Universities in Morocco

Universities in Morocco include large public universities, specialised schools of engineering, business and translation, private institutions and a few universities that follow foreign models. Morocco also receives a growing number of foreign students. According to the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI), about 14,500 foreign students were enrolled at Moroccan public higher education institutions in 2019-20, 12,500 of them from 47 African countries.

The language of study matters more than in most countries. French is the working language of Moroccan public higher education, according to AMCI, while a few institutions, such as Al Akhawayn University, teach in English. Our directory lists two active universities in Morocco: Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, which teaches in English, and Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Marrakech (Sup de Co Marrakech), a private business school.

How Moroccan universities work

Public universities are organised into faculties and schools and follow the licence-master-doctorate structure. The Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi in Tetouan, a typical public university, lists among its qualifications:

• Licence d'Etudes Fondamentales, Licence Professionnelle and Licence en Sciences et Techniques (bachelor's level)
• Master, Master Spécialisé and Master en Sciences et Techniques
• Diplôme d'Ingénieur, with two preparatory years before the engineering cycle
• Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie and the diploma of the national business schools (ENCG)
• Doctor of Medicine and doctoral studies

Private schools award their own diplomas, and state recognition is the key point to check. Sup de Co Marrakech states that it is recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education and that all its diplomas in fundamental management (Bac+3, three years after the Baccalauréat) and specialised management (Bac+5) are recognised by the state. According to the school, this lets graduates enrol for a doctorate at public universities.

Al Akhawayn University (AUI) follows a different model. It was founded by royal decree in 1993, opened to students in January 1995 and describes itself as an independent, public, not-for-profit university. It follows the American liberal arts model, teaches all degrees in English and awards BA, BSc, MSc, MBA and Executive MBA degrees. AUI is recognised by the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education and accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), most recently in 2022 for a ten-year term through 2032, according to the university. It had 3,750 students in autumn 2023.

Admission for international students

Each institution sets its own admission rules. The common starting point is the Moroccan Baccalauréat or a recognised foreign equivalent:

• At Al Akhawayn University, undergraduate applicants submit the Baccalauréat or an equivalent, transcripts for the last three years of secondary school, proof of English (TOEFL, IELTS or the university's placement test), a personal statement and two letters of recommendation, and take the General Admission Test (GAT). The application fee is 500 MAD. Decisions are announced in July for the autumn semester and in December for spring.
• At Sup de Co Marrakech, admission requires the Baccalauréat and the school's entrance exam, with an aptitude test, English and French.

International applicants to AUI face extra requirements linked to visa documents, credential evaluation and English tests. At public universities, where much teaching is in French, non-French-speaking students may need to improve their French first: AMCI runs an International Language Centre in Rabat, created in 2011, where students from non-French-speaking partner countries take a French course over one academic year.

Visa and residence rules depend on nationality, and we could not fetch an official Moroccan government page with the current requirements. Check them with the Moroccan embassy or consulate in your country and ask the institution's international office which documents it provides.

Costs and funding

There is no single fee scale. Private schools charge registration and tuition fees; Sup de Co Marrakech lists registration fees, study fees and optional accommodation fees paid at the start of the year. AUI publishes its tuition and fees every year in Moroccan dirhams (MAD) and offers merit scholarships, from partial to full tuition, that can be combined with need-based aid; according to the university, 50% of its students receive at least one of the two.

For students from partner countries, the main public funding route is the Kingdom of Morocco scholarship managed by AMCI. More than 12,000 foreign students held these scholarships in 2019-20, according to the agency, and 85% of AMCI's African students are scholarship holders. Students placed by AMCI in Rabat can live in its Cité Universitaire Internationale.

How to choose a university

• Language of instruction: English at Al Akhawayn, mostly French at public universities and business schools; check the language of each programme
• Recognition: for a private school, check that the specific diploma is recognised by the Moroccan state and how it will be recognised in your own country
• Type of degree: a public university licence, a business school Bac+3 or Bac+5, an engineering diploma or an American-style bachelor's degree
• Exchange options: AUI reports exchange agreements with more than 400 partner universities, and public universities such as Abdelmalek Essaâdi take part in Erasmus
• Housing and setting: a residential campus in a small mountain town like Ifrane, or a large city such as Marrakech

Frequently asked questions

Can I study at a Moroccan university in English?

Yes, at some institutions. Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane teaches all its degree programmes in English, with required coursework in French and/or Arabic. Public universities teach mainly in French.

Are private university diplomas recognised in Morocco?

Only if the state has recognised them. Sup de Co Marrakech, for example, states that its Bac+3 and Bac+5 diplomas are recognised by the state, which gives access to doctoral studies at public universities.

Are there scholarships for international students in Morocco?

Yes. AMCI awards Kingdom of Morocco scholarships to students from partner countries, and more than 12,000 foreign students held one in 2019-20. Al Akhawayn University also offers merit scholarships and need-based aid.

What do I need to apply to a Moroccan university?

Usually the Moroccan Baccalauréat or a recognised equivalent, school transcripts and, depending on the institution, an entrance exam or proof of language level such as TOEFL or IELTS.