Financing higher education in Morocco or abroad
Morocco has no general public student loan: students combine the Minhaty grant awarded through the unified social register, bank loans with a grace period usually guaranteed by parents and, since 2025, Tamwilcom's Enseignement Plus guarantee.
Free public study, real living costs
Moroccan public universities are almost free, but housing in Rabat, Casablanca or Fez, food and transport add up to a significant expense. Private engineering, business and health schools, on the other hand, charge high annual fees.
The higher education grant through Minhaty
Grant applications are made online on the Minhaty platform, and awards are now linked to the unified social register. A full grant is worth about 6,300 MAD a year, indicative, paid in three instalments to the selected students.
ONOUSC halls of residence and canteens
The National Office for University Social and Cultural Services runs halls of residence and university canteens at very low prices. A room in halls greatly reduces the financing needs of students coming from small towns or rural areas.
Enseignement Plus, a guarantee for private education
Signed in July 2025 between Tamwilcom and Al Barid Bank, the Enseignement Plus scheme guarantees loans used to pay all or part of tuition fees in private higher education. It reduces the guarantee required from the family.
Study loans from commercial banks
Attijariwafa bank, Banque Populaire, Bank of Africa and CIH Bank offer study loans with a grace period during the course. Repayment starts after graduation, but a parent who is an employee or civil servant is almost always required as co-borrower.
Studying in France, Canada or Spain
For study abroad, the Foreign Exchange Office allows families to transfer tuition, rent and living costs on presentation of supporting documents. Some banks finance these transfers with a loan, repaid by the parents in Morocco.
Murabaha for a computer or equipment
A participative bank can finance the purchase of a computer, an instrument or medical equipment for a student through Murabaha. It buys the item and then sells it on to the family with a fixed margin, without providing any cash.
The central role of parents as borrowers
With no income of their own, Moroccan students rarely borrow alone. Parents often take out a school loan in Morocco from secondary school onwards, then a personal or study loan for their children's higher education.
Selective public schools and excellence scholarships
The ENSA, ENCG and public medical faculties charge only low enrolment fees to admitted students. Foundations and companies, particularly in mining and telecommunications, also award excellence scholarships to the highest-ranked students in their year.
After graduation: first job and repayment
The end of the grace period sometimes coincides with a spell of job hunting. Graduates in that position can consult the page on the loan without a job in Morocco and ANAPEC programmes to avoid missed payments.
Student jobs and paid internships
Call centres in Casablanca and Rabat, private tutoring and company internships allow some students to cover their day-to-day living costs. This income is generally not enough to obtain a bank loan on their own.
Comparing with Tunisia
In Tunisia, students can obtain an interest-free public university loan through the Office of University Services. Our guide to the student loan in Tunisia shows how this differs from the Moroccan system based on grants and bank credit.
Putting together study financing in Morocco
- Apply for a grant on Minhaty, checking that the household is registered in the unified social register.
- Request a place in university halls from the ONOUSC if the institution is far from the family home.
- For a private school, ask Al Barid Bank and other banks about a loan guaranteed by Enseignement Plus.
- Compare study loans with a grace period, checking the interest accrued during studies and the insurance required.
- Plan for a parent's guarantee and a repayment schedule that starts after graduation.
Cost of financing studies in Morocco
| Item | Benchmark | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| Full Minhaty grant | About 6,300 MAD a year, indicative | Based on the unified social register |
| Private school fees | Vary by school and programme | Basis of the Enseignement Plus loan |
| Interest during the grace period | Capitalised or paid depending on the offer | Check in the contract |
| Death and disability insurance | On the borrower or co-borrower | Age of the guarantor parent |
| Transfers for study abroad | Bank exchange commissions | Destination country and currency |
Supporting documents for a study loan in Morocco
- CNIE of the student and the guarantor parent
- Certificate of enrolment or pre-enrolment
- School's tuition payment schedule
- Parent's payslips or pension document
- Transcripts for some excellence offers
- Visa and admission letter for study abroad
Mistakes in financing Moroccan studies
- Missing the Minhaty application window or leaving an incomplete social register file, which means losing the grant for that year.
- Choosing an unrecognised private school, which complicates access to guaranteed credit and reduces the value of the degree.
- Ignoring the interest accumulated during the grace period, which sharply increases the amount to repay after graduation.
- Paying middlemen who promise a scholarship abroad or a guaranteed student loan in exchange for application fees.
Moroccan students' questions on financing
Is there a state student loan in Morocco?
No, there is no general public loan. The state mainly funds grants through Minhaty and ONOUSC services, and supports bank lending through Tamwilcom's Enseignement Plus guarantee for private higher education.
Can a student borrow without a guarantor?
It is very rare, because students have no income. Banks almost always require a parent as co-borrower or guarantor, and the public guarantee reduces the risk without entirely removing that requirement.
How can studies in France be financed from Morocco?
Families transfer the fees through their bank, within the framework allowed by the Foreign Exchange Office, with proof of enrolment and housing. A personal or study loan can fund these transfers, repaid from Morocco.
Can a Minhaty grant be combined with a loan?
Yes, nothing prevents a grant holder from also having a study loan. The grant mainly covers part of living costs and is not enough to pay for a private school.