Morocco's Ministry of Higher Education has announced new measures to ease enrollment for international students in its public universities for the 2026-2027 academic year. According to a ministerial memorandum sent by Higher Education Minister Azzedine El Midaoui to university presidents, newly admitted international students will no longer require formal equivalence of their foreign diplomas. This change aims to simplify the admission process and attract more international students to Moroccan universities.
The exemptions from diploma equivalence and entrance exams are not unconditional. Applicants to engineering, master's, medical specialization, and doctoral programs will still need to undergo a review of their academic records and qualifications. Universities will verify that a student's prior training matches the program they are applying for. El Midaoui has directed university heads to accelerate the processing of international applications and adopt a flexible approach in evaluating academic files.
The new measures also introduce changes for medical specialization and PhD candidates. They will no longer need prior agreement from a supervising professor before enrolling. Instead, the university will assign a specialized instructor to oversee their training or research. This change aims to streamline the admission process and provide students with more support during their studies.
El Midaoui has emphasized the importance of integrating international students into Moroccan universities. He has called for the activation of an "International Student Office" on each campus to provide diversified services and support students throughout their academic journey. The minister framed these measures as part of a broader strategy to strengthen partnerships with African universities and develop joint programs in higher education, research, and innovation.
The new measures reflect Morocco's commitment to young African talent and its goal of positioning the Moroccan university as a platform for academic cooperation across Africa. The effort carries "strong symbolic and strategic" weight, according to the minister. Morocco has become a regional destination for foreign students, hosting 22,000 in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics data.
These changes follow a separate step taken in July 2025, when the ministry granted automatic equivalence to bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and engineering degrees issued by public universities in Spain, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. However, a dispute over the recognition of diplomas from Northern Cyprus remains unresolved, affecting thousands of Moroccan students and graduates.
The measures are expected to strengthen the appeal of Moroccan universities to international students and promote academic cooperation across Africa. The ministry's efforts aim to provide students with access to social services and parallel university activities that ease their stay in Morocco.
Key points
- Morocco waives diploma equivalence and entrance exams for international students.
- New measures aim to streamline admission process and promote academic cooperation across Africa.
- Morocco hosts 22,000 international students, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics data.
