Study in Mauritania

Mauritania's higher education system covered 45,384 students and 46 higher-education establishments according to an MESRS dashboard updated on 2 February 2026. A directory snapshot listed 17 public and 10 private institutions, but its coverage and counting basis differed, so these figures do not establish which sector is dominant. Public universities include Université de Nouakchott, Université des Sciences Islamiques d’Aioun and Université de Nouadhibou, established in 2024. Specialized institutions include ENS, ESP, École Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Santé, Nouakchott Business School, ISCAE, ISET Rosso, Institut Supérieur du Numérique, ISGI, Higher Institute of English, ISERI, Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Mer, Institut Supérieur de la Jeunesse et des Sports, ISPLTI and Grande Mahdara Chinguitiya. Private provision includes universities and schools such as LIU, Université Moderne de Chinguitti, Université Cheikh Mohamed Lemine Chinguitti, Sup’Management, CDD Sup, EMSI, GEU, Grande École de Management et d’Ingénierie, International School of Business and SAME-Paris. Nouakchott remains the main concentration, with additional public provision in Aioun, Nouadhibou, Rosso and Akjoujt and an ongoing decentralization trend. Study programs cover humanities and languages, law and political sciences, economics and management, science and technology, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, Islamic studies, teacher education, agriculture, pastoral and agri-food studies, information technology, industrial engineering, business and translation or interpretation. The Higher Institute of English provides an English-led environment, while Arabic and French are also central to the national study environment and some institutions provide integrated language support. The Licence-Master-Doctorat framework, usually called LMD, organizes most academic study. A Licence is normally a three-year first-cycle degree comprising six semesters and 180 credits. Its semesters move from introductory study and choice of direction toward deeper study, a disciplinary base and specialization. A Master normally adds two years and four semesters, for 120 further credits, and may be research-oriented or professionally oriented; the final semester commonly includes an internship and a thesis or equivalent project. A Doctorat normally follows a research Master or foreign equivalent and takes about three years after the Master, with 180 credits divided between complementary or research activities and a thesis with a defense. Five-year engineering qualifications and qualifying medicine, pharmacy, dentistry or veterinary degrees may also provide access under the applicable rules. Health programs have separate durations, including seven years for medicine and six years for pharmacy and dentistry. Entry to first-year Licence study normally requires the baccalaureate, called the Bac, or an equivalent qualification. Admission combines a national placement process with institutional capacity. A 2025 draft framework approved by the Council of Ministers proposed considering the applicant's social record, institutions outside the capital, institutional excellence and academic merit. Annual notices and each institution's dossier rules determine the operative requirements. Selective grandes écoles and preparatory classes may use competitive examinations. Admission to a Master normally follows a Licence, while Doctorat admission follows the relevant research qualification or accepted equivalent. Digital registration and re-enrolment are being supported through Tasjil and Khidmati initiatives. Study may take place on campus or through distance provision, including distance-education centres and learning-management systems. Programs assess students through semester, module and credit validation, together with program-specific examinations, internships, theses, dissertations and defenses. No single national pass threshold applies across all programs according to the available evidence. Recognized qualifications include Licence fondamentale, Licence professionnelle, Master de recherche, Master professionnel and Doctorat, as well as specialized engineering, health and professional diplomas. Recognition depends on an authorized or accredited institution and program. MESRS, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, sets policy, manages access and placement, supervises institutions, handles accreditation matters and supports recognition of qualifications. Direction de l’Enseignement Supérieur, Direction de l’Orientation, des Bourses et de la Coopération Internationale and Direction des Qualifications Académiques et de la Reconnaissance des Diplômes carry out specialized responsibilities. AMAQ-ES handles external quality assurance and accreditation, ANRSI supports research and innovation, and CNOU provides student services. Institutions remain responsible for their own admissions, curricula and examinations under the national framework, including Law 2023-001, Decree 2022-089 and Circular 2023-001 on LMD. Funding combines household payments, national scholarships and student services. No current consolidated national tariff was evidenced. An older official national-strategy baseline listed 60 MRU for a Licence, 2,000 MRU for a research Master and 3,000 MRU for a professional Master; it also listed CNOU restaurant meals at 5 MRU, residence at 250 MRU per month and bus transport at 5 MRU. These older figures require confirmation in the current annual notice or institutional schedule. An official 2025 statement reported more than 15,000 national scholarship recipients, representing 36 percent, with priority linked to the social registry, first-year Licence students, institutions in the interior and excellence in the Bac or higher education. CNOU services include grants, housing, catering, health support and other student services, and student health coverage has been announced. MESRS and universities may also announce international mobility scholarships. The usual progression is from the Bac to national placement and then a Licence or a selective or professional program, from a Licence to a Master, and from a Master to a Doctorat. Professional Licences and Masters can also lead directly toward employment. Initial vocational education outside a recognized tertiary program, standalone language courses and continuing education without a regular tertiary qualification belong outside this study pathway.