Paying for higher education in Mauritania or abroad without a dedicated student loan
As far as we know, Mauritania offers no specific public or bank student loan. Studies are funded by state grants, reserved since 2024 for master's and doctoral study abroad, by the family, or by a loan taken out by a salaried parent.
No structured student loan in Mauritania
Unlike some countries, no Mauritanian bank widely markets a student loan repayable after graduation, and we have not identified any public study loan fund. Financing relies on grants and family solidarity, often stretched across several siblings.
The August 2024 reform of grants abroad
Since the decision announced at the end of August 2024, new baccalaureate holders no longer receive grants to study abroad; this support is reserved for master's and doctoral students. The government considers that national universities can take in school leavers.
Studying in Nouakchott: universities and institutes
The University of Nouakchott, the École supérieure polytechnique, ISCAE and several public institutes admit school leavers at limited cost. The main expenses are housing, transport and food for students arriving from the interior wilayas.
Public support for students enrolled at home
Students at public institutions may receive national grants or allowances under criteria set each year by the Ministry of Higher Education. Amounts and conditions must be checked with the official services at the start of every academic year.
Heading to Morocco, Tunisia or Senegal
Many young Mauritanians continue their studies in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Senegal or France. Without a grant, the family must budget for tuition fees, rent and air tickets, often in dirhams or euros rather than ouguiyas.
A personal loan taken out by a parent
The most common route is for a parent who is a civil servant or employee to take out a personal loan or a murabaha. The instalment comes out of the parent's domiciled salary in ouguiyas; the bank does not assess the student.
Tuition fees at private institutions
Private higher education institutions in Nouakchott charge annual fees well above those of the public sector. Some accept payment in instalments, an arrangement close to the school fee credit used in Mauritania, with no bank involved.
Foreign scholarships and cooperation
Partner countries, Arab or Islamic organisations and foreign universities offer scholarships to Mauritanian students. These programmes are competitive and are not credit: they generally involve no repayment, unless a service commitment is part of the deal.
Sending money to a student abroad
Families use bank transfers, money transfer services and international prepaid cards topped up in ouguiyas. Commissions and exchange rates weigh on the monthly budget and should be compared between banks in Nouakchott before choosing.
Student jobs and small earnings
Private tutoring, selling online via WhatsApp or small jobs in retail help some students cover their costs. For those who later want to fund a project without a salary, see borrowing without a job in Mauritania.
What exists in neighbouring Mali
In Mali, student support also relies mainly on public grants and the family, within the WAMU monetary framework. The details are in our page on student loans in Mali, useful for families comparing options in the region.
Beware of fake study loans
Adverts on Facebook promise loans or scholarships to study in Canada or Europe in return for application fees. No serious programme asks for a Bankily payment to a stranger to reserve a place or a scholarship.
Planning how to fund Mauritanian higher education
- Estimate the full cost of a year in ouguiyas or foreign currency: enrolment, housing, transport, food and supplies.
- Check each year with the Ministry of Higher Education which national grants exist and their criteria.
- For a master's or PhD abroad, prepare the public or cooperation scholarship application early.
- If needed, have a salaried parent's bank assess a suitable personal loan or murabaha.
- Open a prepaid or international card for the student to keep transfer costs down.
Study expenses to finance in Mauritania
| Expense | Where it arises | What makes it vary |
|---|---|---|
| Public university enrolment | University of Nouakchott, ESP, ISCAE | Course, institution |
| Private tuition | Private institutions in Nouakchott | Programme, level of study |
| Housing and food | Capital or city of study abroad | City, flat-share, residence |
| Transfer fees | Sending money abroad | Bank, service, currency |
| Parent's loan | Personal loan or murabaha | Domiciled salary, term |
Useful documents for financing studies
- Student's ID card with NNI or passport
- Baccalaureate certificate and transcripts
- Enrolment certificate or admission letter
- Borrowing parent's payslips and salary domiciliation
- Institution's tuition fee quote
Missteps by families funding studies
- Counting on a public grant abroad for a bachelor's degree, when this support has been reserved for master's and PhD students since 2024.
- Paying a fake agency that promises a scholarship or student visa in return for an immediate mobile payment.
- Underestimating housing costs in Rabat, Tunis or Dakar and having to borrow urgently in the middle of the year.
- Having a parent take out an overly long loan that overlaps several years of study and other family expenses.
- Overlooking exchange and transfer fees, which noticeably reduce the sum the student receives each month.
Lenders to contact
- Banque pour le Commerce et l'Industrie (BCI Mauritanie): Mauritanian commercial bank providing banking services and financing to individuals, professionals and companies operating within the country.
Questions about financing studies in Mauritania
Is there a bank student loan in Mauritania?
We have not identified any widely available bank offer of a student loan in the strict sense. Families generally use a personal loan or a murabaha taken out by a salaried parent and repaid from the parent's domiciled salary.
Can new baccalaureate holders still get a grant to study abroad?
Under the measure announced at the end of August 2024, public grants for study abroad are now reserved for master's and doctoral students. New school leavers are directed to national institutions or to cooperation scholarships.
How can you finance a master's degree abroad?
A student can apply for public postgraduate grants, cooperation programmes and scholarships from host universities. Failing that, the family combines savings, help from relatives in the diaspora and possibly a loan taken out by a parent.
Can private university fees be paid in instalments?
Some private institutions in Nouakchott accept fees paid in instalments. Ask for the schedule in writing, including any penalties for late payment, before you sign the enrolment form and commit to the year.