Postgraduate Studies & Fellowship

Master’s, PhD and the Egyptian Fellowship for international students: how to apply, requirements, documents, and the difference between tracks so you can choose what fits your goal.

Master’s degree

1. How to apply

The main official route for international students is the “Study in Egypt” platform of the Ministry of Higher Education, where you can search universities, programs and majors and apply.

2. Key requirements

• A Bachelor’s / Licence degree from a recognized university.
• A major relevant to the requested Master’s, according to university and faculty regulations.
• Your certificate and transcript, with the required attestations.
• A valid passport.
• Personal photos and the university’s required documents.
• Some programs may require proof of English (TOEFL/IELTS) or specific courses/tests.
• Some faculties require a minimum Bachelor’s grade, so there is no single threshold for all universities and majors.

For foreign university degrees, the Supreme Council of Universities is responsible for equivalency of degrees from institutions not governed by the Universities Law. The Council has approved issuing equivalency of a first degree or Master’s for the purpose of postgraduate study only, not for professional practice in Egypt, provided the institution is accredited in its home country.

3. Duration

It depends on the program and university, but a Master’s in Egypt usually includes coursework followed by a thesis or research, and typically takes about two years or more depending on the major, regulations and thesis progress.

4. Fees

There is no single price for international Master’s students; fees depend on the university, faculty and major, program type, plus service and registration fees.

5. Where you can study

International students can study at many Egyptian public, national and private universities depending on the major. Public examples include Cairo, Ain Shams, Alexandria, Helwan, Mansoura, Zagazig, Assiut, Tanta, Menoufia and Beni-Suef. Degrees from public universities governed by the Universities Law are recognized by law and do not need separate accreditation from the Supreme Council of Universities.

6. Required documents

1. Passport.
2. Bachelor’s / Licence certificate.
3. Transcript.
4. Secondary certificate or equivalent, if requested by the university.
5. Personal photos.
6. CV, for some programs.
7. Language certificate, if required by the program.
8. Required attestations of certificates.
9. Equivalency document, if required in your case.

Professional or academic Master’s?

The main difference is the goal of study and the nature of courses and thesis:

Example: in an MBA, the academic track studies management and economic theory and research methods followed by a thesis, while the professional track focuses on finance, marketing, leadership, project management and case studies.

• If your goal is a PhD, university teaching or research → the academic track is usually best.
• If your goal is career growth, a management role or practical skills → the professional track is usually a better fit.

In Egypt specifically, it is important to check the program and university regulations: the label “professional” or “academic” alone does not tell you whether the degree qualifies you for a PhD or how it is recognized in your country. We help you verify this before applying.

PhD

PhD programs for international students are available at Egyptian universities in many fields. Applications follow the university, faculty and program requirements through the “Study in Egypt” platform.

Key requirements

• A Master’s degree in a field relevant to the requested PhD.
• Previous degrees from recognized institutions.
• Master’s certificate, transcript, Bachelor’s certificate, passport and other documents.
• Meeting faculty and department requirements, which may include a minimum grade, preparatory courses, a language test, or approval of the research topic.
• Equivalency of previous degrees for international students.

PhD stages

1. Admission and registration in the department.
2. Courses or preparatory requirements, depending on regulations.
3. Defining the research topic and plan.
4. Forming the supervision committee.
5. Conducting research and collecting and analyzing data.
6. Writing the thesis.
7. Defending the thesis before a scientific committee.
8. Award of the PhD after meeting the university’s requirements.

Important for international students: if your Master’s was obtained outside Egypt, check its recognition and equivalency status before registering. A Supreme Council of Universities decision allows international students to obtain equivalency for the purpose of postgraduate study only, not for professional practice in Egypt.

The Egyptian Fellowship for international doctors

The Egyptian Medical Fellowship for non-Egyptian doctors is a clinical professional training track supervised by the Egyptian Ministry of Health — it is not an academic Master’s or PhD. It focuses on clinical and practical training, and doctors earn it after completing training and passing the final exam.

Applying

There are programs for international doctors, and the Ministry of Health officially lists hospitals that train and award the Egyptian Fellowship to Arab and African doctors alongside Egyptians. Admission requirements, fees and deadlines vary by specialty, year and organizing body, so we check the current intake announcement with you before you decide.

Nature of study

The fellowship relies heavily on on-the-job training in an accredited hospital or training center, plus lectures, workshops, and research and journal discussions, under the supervision of trainers and specialized scientific boards.

Fellowship vs Master’s vs PhD

• Egyptian Fellowship: a clinical professional track that qualifies a doctor to become a specialist.
• Master’s: an academic degree, usually combining coursework and research.
• PhD: a higher research degree focused on original research and new knowledge.