University of Mascara

The University of Mascara is a non-profit, co-educational public university in the city of Mascara, Algeria, which is formally affiliated with Islam.

Founded in 1986, the university acquired its present status in 1992 and is accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Algeria.

UM offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctor’s and professional degrees over seven faculties: exact science, humanities and social sciences, law and administration, literature and languages, natural and life sciences, science and technology, and economics, commerce and management.

Classes are taught in Arabic, but international students are welcome to apply to enroll. International undergraduate and postgraduate students pay about £800 a year in tuition fees, which is the same as the fees for local students. This does not include room, board or other external costs.

About 70 to 80 per cent of students who apply will be admitted and there are about 20,000 to 25,000 students and about 700 to 800 academic staff.

The university has a very large infrastructure spread over three university centres: Pole Mamounia, which is the main campus, Pole Sidi Said and the new Sidi Said university centre.

Facilities include a library, housing and sports facilities. Available services include financial aids, study abroad programmes and distance learning.

The city of Mascara, founded in the 10th Century by Berber tribe Banu Ifran, is the fast-growing capital of the Mascara Province in northwestern Algeria, with over 110,000 inhabitants. It lies along the Beni Chograne Mountains at 2,000 ft above sea level, on both sides of the Wadi Toudman river.