cursussup.gov.ma: applying to higher education, step by step
You have the baccalaureate and are aiming for medicine, ENSA or ENCG but do not know where to start? It all runs through one portal: cursussup.gov.ma. This guide covers everything: creating the account, signing in, available institutions, documents, deadlines, results, and the mistakes that cost admission.
What is cursussup?
cursussup is the national electronic portal used by the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation to manage applications and pre-enrolment in Morocco's public higher-education institutions. Its official address is cursussup.gov.ma, and it is the only approved portal for this purpose.
Before the platform existed, each institution ran its own competition: paper files, travel, duplicated documents and different deadlines. cursussup brought all of that into one place: one account, one file, and simultaneous applications to several institutions.
In practice, once you have the baccalaureate and are aiming for a regulated-access institution β medicine and pharmacy faculties, ENSA, ENCG, EST, ENS, FST, ENSAM β you go to cursussup.gov.ma, create an account, complete your file and select the institutions you are applying to.
The institutions involved
These are the main families of institutions whose applications run through cursussup.gov.ma:
| Institution | Field | Length | Access route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine and pharmacy faculties | Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy | 6 to 7 years | Threshold + written exam |
| ENSA | Engineering | 5 years | Preselection + entrance exam |
| ENCG | Business and management | 5 years | Preselection + TAFEM exam |
| EST | Technology β DUT | 2 years | Selection on average |
| ENS | Teacher training | 3 to 5 years | Selection + exam |
| FST | Science and technology | 3 to 5 years | Selection on average |
| ENSAM | Engineering and mechanics | 5 years | Selection + exam |
| ISPITS | Health professions | 3 years | Selection + exam |
Note the key distinction: some institutions rely on selection by average alone (EST, and usually FST), while others add a written entrance exam after preselection (medicine, ENSA, ENCG). That difference changes how you should prepare.
Applying on cursussup, step by step
The procedure is the same for every institution, and that is the main advantage of cursussup.
1. Create the account
Go to cursussup.gov.ma from an up-to-date browser. Enter your Massar Code, national ID number, date of birth and an e-mail address that belongs to you and that you check: every notification will arrive there.
2. Sign in
After activation, return to the cursussup login page with your credentials. If you forget the password, use e-mail recovery.
3. Complete the profile
Stream, regional exam marks, national exam marks, general average and school of origin. Most of this comes from the Massar system, but check each item.
4. Choose institutions
The list is filtered by your stream and average. Some institutions cap the number of choices, others do not.
5. Confirm and print the receipt
Once confirmed, cursussup generates a receipt with a reference number. Print it: it is your only proof of registration.
Regulated access versus open access
This is what confuses new baccalaureate holders most, and it determines whether you need cursussup at all.
| Criterion | Regulated access | Open access |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Medicine, ENSA, ENCG, EST, FST, ENS | Law, humanities, science and economics faculties |
| Portal | cursussup.gov.ma | Each university's own platform |
| Entry condition | Threshold + selection (+ exam sometimes) | The baccalaureate, in a suitable stream |
| Places | Limited and set in advance | Wide |
| Deadline | Very strict | More flexible |
The classic mistake: applying on cursussup, assuming everything is done, and not enrolling in an open-access faculty as a fallback β then ending up with no place at all. Do both in parallel.
A typical cursussup season
Exact dates are announced each year, but the rhythm stays stable:
| Stage | Indicative period | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Baccalaureate results | June | Prepare your scanned documents |
| Applications open | June β July | Create the account and apply without delay |
| Applications close | July | Check your receipt |
| Shortlists published | July | Check the account and e-mail daily |
| Entrance exams | July β August | Convocation + ID card |
| Admission lists | August | Main list and waiting list |
| Final enrolment | August β September | Very short deadline β do not miss it |
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The site is slow or will not open | Heavy traffic near the deadline | Try late at night or early morning |
| School data is wrong | An error in the Massar system | Contact your school β corrections happen there, not on cursussup |
| No activation e-mail received | Filed as spam | Check the spam folder before registering again |
| The document will not upload | Size or format not accepted | Compress it and convert to PDF |
| Forgotten password | β | Use recovery through the registered e-mail |
| The institution is not listed | Average below threshold or ineligible stream | Check the entry requirements first |
General observation: most difficulties on cursussup are not technical but come from preparation β an incomplete file, a document in the wrong format, or trying to register on the last day.
Mistakes that cost admission
- Waiting until the last day: the server is under heavy load, and a technical hitch leaves no second chance
- Applying to a single institution: selection depends on other candidates' averages, not only on yours
- Not reading each institution's requirements: every one calculates the selection average differently, with its own coefficients
- Using someone else's e-mail: lose access to that inbox and you lose the notifications
- Not printing the receipt: without it there is no proof
- Ignoring the waiting list: many stop checking after the main list and miss a place that opened up
How the selection average is calculated
This is the most asked question about cursussup. The answer: there is no single formula. Each institution has its own, but the general logic rests on three elements: the national exam average, the regional exam average and the continuous-assessment average.
On top of that come coefficients specific to the defining subjects of each field: mathematics and physics for ENSA, mathematics and languages for ENCG, life and earth sciences and physics for medicine.
The same candidate can therefore be above the threshold at one institution and below it at another, with identical marks. Reading each institution's requirements matters more than any general advice.
After applying
- Wait for the preselection lists: check your account and e-mail
- Prepare for the exam: if shortlisted, time is short
- Sit the exam: at the place and time on the convocation
- Admission lists: main list and waiting list
- Final enrolment: in person, with a paper file, within a very short window
That last stage is what costs some admitted candidates their place: the final enrolment window is measured in days, and once missed, the place passes to the next person on the waiting list.
If the application does not succeed
A rejection on cursussup.gov.ma is not the end of the road. The real alternatives:
- Open-access institutions: science, humanities, law and economics faculties β enrolment through university platforms
- Preparatory classes (CPGE): a separate procedure that opens the grandes Γ©coles after two years
- Vocational training: OFPPT and the network of specialised institutes
- Reapplying next year: some institutions accept baccalaureates from earlier years
The first route is not the only one: many students who started in an open faculty later reached their intended field by another path.
Frequently asked questions
What is cursussup?
It is the national portal cursussup.gov.ma that manages applications and pre-enrolment in Morocco's regulated-access public higher-education institutions: medicine, ENSA, ENCG, EST, ENS, FST and others.
How do I log in to cursussup?
Go to cursussup.gov.ma, choose sign in, and enter the e-mail and password you created at registration. If you forget the password, use recovery through the registered e-mail.
Does cursussup cover every university institution?
No. cursussup mainly covers regulated-access institutions. Open-access faculties (science, humanities, law, economics) generally use each university's own platform.
Where do I check cursussup results?
In your account on cursussup.gov.ma and through the registered e-mail. There are two stages: shortlists for the entrance exams, then admission lists with a waiting list.
How many institutions can I choose?
It depends on the annual procedure and on each institution. The general advice: do not settle for one, since selection also depends on other candidates' averages.
Can an independent candidate apply?
Yes, provided they hold the baccalaureate. Additional conditions are set by each institution, particularly on whether earlier years' baccalaureates are accepted.
I forgot to print the receipt β what now?
Sign back into your cursussup account and download it again. The receipt stays available in the account and is the only proof of final registration.
My school data is wrong on cursussup β where do I fix it?
Not on cursussup. The data comes from the Massar system, so contact your school's administration to correct it at source.