Syria issues decree granting exceptional academic year to university students

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has issued Presidential Decree No. 180 of 2026, granting an exceptional academic year for the 2026-2027 term to various categories of university and postgraduate students who have exhausted their permitted failure or examination attempts.

The decree applies to undergraduate students who exhausted their failure opportunities between the 2010-2011 and 2025-2026 academic years, regardless of whether they benefited from previous decrees. It also covers students admitted under specific university regulations who have exhausted their attempts. However, preparatory year students for medical colleges are excluded and must follow standard rules.

Postgraduate provisions include: - Students in qualification and specialization studies who exhausted exam attempts between 2010 and 2026. - Postgraduate students in the coursework phase who exhausted exam attempts between 2010 and 2026. - Master's students who completed coursework but exceeded the registration period for the thesis stage. - Master's and doctoral students dismissed from their degree since September 15, 2010, who are granted a calendar year from their registration date to re-register during the 2026-2027 academic year.

The decree extends to higher institutes, private universities, open education, and nursing schools. Students dismissed for disciplinary reasons will have their cases reviewed individually by specialized committees. The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research will issue the executive instructions and determine required university fees.