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About this exam

The Iran Teacher Employment Exam (آزمون استخدامی آموزش و پرورش) is the recruitment competition through which the Ministry of Education (Vezarat-e Amuzesh va Parvaresh) screens applicants for teaching and school-staff posts in public education. It is aimed at graduates who want a formal teaching appointment, including candidates for primary, lower-secondary and upper-secondary levels, exceptional-education roles, and school counselling or administrative positions. Passing the written stage does not by itself create an appointment: shortlisted candidates normally continue to interviews, verification of documents and qualifications, and other stages set out in that year's announcement, so always read the current دفترچه راهنما carefully. The written paper mixes general subjects - general knowledge and religious literacy, Persian language and literature, and quantitative reasoning - with professional subjects: educational sciences and pedagogy, developmental and educational psychology, teaching methodology and lesson planning, and content knowledge tied to the teaching field you select. Because the professional block typically carries the largest share, candidates who prepare only their subject matter often lose ground; build a study plan that gives pedagogy and psychology serious time, then drill your field content. Preparation works best in three passes: learn the syllabus from the official announcement, work through structured summaries and practice questions per domain, and finish with timed mock papers to fix pacing and review errors. Confirm all current details - registration windows, subject weights, eligibility and stage requirements - on the Ministry of Education's official recruitment portal, since these change between cycles.

What you'll study

Common questions

About Iran Teacher Employment Exam preparation

Who is this exam for?

Graduates seeking a teaching or school-staff appointment in public education, from primary through upper-secondary level, including exceptional-education, counselling and administrative roles. Each cycle's announcement defines eligible degrees, minimum averages and age conditions, so check the current دفترچه راهنما before registering.

What is the test format?

It is a multiple-choice written examination covering general subjects and professional subjects, with a subject-specific section determined by the teaching field you choose. The exact number of questions, the time allowed and the weighting of each section are published in the official announcement for that cycle; do not rely on figures from previous years.

How hard is the exam?

Difficulty comes less from obscure facts than from breadth and competition. General subjects reward steady revision, while pedagogy, psychology and methodology demand genuine understanding rather than memorisation. Since posts are limited and cut-offs vary by field and province, aim for consistent accuracy across all domains instead of excellence in one.

Can I retake the exam if I fail?

Recruitment is run as periodic competitions, so a candidate who is not selected may generally apply in a later cycle, provided eligibility conditions are still met. Specific rules on repeat attempts, waiting periods and score validity are set in each announcement, so verify them on the Ministry of Education's official recruitment portal.

How much time should I plan for preparation?

Most successful candidates spread preparation over several months rather than a few weeks, because the syllabus spans religious literacy, Persian literature, quantitative reasoning, pedagogy, psychology, methodology and field content. A practical pattern is a first pass to map the syllabus, a second pass with practice questions per domain, and a final month of timed mock papers and error review.

In what order should I study the domains?

Start with the professional block - educational sciences, psychology and teaching methodology - because it usually carries the greatest weight and takes longest to absorb. Keep general subjects in short, frequent sessions throughout. Reserve field-specific content for focused blocks, and leave the final weeks for integrated revision and timed practice.

What are the most common failure modes?

Neglecting pedagogy and psychology in favour of field content, memorising definitions without understanding classroom application, ignoring quantitative reasoning until too late, and never practising under time pressure. Another frequent problem is misreading the announcement, leading to a wrong field code or missed document deadlines.

Where do I confirm dates, fees and pass marks?

Only through the Ministry of Education's official recruitment portal and the announcement issued for your cycle. Question counts, duration, registration fees, passing thresholds and validity periods change between cycles, and no third-party summary should be treated as authoritative. Verify everything there before paying or travelling.

Does passing the written stage guarantee a job?

No. The written examination is a screening stage. Shortlisted candidates normally proceed to further assessment such as interviews, document and qualification verification, and placement procedures. Appointment depends on ranking, available posts by field and province, and successful completion of all stages described in the current announcement.