practical credit requirement may take up as much as 40% of the total academic load.
Many students in Jordan choose to complete a Higher Diploma after their Bachelor’s degree; this allows them to complete a postgraduate qualification in 1-2 years, and improves their employment prospects. The full Master’s degree program takes at least two years to complete, and requires either an adequate performance in a comprehensive examination held at the end of the course of study, or preparation of a Master’s Dissertation, which will be checked by an external panel. The coursework emphasizes regular assignments and practical output.
The highest degree awarded by Universities in Jordan is the PhD. Doctoral programs take at least three years to complete, and the bulk of this time is spent on original research work carried out partly independently, leading to the publication of a PhD thesis. In order to be awarded the Doctoral Degree, students must present their work to a panel of external experts, who will decide whether the work done merits the PhD title. The work is supervised by a Faculty Guide, who provides directional advice and conducts regular meetings of the research group.
The country has various universities that offer approximately all the disciplines of study. Some of the popular disciplines available in Jordan are-
Educational Sciences | Art and Design | Sharia Law |
International Studies | Foreign Languages | Agriculture |
Computer Science & Information Technology | Medicine | Nursing |
Pharmacy | Rehabilitation Sciences | Dentistry |
Women’s Studies | Archaeology and Tourism | Business Administration |
Here are some popular cities that have the most universities in Jordan. The numbers below do not include Community Colleges.
The name of the city | No. of Universities |
Amman | 13 |
Aqaba | 1 (+ 1 Branch) |
Irbid | 4 |
Ajloun | 2 |
Zarqa | 2 |
Average Monthly Expenses in Jordan for International Students
The Tuition Fee for International Students in Jordan is higher than in most other Asian countries. For example, Medical Graduate students at the University of Jordan pay 150 Jordanian Dinar per credit hour per semester, which can exceed 5,000 JOD per semester. Many foreign students apply for scholarships based on academic merit, in order to help fund their studies.
However, the cost of living in Jordan is similar to that in other major cities in the Middle East. Therefore, students in Amman pay less than European University students for food, accommodation, transportation, and recreation, making it a cost effective option for higher education.
Applicants for a long term Jordanian Student Visa must complete the steps listed below, and submit the following documents: