Key Takeaways
- U.S. sanctions disrupted LSAT access for some Iranian applicants.
- LSAC initially screened some applicants based on Iranian citizenship.
- ETS also restricted TOEFL and GRE testing inside Iran.
Iranian students LSAT sanctions disrupted access to the September LSAT and related services for some law school applicants in the United States and Canada.
Treasury suspends education license
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control suspended General License G on Aug. 24. The authorization had allowed U.S. persons to administer professional certification and university entrance exams, including standardized tests, to people in Iran or people outside Iran who are ordinarily resident there.
OFAC says the license suspension is indefinite. The Treasury also established a presumption of denial for most Iran-related specific-license requests, with limited exceptions for matters required by law or involving exceptional and urgent circumstances.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the broader effort as an “unprecedented, whole-of-government, economic campaign” against Iran. Treasury says the campaign targets Iran’s military activities, procurement networks and revenue sources.
Iranian students LSAT sanctions affect LSAC screening
The Law School Admission Council, which administers the LSAT, told affected candidates that it could no longer provide products or services to “Iranian citizens or residents.” The restrictions included LSAT registration, credential services, application processing and score reporting.
The wording created a distinction between citizenship and residency. General License G specifically covered people located in Iran or ordinarily resident there, rather than establishing a blanket restriction on every Iranian citizen living abroad.
The Iranian students LSAT sanctions issue also raised questions about how sanctions rules apply to applicants living outside Iran.
Some Iranian Americans and Iranian Canadians living outside Iran were initially affected, according to applicants and media reports. LSAC later asked some candidates to document their permanent residence, and some regained access after review.
In Canada, Shirin Basiri, a recent University of British Columbia graduate, said her scheduled LSAT was canceled before she appealed the decision. “It was just mind-boggling to me that I could potentially be sanctioned from taking a test in my own home country,” she told Vancouver CityNews.
Other exams face restrictions
The LSAT disruption is part of a wider change in educational testing linked to the sanctions. Educational Testing Service says TOEFL and GRE testing inside Iran has been paused, with affected appointments canceled by Sept. 8.
ETS says Iranian nationals who live outside Iran can still take the TOEFL and GRE where testing is available. People ordinarily resident in Iran, however, cannot register or pay for appointments, including appointments outside Iran.
The sanctions change also affects other education-related transactions that had relied on the suspended license. OFAC says General License G remains suspended indefinitely, leaving U.S. organizations to determine whether another exemption or specific license applies.
The National Iranian American Council has criticized the impact on students, saying the changes affect academic exchanges that previously received protection. LSAC has encouraged candidates who believe they qualify for an exemption to contact the organization promptly.
The number of LSAT applicants affected by the initial restrictions has not been publicly disclosed. The episode has prompted scrutiny of how sanctions rules are being applied to education and admissions services for people living outside Iran.
The Iranian students LSAT sanctions dispute has drawn scrutiny over the impact of sanctions on education and admissions services.