He attended a secondary school No. 6 in Baku from 1967 to 1977.

In 1977-1982, he studied at Moscow State University of International Relations (MSUIR).

In 1982, he embarked on postgraduate studies at MSUIR.

In 1985, he defended a thesis to receive a PhD degree in history.

Mr. Ilham Aliyev is fluent in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, French, and Turkish languages.

From 1985 to 1990, he gave lectures at Moscow State University of International Relations.

In 1991-1994, he was engaged in a private business sector and headed several private industrial and commercial enterprises.

From 1994 to August 2003, he was vice-president and first vice-president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR). He has been actively involved in the implementation of national leader Heydar Aliyev's oil strategy.

In 1995 and 2000, he was elected to the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He has been president of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan since 1997.

In 1999, he was elected as deputy chairman, in 2001 as first deputy chairman and in 2005 as chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party.

From 2001 to 2003, he headed the Azerbaijani Parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

In January 2003, he was elected as deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and a member of the PACE Bureau.

On 4 August 2003, following the approval of the Milli Majlis, he was appointed as Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This terminated his power as a member of parliament.

On 15 October 2003, Ilham Aliyev was elected as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan with more than 76 percent of votes.

In 2004, he was awarded a medal and certificate of an honorary member of PACE.

On 15 October 2008, Ilham Aliyev was elected for the second term as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, after gaining 88.73 per cent of votes.

As a result of the presidential election held on 9 October 2013, Ilham Aliyev was re-elected as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan with 84.54 per cent of votes.

In the election held on April 11, 2018, Ilham Aliyev gained 86.02 percent of votes and has been re-elected as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Orders

The Star of Romania Order (11 October, 2004)

King Abdul Aziz Order of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (8 March, 2005)

The first degree Order of Alexander Nevsky of the Academy of Problems of Security, Defense and Order of the Russian Federation (11 April, 2005)

Heydar Aliyev Order of the Republic of Azerbaijan (28 April, 2005)

Venerable Sergius of Radonezh first degree Order of the Russian Orthodox Church (14 September, 2005)

"Sheikhulislam" Order of the Caucasus Muslims Board (22 December, 2005)

Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor of the French Republic (29 January, 2007)

Grand Cross of Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (26 February, 2008),

Order of Prince Yaroslav Mudry of 1st Class of Ukraine (22 May, 2008)

Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order of the State of Kuwait) (10 February, 2009)

Order of the Three Stars (Commander of the Grand Cross) of the Latvian Republic (10 August, 2009)

First degree Order of Honor of the Russian Orthodox Church (24 April, 2010)

The National Order "Faithful Service" in rank of Grand Cross Special Order of Romania (18 April, 2011)

The National Order "Faithful Service" of Romania (18 April, 2011)

Order of Stara Planina of the Republic of Bulgaria (14 November, 2011)

Order of "Ismoili Somoni" of Tajikistan (12 July, 2012)

Order of Friendship of Peoples of Belarus (28 August, 2012)

Order of the Republic of Serbia on a ribbon (22 February, 2013)

Order of State of the Republic of Turkey (12 November, 2013)

Order of Liberty of Ukraine (18 November, 2013)

Supreme Order of the Turkic World (12 November, 2021)

Honorary academic titles

Honorary Doctor of Moscow State University of International Relations (7 February, 2004)

Honorary Professor of L. N. Gumilev Eurasian National University of Kazakhstan (1 March, 2004)

Honorary Doctor of Kirikkale University of Turkey (25 March, 2004)

Honorary Doctor of Bilkent University and Ihsan Dogramacı Prize for International Relations for Peace of Turkey (14 April, 2004)

Honorary Doctor of Petroleum and Gas University of Ploesti of Romania (12 October 2004)

Honorary Professor of University of National and World Economy of Bulgaria (23 September, 2005)

Honorary Doctor of Kyung Hee University of South Korea (24 April, 2007)

Honorary Doctor of the University of Jordan (29 July, 2007)

Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences of Corvinus University of Budapest of the Republic of Hungary (18 February, 2008)

Honorary Professor of Moscow State University of the Russian Federation (21 February 2008)

Honorary Doctor of Kiev National University named after Taras Shevchenko of Ukraine (22 May, 2008)

Honorary Professor of State University named after Makhtumkuli of Turkmenistan (28 November, 2008)

Honorary Doctor of Baku State University of Azerbaijan (2 November, 2009)

Honorary Professor of Belarus State University (12 November, 2009)

Honorary Doctor of Tajik National University (16 October, 2014)

Honorary Professor of History of Renmin University of China (11 December, 2015)

Awards from sports organizations

6th Dan Black Belt and certificate of World Taekwondo Federation (10 October, 2003)

Special Award of the International Wrestling Federation (FILA) (3 April, 2004)

Olympic Order of the International Olympic Committee (19 April, 2004)

Special Award of the European Amateur Boxing Association (1 May 2004)

"Grand Cordon" Order of Merit of the International Military Sport Council (27 May, 2005)

Honorary decoration of the International Confederation of Sport Organizations of CIS countries, (26 September, 2005)

"Sport Legend" Order of the International Wrestling Federation (FILA) (17 September, 2007)

The highest award of Belarus National Olympic Committee (26 October, 2007)

Olympic Order of Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee (27 December, 2007)

Honorary Diploma of 9th Dan of the World Karate Federation (20 March, 2008)

Badge of Honor of the European Fair Play Movement (15 May, 2009)

Paralympic Honor award of the International Paralympic Committee (26 June, 2015)