Imam Hossein University

The Imam Hossein University (Persian: دانشگاه امام حسین Dāneshgāh-e Emām Hossein‎) is a military university that belongs to IRGC. It was established in 1986 and was aimed to train officers for IRGC. It is located in Tehran, Shahid Babaei Highway near Tehran-Pars Fourth Square, and Hakimiyeh. It is sometimes referred to as "IHU". It is named after Imam Hossein, a grandson of the Islamic prophet, who was killed in 680.

IHU has a military structure. Unlike other universities, IHU is organized like a military structure. Its chancellor is a commander from IRGC that appears in the university in the military uniform and is determined by Khamenei and commander of IRGC. Khamenei visits the university every year and makes the guidelines and policies for the university,. For many years, soldier training and research parts were mixed together. Some years ago, during Khamenei's visit, he ordered the commander of IRGC to separate soldier training parts from research parts. Thereafter, two distinct parts were created and research parts removed to a different but near place.

IHU is not an ordinary university with free access. It is controlled by soldiers and military forces at the entrance. No one can enter the university without personnel cards or permissions from military officers. IHU was established to train members of IRGC. IRGC could persuade the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology to confirm IHU as a university but it is under supervision of IRGC and its staff are all members of IRGC.

IHU provides Bachelors and Masters programs in 15 departments. The student body consists of 6000 students and soldiers, almost from members of IRGC or Basij. In order to receive financial benefits and to use the reputation of a public university, they gradually made it possible to take free students for unfilled capacities. Those students should pay tuition fees, they should be a member of Basij para-militia group, and they should pass ideological interviews before admission. Recently, they changed the conditions. Now, they try to provide scholarships for free students provided that they become employed in IRGC. They should pass ideological interviews and medical tests in order to be employed in IRGC and get admitted to IHU. Being a member of Basij will be an advantage,.