Université Cadi Ayyad

About Université Cadi Ayyad

Université Cadi Ayyad is a large public university serving Morocco’s Marrakech-Safi region. Established in 1978, it has expanded into a network of 15 university institutions: nine in Marrakech, three in Safi, one in Essaouira and two in El Kelaâ des Sraghna. This structure gives students access to varied academic environments, but it also means that “studying at UCA” can involve very different locations, admission procedures and daily experiences. Official 2025–2026 data record 122,985 students, divided between 101,904 in open-access institutions and 21,081 in regulated-access institutions. The same source reports 36,957 new students, 1,209 international students, 4,113 doctoral students, 1,794 teaching staff and 301 programs. These figures indicate the scale of the institution, but applicants should not treat university-wide numbers as descriptions of any particular faculty or school. UCA identifies initial and continuing education, scientific and technological research, cultural and scientific dissemination, national and international cooperation, student guidance and professional integration among its missions. Institution-level governance is led by a university president, with dedicated academic and student-affairs, research and partnership, administrative, digitalization and doctoral-studies functions. For prospective students, the central decision is therefore not only whether UCA fits, but which constituent institution, program and city best match their academic plans and preferred setting.

Admissions depend on the applicant category, program and constituent institution. For 2026–2027, UCA announced online pre-registration for newly qualified baccalaureate holders applying to open-access institutions from 1 to 31 August 2026. The announcement instructs applicants to consult the recruitment catchment areas by institution and common academic track before submitting. That window concerns open-access institutions only and should not be generalized to regulated-access schools, graduate programs or doctoral study. Programs with regulated access may use selection procedures, competitions or institution-specific applications. Master’s, professional, engineering, medical and doctoral routes can have separate academic prerequisites and calendars. Applicants should work from the current notice issued by the relevant faculty or school and confirm the required credential, documents, selection stages and final enrollment procedure there. International applicants following Morocco’s cooperation route must submit their candidacy diplomatically through the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation. UCA states that files not transmitted by the agency are not considered and that university enrollment requires authorization from the higher-education ministry. Exchange and Erasmus+ students follow different arrangements. No university-wide English-test threshold is published in the reviewed official material; applicants should verify the teaching language and any language evidence required by the chosen program.

UCA organizes its degree education within Morocco’s Licence–Master–Doctorat system. In schema terms, this supports bachelor-, master- and PhD-level study, although applicants should use the official Moroccan award names when reviewing eligibility or credential recognition. The university’s initial-education catalogue spans fundamental and professionally oriented Licence programs, master’s programs, engineering and technology pathways, commerce and management, teacher education, medical education and doctoral research. Availability is institution-specific and can change by academic year. The academic network includes broad faculties as well as specialized schools. Examples documented in the institutional directory include the Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, faculties in law, economics, humanities and Arabic language, the Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, engineering schools in Marrakech and Safi, technology schools in Safi, Essaouira and El Kelaâ des Sraghna, the École Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion, the École Normale Supérieure and the Marrakech medical and pharmacy faculty. Students should verify the precise award, curriculum, teaching language and admission category on the relevant school’s current page rather than assuming university-wide uniformity. Research is a substantial part of UCA’s activity. Official 2025–2026 figures list 77 research structures, 14 thematic research centers and 4,113 doctoral students. The university also identifies scientific research, international cooperation and regional economic development as core missions. This creates opportunities for advanced study across a broad institution, but applicants should assess supervision, facilities and research themes at department or laboratory level before choosing a graduate program.

Key Highlights

• Public university founded in 1978
• 15 institutions across four cities in the Marrakech-Safi region
• 122,985 students reported for 2025–2026
• Open-access and regulated-access institutions operate within the same university

Student Life & Environment

Student life varies by institution and city because UCA is a regional network rather than one enclosed campus. The university publishes institution-specific lists of student clubs and associations covering areas such as ecology, astronomy, health, arts, culture, music, photography, solidarity, engineering and sport. Students should check which groups are active at their intended faculty, since participation opportunities are not necessarily shared across all sites. UCA also describes organized sporting activity in team and individual disciplines, including football, basketball, handball, volleyball, futsal, rugby, athletics, cross-country, table tennis, badminton, chess and archery. Its annual sports program includes university competitions and other events, although schedules and access may depend on the institution and year. The university restaurant serves residents and eligible non-resident students with a catering card. The official page lists meal tickets at MAD 1.40 and says the restaurant operates every day except Sunday; however, the page does not identify an applicable academic year, so students should confirm the price and arrangements directly. UCA also states that its institutions have on-site snack bars. Comprehensive, current information about residence capacity, room allocation and housing prices was not found on the central site, making accommodation a point to investigate early with the relevant institution or university residence service.

Location & Surroundings

UCA’s presidency is on Avenue Abdelkrim Khattabi in Marrakech, but the university extends well beyond that address. Nine institutions are in Marrakech, three in Safi, one in Essaouira and two in El Kelaâ des Sraghna. Applicants should therefore use the exact faculty or school address when comparing transport, housing and living arrangements. Marrakech hosts the largest concentration of UCA institutions, including major science, humanities, legal, economic, technical, engineering, teacher-education, commerce and medical units. Safi has its own university institutions, including engineering, technology and multidisciplinary provision. Essaouira hosts a technology school, while El Kelaâ des Sraghna has legal and political sciences, economics and management, and technology provision listed in the university directory. This multi-city structure can broaden program choice across the region, but commuting between cities should not be assumed to be part of normal daily study. Students should select housing near their actual institution and verify whether required classes, laboratories, placements or administrative services occur at another site.

Costs & Career Outcomes

A current university-wide 2026–2027 tuition schedule for domestic or international degree students was not found in the reviewed central UCA sources. Costs may differ by program, student status and whether study is part of initial education, continuing education or another fee-bearing route. Applicants should request a written breakdown from the relevant institution covering enrollment charges, program fees, insurance, materials and any laboratory, competition or administrative costs. They should also budget separately for housing, local transport and meals. The central dining page lists a MAD 1.40 meal ticket but gives no applicable academic year, so this amount should be reconfirmed before financial planning. International applicants using the AMCI route may be eligible for scholarships and reception support under cooperation agreements between Morocco and partner countries. Eligibility is not automatic and should be confirmed through the competent authorities in the applicant’s country and AMCI. The central sources reviewed do not provide a current universal housing price or guaranteed residence placement. Career support includes employer-facing activity. In June 2026, the UCA Regional Job Fair brought students and graduates together with companies, institutions and professionals to discuss internships, jobs and career development. In July 2026, UCA and the regional employers’ confederation signed a framework agreement addressing work-study development, internships and professional immersion. These initiatives demonstrate active career engagement, but the reviewed sources do not publish university-wide placement rates, graduate salaries or employer outcomes; students should seek program-level evidence when comparing career prospects.