Faut-il une équivalence pour travailler dans le privé au Maroc ?

Pas nécessairement. Un employeur privé peut recruter sur la base du diplôme étranger seul. L'équivalence devient obligatoire pour se présenter à un concours de la fonction publique, exercer une profession réglementée, ou s'inscrire dans un cursus marocain à un niveau donné.

Combien de temps dure la procédure ?

Comptez 2 à 3 mois d'instruction pour un dossier simple et complet, davantage si la commission demande des pièces complémentaires ou si l'établissement d'origine est peu connu d'elle. À cela s'ajoute le temps de réunir les pièces, qui est souvent le plus long.

Quelle est la différence entre équivalence et accréditation partielle ?

L'équivalence reconnaît le diplôme étranger comme correspondant à un diplôme marocain précis. L'accréditation partielle ne donne pas cette correspondance mais autorise l'inscription directe dans une année d'un cursus marocain. Les deux n'ouvrent pas les mêmes portes.

Mon diplôme est en anglais, dois-je le faire traduire ?

Oui. Tout diplôme qui n'est ni en arabe ni en français doit être accompagné d'une traduction dans l'une de ces deux langues, réalisée par un traducteur assermenté. La traduction porte aussi sur les relevés de notes.

L'équivalence suffit-elle pour exercer comme médecin ou architecte au Maroc ?

Non. Pour les professions réglementées, la décision d'équivalence n'est qu'une première étape. L'exercice reste conditionné à l'inscription auprès de l'ordre professionnel compétent, qui applique ses propres règles d'admission.

Peut-on déposer le dossier depuis l'étranger ?

Oui, le dépôt par voie postale recommandée est possible, et un dépôt en ligne existe pour une partie des filières. Le recommandé avec accusé de réception donne une preuve de date utile en cas de perte du dossier.

Que faire si le dossier est rejeté ?

Une commission supérieure réexamine les dossiers rejetés par les commissions sectorielles, ce qui constitue la voie de recours. Il est utile de comprendre le motif exact du rejet avant de redéposer, car un simple manque de pièces se traite différemment d'un désaccord sur le niveau du diplôme.

Diploma equivalence in Morocco: the 2026 procedure

A degree obtained in France, Belgium, Canada or elsewhere is not automatically worth its Moroccan equivalent. To sit a civil service competitive exam, practise a regulated profession or continue studies in Morocco, you need an equivalence decision issued by the ministry in charge of Higher Education. Many Moroccans abroad discover this too late, when returning or applying for a job. The file is prepared from abroad, it requires documents that the issuing institution sometimes takes weeks to produce, and processing time runs into months. This guide sets out what equivalence covers, how it differs from simple recognition, the documents to gather, and the cases where it is not needed.

Costs & fees

Sworn translation of degree and transcripts	Official source unavailable	Sworn translators' rates are not set by any published scale. They vary with language and page count.
Certified true copies	a few dirhams per page	Certified at a Moroccan local authority, or at the consulate from abroad.
International registered post	varies by country of dispatch	To weigh against filing in person during a stay in Morocco.
Ministry file fees	Official source unavailable	Check the amount in force with the Higher Education department at the time of filing.

Timeline

2 weeks to 2 months

Obtaining documents from the issuing institutionFull transcripts and accreditation statement. The least predictable part.

1 to 3 weeks

Sworn translationDepending on language and volume.

2 to 3 months for a straightforward file

Review by the commissionLonger for degrees from institutions the commission knows less well, or where further documents are requested.

after the decision

Publication in the Official BulletinThe order is published, which makes the decision enforceable.

Check whether equivalence is actually required

It is not always. A private employer in Morocco may hire on the strength of the foreign degree alone, without requiring an equivalence decision. It becomes mandatory to sit a civil service competitive exam, to practise a regulated profession, and to enrol in a Moroccan programme at a given level.

💡 Tip: Asking the employer or the institution before starting the procedure sometimes avoids several months of waiting for nothing.

Tell equivalence apart from partial accreditation

Two different decisions come out of the same procedure. Equivalence recognises the foreign degree as matching a specific Moroccan qualification. Partial accreditation does not give that match but allows direct enrolment into a given year of a Moroccan programme.

⚠️ Warning: A file can end in partial accreditation when the applicant was aiming for full equivalence. The two do not open the same doors.

Gather the documents, starting with those from the institution

The file generally includes a certified copy of the degree, transcripts for every year of study, a statement from the institution confirming its accreditation and the recognition of the degree by the state that issued it, an identity document, and the application form. Transcripts and the accreditation statement are the slowest documents to obtain. Request them first.

💡 Tip: Some commissions also ask for detailed course syllabuses including teaching hours. Gathering them from the start avoids a round trip.

