There are very few Middle East podiatry schools. Only Turkey has a well-established training pathway, through two-year associate degree (önlisans) programmes in podology (podoloji) at vocational schools of health services. We found no podiatry bachelor’s degree in the GCC states (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman), Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq or Iran. Gulf employers fill podiatrist posts by recruiting professionals trained in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Europe, South Africa or North America. In Israel, the Knesset Health Committee approved a podiatry (podologim) certification law in 2024. Press coverage at the time noted that podiatry was not taught in Israel and that many practitioners there trained in France (maariv.co.il). The tables below list only programmes we could verify. Confirm intake, language of instruction and recognition with each institution before applying.
| Country | Institution and location | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, Istanbul | Podoloji (podology) associate degree, Vocational School of Health Services (foundation university) |
| Turkey | Üsküdar University, Istanbul | Podology associate degree, 2 years plus a compulsory 20-day summer internship, Vocational School of Health Services (foundation university) |
| Turkey | Istanbul Gelişim University, Istanbul | Podology associate degree, Vocational School of Health Services (foundation university) |
| Turkey | Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Nazilli Vocational School of Health Services, Nazilli (Aydın) | Podoloji associate degree (state university) |
| Turkey | Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Ahmet Erdoğan Vocational School of Health Services, Zonguldak | Podology associate degree (state university) |
| Turkey | Kocaeli University, Kocaeli | Podoloji associate degree (state university). Listed in 2026 national placement guides. Check the university website for details. |
| Turkey | Ankara University, Ankara | Podoloji associate degree (state university). Listed in 2026 national placement guides. Check the university website for details. |
| Turkey | Harran University, Şanlıurfa Vocational School of Health Services, Şanlıurfa | Podoloji associate degree (state university). Listed in 2026 national placement guides. Check the university website for details. |
Turkish podology programmes train podolog technicians in nail and skin care, diabetic foot care, foot orthoses and footwear advice. Admission is through the national YKS (TYT) placement exam, and most teaching is in Turkish. These two-year associate degrees are shorter than a three-year European or UK podiatry degree. On their own, they are unlikely to meet registration requirements in countries such as the UK or Australia, or Gulf licensing rules for a podiatrist title. If you are an IMEA-region student who wants to work as a podiatrist in the Gulf, the usual route is still a full podiatry degree abroad, followed by licensing with the relevant health authority.
Related diabetic foot, orthotics and footwear options in the Middle East
Because podiatry degrees are so scarce in the region, many foot health professionals come in through orthotics and prosthetics, or through diabetic foot training for doctors and nurses. The options below are not podiatry qualifications.
| Country | Institution and location | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan | University of Jordan, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Amman | Bachelor’s degree in Prosthetics and Orthotics, with courses in lower-limb orthoses and gait analysis |
| Iran | University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran | Orthotics and prosthetics (orthopaedic technology) at undergraduate level, plus postgraduate and PhD study |
| Iran | Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran | Orthotics and prosthetics, School of Rehabilitation Sciences (confirm degree levels with the university) |
| United Arab Emirates | University of Sharjah, Clinical Surgical Training Center, Sharjah | Competency Certificate in Diabetic Foot: a 2-day short course for nurses, emergency doctors, interns and specialists |
Ministries of health and hospital groups in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and elsewhere in the Gulf regularly run diabetic foot courses, symposia and CME days. These include one-day courses accredited by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (mngha.med.sa) and industry-backed wound care academies. They are useful for continuing education but do not lead to a podiatry qualification. Foot and ankle surgery in the region is practised by orthopaedic surgeons, who subspecialise through fellowships and not through podiatry. If you know of a podiatry programme in the Middle East that we have missed, please tell us so we can verify it and add it.