TOEFL and GRE testing in Iran halted due to sanctions
ETS has announced that the administration of the TOEFL iBT and GRE exams in Iran has officially been suspended, a move that could further limit Iranian applicants’ access to two major international tests.
The organisation said on the official TOEFL iBT registration page that the suspension was carried out to comply with a recent change in regulations by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). According to the announcement, the restriction applies to the administration of these exams inside Iran.
ETS also said candidates affected by the decision will receive a refund of their test fees. The organisation added that anyone with questions on the matter can contact the official TOEFL department by email.
In response to the decision, Iran’s science minister Hossein Simaei Sarraf said sanctions against Iranian science have a long history and, according to him, some of the country’s universities have faced restrictions for years. He also said the National Organization of Educational Testing, which oversees the exams, is reviewing alternative options for international tests.
TOEFL and GRE are among the best-known exams used to assess English-language proficiency and evaluate applicants for further study, especially at foreign universities. OFAC is the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the U.S. Treasury Department, which implements sanctions-related regulations.