Have anything not in Arabic or French translated

A degree written in English, Dutch, German or Spanish must come with a translation into Arabic or French by a sworn translator. The translation also covers the transcripts.

⚠️ Warning: A translation by a non-sworn translator is set aside, however accurate it may be.

File the application with the ministry in Rabat

Filing is done with the department in charge of Higher Education, in person or by registered post. Online filing exists for some fields of study.

💡 Tip: Registered post with acknowledgement of receipt provides proof of date, useful if the file goes missing.

Wait for review by the relevant commission

A sector commission reviews the file according to the discipline. It may request further documents. A higher commission sets the assessment criteria, oversees the sector commissions and re-examines rejected files, which makes it the appeal route.

⚠️ Warning: A request for a further document resets the clock. A complete file from the start remains the best time saving.

Collect the decision and check its exact wording

Equivalences are granted by order of the minister in charge of Higher Education and published in the Official Bulletin. The exact title of the reference Moroccan qualification appears in the decision: it is that wording, not the foreign degree, that will be relied on at a competitive exam.

💡 Tip: Keep the original decision and have several certified copies made, they will be requested with every application.

In depth

Regulated professions, the point that changes everything

For some professions, the equivalence decision is only a first step. Practice remains conditional on registration with the relevant professional body, which applies its own rules. Medicine, pharmacy, architecture, law and chartered accountancy work this way. A Moroccan returning with a European medical degree therefore has two successive doors to pass, not one.

What is best prepared before leaving the country of study

Detailed transcripts and the accreditation statement are far easier to obtain while still on site, or in the months following the end of studies. Ten years later, the institution may have changed archiving systems, merged with another, or closed a programme. Requesting these documents at graduation costs half a day and avoids a complete deadlock later.

Towards automatic recognition for certain countries

Work is under way to automatically recognise degrees issued by certain foreign university systems, which would remove the case-by-case review. American and Swiss degrees are cited among the first concerned. Until the text is published, the standard procedure remains the only safe route.

The reverse direction

The equivalence covered here runs from a foreign degree towards Morocco. The reverse, having a Moroccan degree recognised abroad, falls to the authorities of the host country and follows completely different rules. Do not confuse the two.

❌ Common mistakes to avoid

✕Starting the procedure when it is not required. A private employer may hire without an equivalence decision, unlike a civil service competitive exam.
✕Confusing equivalence with partial accreditation. The latter allows resuming studies, not claiming a Moroccan qualification.
✕Waiting ten years before requesting detailed transcripts from the issuing institution. They are far easier to get just after graduation.
✕Using a non-sworn translator. The translation is set aside regardless of its quality.
✕Filing an incomplete application hoping to complete it later. Every request for a further document lengthens the review.
✕Believing the equivalence decision is enough to practise a regulated profession. Registration with the professional body remains a separate step.
✕Keeping only one copy of the decision. Certified copies will be requested with every application.

🔗 Official links and resources

Department of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Official page on degree equivalence, forms and required documents.

Official Bulletin of the Kingdom of Morocco

Publication of equivalence orders.

National public service portal

Administrative procedure sheets and contact points.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Do you need an equivalence to work in the private sector in Morocco?＋

Not necessarily. A private employer may hire on the basis of the foreign degree alone. Equivalence becomes mandatory to sit a civil service competitive exam, practise a regulated profession, or enrol in a Moroccan programme at a given level.

How long does the procedure take?＋

Expect 2 to 3 months of review for a simple, complete file, longer if the commission requests further documents or if it is less familiar with the issuing institution. Add the time needed to gather the documents, which is often the longest part.

What is the difference between equivalence and partial accreditation?＋

Equivalence recognises the foreign degree as matching a specific Moroccan qualification. Partial accreditation does not give that match but allows direct enrolment into a given year of a Moroccan programme. The two do not open the same doors.

My degree is in English, do I need a translation?＋

Yes. Any degree not in Arabic or French must come with a translation into one of those two languages by a sworn translator. The translation also covers the transcripts.

Is equivalence enough to practise as a doctor or architect in Morocco?＋

No. For regulated professions, the equivalence decision is only a first step. Practice remains conditional on registration with the relevant professional body, which applies its own admission rules.

Can the application be filed from abroad?＋

Yes, filing by registered post is possible, and online filing exists for some fields of study. Registered post with acknowledgement of receipt provides proof of date, useful if the file goes missing.

What if the application is rejected?＋

A higher commission re-examines files rejected by the sector commissions, which is the appeal route. It is worth understanding the exact reason for the rejection before refiling, since a missing document is handled differently from a disagreement on the level of the degree.

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Getting a foreign degree recognised in Morocco: equivalence, procedure and regulated professions