Study in Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast had provisionally 629 higher education institutions in 2023–24: 9 public universities, 127 private universities, 36 grandes écoles and 457 private grandes écoles. The system counted about 323,467 students, 23,997 teaching staff and 17,019 residence beds. Public universities include Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Nangui Abrogoua, Alassane Ouattara, Jean Lorougnon Guédé, Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, Man, UVCI, San-Pédro and Bondoukou. Private institutions and grandes écoles differ in programs, authorization, fees and admission rules, so applicants should verify the institution and the accreditation of the chosen program. After the BAC, the Direction de l’Orientation et des Bourses (DOB) manages public orientation and pre-registration. Applicants submit four choices, consisting of three mandatory choices and one optional choice. Each choice combines an institution and a field of study. The same field may be selected at most twice and the same institution at most twice. Selection considers subject marks, BAC series, BAC average, available capacity, age and nationality. Public orientation is generally open to nationals and non-nationals, with a maximum age of 23 for this process. Private orientation through the same system is reserved for nationals. Capacity and selection criteria mean that submitting a choice does not guarantee placement. Other entry routes include institution-specific admission to a Licence or Master, transfer or equivalence procedures and, for some programs, a special medical integration test. Foreign applicants use the official equivalence or recognition procedure. The Licence-Master-Doctorat structure, known as LMD, organizes study through semesters and teaching units. A Licence normally takes three years and represents 180 credits. A Master takes two additional years and represents 300 credits from the BAC level. A Master professionnel is oriented toward direct employment, while a Master recherche usually leads toward doctoral study. A Doctorat normally requires three years of research after the Master and represents 480 credits from the BAC level. The credit system, called CECT, allows credits to be capitalized and transferred under the applicable rules. Internships, dissertations and projects may form part of the program. For the 2026–27 academic year, the national calendar sets the start of the academic year on 14 September 2026. New registrations run from 25 August to 30 September 2026, while re-registration runs from 25 August to 31 October 2026. The first semester runs from 14 September 2026 to 5 February 2027, the second from 8 February to 18 June 2027, and resit examinations from 21 June to 16 July 2027. Public registration fees must be paid through TresorMoney or TresorPay using InscriptionSup or PROGES-U. The exact public fee depends on the official platform and institution. Private fees depend on the establishment and should be checked against the authorized-institution directory. UVCI illustrates how fees can vary by status and level. Its stated initial-study fees are 30,000 FCFA per year for nationals in Licence 1 to 3, 100,000 FCFA for UEMOA students and 300,000 FCFA for students from outside UEMOA. Master fees are 60,000, 200,000 and 400,000 FCFA respectively, while Doctorat fees are 90,000, 300,000 and 500,000 FCFA. The admission dossier fee is 10,000 FCFA. These figures are an institutional example and do not replace the current fee notice for another institution. The DOB manages domestic scholarships. A new BAC holder generally needs at least 12 out of 20, with the BAC result weighted two-thirds and the final-year result one-third. From the second year, upper-year admission and no previous repeat are required under the stated rules. Selection also considers quotas, merit, study type, age, gender and parental socioeconomic status. Students without a scholarship may qualify for financial assistance in public or private universities and grandes écoles. Overseas scholarships focus on Engineering, Master and Doctorat study or specialties relevant to Ivory Coast; they are competitive and do not create an automatic entitlement. The Centre Régional des Œuvres Universitaires (CROU) manages services such as residences and restaurants in the relevant university areas. Public and private higher education students with regular initial full-time registration may apply for housing. Age limits are 22 for Licence 1, 23 for Licence 2, 24 for Licence 3, 25 for Master 1, 26 for Master 2, 28 for Doctorat 1, 29 for Doctorat 2 and 30 for Doctorat 3. Readmission priority, at least 80 percent of credits, residence rules and payment of previous rent can affect allocation. Disability, cultural or sporting involvement and documented social circumstances may support inclusion, but available beds are limited. The Direction de l’Enseignement Supérieur (DESUP) handles program and institution administration, including transfers, equivalence and recognition matters. The Direction des Examens et Concours (DEXCO) authenticates and issues diplomas. ANAQ-ESR handles quality and accreditation. Students should use a recognized institution and an accredited program, register and pay within the official window, validate their credits and follow academic and residence rules. For a national or foreign post-BAC diploma, the Centre de Reconnaissance et d’Équivalence des Qualifications (CREQ) handles equivalence; recognition requires inclusion in the homologated list, a valid homologation period and an exact title match. A thesis defense must take place within the permitted maximum period of three years after the training period. After graduation, possible directions include employment, entrepreneurship, doctoral study and international mobility, but a qualification does not automatically provide a job. UVCI offers a functional distance-study alternative. School, vocational education and continuing education belong to adjacent subjects except where they explain an entry requirement or transition into tertiary study.