The Moroccan bac and access to European universities
This guide describes how the Moroccan baccalaureate is recognised for entry to a Bachelor's degree in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary and Italy. For each country it says whether entry is direct or needs a preparatory year. It does not replace the official pages.
What this guide covers
The Moroccan bac opens access to higher education in Morocco. In Europe, recognition depends on the country and sometimes on the institution. Some countries take the bac directly. Others ask for a preparatory year before the Bachelor's. The rules below come from official sources.
The Moroccan school system has six years of primary and six years of secondary education, twelve years before university. The bac gives access to higher education in Morocco.
Your application in four steps
Whichever country you pick, the process follows the same general order.
- Check how your bac is recognised in the country you want. Directly or after a preparatory year.
- Look at the language asked for and the minimum level.
- Find the application channel for that country.
- Prepare the documents and the visa application.
France
Direct entry. The Moroccan bac allows direct entry to the first year of a licence. There is no compulsory preparatory year. Applications go through the DAP blanche procedure on the Études en France platform.
Holders of the Moroccan bac submit their choices on the Études en France platform of their country of residence. The Parcoursup procedure does not concern them.
DAP blanche covers the first year of a licence at university. It is an admission procedure. It is not a preparatory year.
A French level of B2 is required under DAP. Campaign dates change each year and must be read again on the Moroccan Campus France page for each intake.
Under DAP, the TCF tout public with the compulsory written expression test is required. DELF B2 or DALF are also taken into account.
Germany
Indirect entry. The Moroccan bac alone does not give direct entry to a Bachelor's. It is the route to the Studienkolleg, a preparatory year that ends with the Feststellungsprüfung.
In Germany, a baccalaureate alone does not give the right to direct studies. It prepares for the Studienkolleg and the Feststellungsprüfung.
Without the school-leaving certificate that grants university access, direct entry into the German university system is not possible. Preparation at a Studienkolleg usually takes two semesters.
A Moroccan licence professionnelle, or one or two years of study at a recognised Moroccan university, can open other routes. This point is to be checked case by case.
Netherlands
Direct entry at universities of applied sciences, indirect at research universities. Nuffic places the Moroccan bac between HAVO and VWO. A research university asks for VWO or a first year of HBO. A university of applied sciences normally accepts HAVO.
Nuffic places the Moroccan attestation du baccalauréat at least at HAVO level. That level stays below VWO.
For entry to a research-oriented Bachelor's, students need VWO, or the complete first year, 60 credits, of a Bachelor's at a university of applied sciences.
In principle, a diploma at HAVO, VWO or MBO level 4 allows enrolment in a higher professional education programme.
The evaluation of diplomas by Nuffic is advisory. Each institution decides on enrolment.
A credential evaluation is not legally binding. Universities and universities of applied sciences decide themselves which students they take.
Hungary
Direct entry. There is no national preparatory year before the Bachelor's. Each university decides whether the Moroccan bac is equivalent to the érettségi. Some programmes add an entrance exam.
For a Bachelor's, a secondary school diploma is required, translated into Hungarian or English, with the transcript of courses and grades. Some programmes also ask for an entrance exam.
Recognition of the diploma lies with the institution where the applicant wants to study. There is no single central decision.
A Morocco-specific line on the Hungarian country list was not found. This point is to be checked.
Italy
Direct entry if the diploma covers twelve years. The Moroccan system counts twelve years before university, so the integration year does not apply to the Moroccan bac. The Morocco-specific line on the official list is to be checked.
A foreign school-leaving certificate allows entry to first-cycle programmes if it was obtained after an itinerary of at least twelve years of schooling.
For a Bachelor's, at least twelve years of schooling are required. If the school period was shorter, a university studies certificate is required on top.
Pre-enrolment is done on the Universitaly portal. This is the only procedure that provides the document needed for the visa application.
Campaign dates and the documents asked for vary by university. They must be read again on each institution's page.
What "to be checked" means
Some points in this guide do not come from an official page read directly. They carry the note "to be checked". These are the following items.
- The Morocco line in the German anabin database.
- The French campaign dates, which change each intake.
- The Morocco line on the Hungarian country list.
- The Italian confirmation that the Moroccan bac falls under the twelve years.
We prefer to write "to be checked" rather than guess.
Where to go next
Use your profile to see the programmes that seem to fit, compare them on the comparison page and prepare your steps in my plan.