The 20 Best Universities in the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania) to Study Law in 2026

Preliminary Note: Ranking Methodology

The preparation of this ranking has been based on a combined analysis of different aspects that help us better understand each university and the education it provides. We have examined their curricula, the structure of their programmes and the way each institution organises teaching, paying particular attention to the quality and up-to-date nature of the content, as well as its connection to students’ needs and the challenges facing society.

We have also taken into account the teaching methods, resources and facilities available at each university. These elements help shape the environment in which academic life takes place and can directly influence students’ experiences. In addition, we have reviewed information published on the institutions’ own websites, their news and their presence in the media, as complementary ways to understand their initiatives, development and the image they project.

The analysis has been complemented by exploratory consultations conducted on a random basis among young people and students. The aim was to understand how they perceive the education they receive and what they think of the university they attend. These impressions offer a perspective rooted in students’ everyday experiences and complement the examination of institutional information. We have also considered, as supplementary material, assessments and references produced by other institutions and specialised organisations, without allowing them to replace our own analysis.

The competitiveness of universities and their ability to respond to current academic and professional demands also form part of the assessment. However, we believe that the quality of an institution cannot be measured solely by its market position, resources or international profile. We have therefore chosen to pay particular attention to the human dimension: honesty, a humanistic approach to education, ethics, learning and the transmission of values.

In our view, a university fully fulfils its purpose when, in addition to preparing students for professional practice, it contributes to their personal and civic development. Academic excellence is inseparable from responsibility, respect, critical thinking and the ability to act with integrity. With this approach, the ranking seeks to offer a broad view of universities, considering both the strength of their educational offering and the principles that guide the education they provide.

Mohammed V University in Rabat leads the ranking compiled by Impact Lawyers, followed by the University of Algiers 1 and the University of Carthage.

Editorial selection criteria

Mohammed V University in Rabat tops the first Impact Lawyers ranking of the best universities in the Maghreb to study Law. The University of Algiers 1 and the University of Carthage rank second and third, while Hassan II University, Tunis El Manar and the University of Sfax complete the top six.

This selection jointly analyzes institutions from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania, considering the diversity of their academic programmes and their educational track record in the field of Law and Legal Studies.

This editorial selection considers factors such as national reputation, legal research, programme breadth, languages, postgraduate education, professional preparation and links with courts, public administrations, law firms and businesses.

A methodology for five legal systems

The editorial selection adopts a balanced approach that values the track record and institutional context of each faculty, allowing the region's different educational realities to be appreciated without lower international visibility leading to their exclusion.

The result is complemented by five dimensions:

• National and regional academic reputation.
• The quality and impact of legal research.
• The breadth of public and private law education.
• Employability and links with the legal professions.
• Internationalisation, multilingualism and practical preparation.

The Maghreb shares a strong French civil-law influence and the presence of Islamic law, but it is not a single professional market. Every country applies its own degrees, recognition rules, competitive examinations, traineeships and Bar requirements.

Mohammed V: leadership from Rabat

Mohammed V University in Rabat ranks first. Its faculties of legal, economic and social sciences benefit from proximity to Morocco's Government, Parliament, superior courts, ministries, embassies and regulators.

The university is strong in public, constitutional, administrative, international, private and commercial law. Its graduate network is especially influential in government, diplomacy, academia and the Bar.

The combination of academic track record, research and strategic location reinforces Mohammed V's educational offering in the Maghreb's legal field.

University of Algiers 1: Algerian legal tradition

The University of Algiers 1 ranks second. Its Faculty of Law is a historic reference for the education of Algerian lawyers, judges, academics and public officials.

Its location in the capital supports contact with ministries, the Conseil d'État, the Cour suprême, public institutions and major businesses. It is particularly strong in public, private, criminal, international and administrative law.

Its prominent influence in professional practice coexists with research activity primarily oriented toward the national legal and institutional framework.

University of Carthage and Tunisian projection

The University of Carthage ranks third. The Faculté des sciences juridiques, politiques et sociales de Tunis has a particularly strong orientation towards public, international and business law and political science.

The institution benefits from its Greater Tunis location and relationships with law firms, government, international organisations and businesses. Teaching in Arabic and French reflects the country's professional reality.

Hassan II and the Casablanca market

Hassan II University of Casablanca ranks fourth. Its legal faculties are connected with Morocco's economic capital, home to banks, insurers, multinationals, law firms and the country's principal corporate activity.

The university is especially relevant for commercial, financial, employment, tax and property law and arbitration. The scale of its public faculties means that students need initiative to secure placements and individual support.

Tunis El Manar and doctrinal tradition

University of Tunis El Manar ranks fifth. Its Faculté de droit et des sciences politiques de Tunis is one of the most prestigious legal institutions in the country.

It excels in private, public, international and criminal law and legal theory. Its network extends across the Tunisian judiciary, government, academia and Bar.

University of Sfax

The University of Sfax ranks sixth. Its law faculty combines doctrinal education with the business and industrial reality of Tunisia's second major economic area.

Sfax is especially attractive for commercial, tax, employment, maritime and investment law. It offers a strong regional network and potentially lower costs than Tunis.

Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah and the Fez tradition

Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University ranks seventh. Its Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences offers public- and private-law pathways in Arabic and French.

The university also includes the Faculty of Sharia of Fez, which examines Islamic jurisprudence, family law, Islamic finance and their relationship with modern law. This dual dimension gives the institution a distinctive profile.

University of Oran 2

The University of Oran 2 ranks eighth. Its Faculty of Law and Political Science is a leading institution in western Algeria.

Proximity to a major port and industrial centre supports commercial, maritime, customs, international and administrative law. Its regional network is an important professional advantage.

Cadi Ayyad and Marrakech

Cadi Ayyad University ranks ninth. Its law faculty benefits from Marrakech's tourism, property, business and government activity.

The university combines public and private law with economics and management. It may be especially useful to students interested in business, tourism, planning, property and investment.

Constantine 1

The University of Constantine 1 Frères Mentouri ranks tenth. It is one of eastern Algeria's major universities and has a law faculty with broad regional presence.

Its education covers public, private, criminal, commercial and international law. Constantine is an important judicial, administrative and university centre.

Abdelmalek Essaâdi and northern Morocco

Abdelmalek Essaâdi University ranks 11th. Its legal programmes in Tangier and Tetouan connect with ports, industrial zones, foreign investment and relations with Europe.

The location supports commercial, maritime, international, customs and migration law. Command of Arabic and French, combined with English or Spanish, can substantially broaden opportunities.

Tlemcen and the western border

Abou Bekr Belkaïd University of Tlemcen ranks 12th. Its Faculty of Law and Political Science has a solid reputation in western Algeria.

The faculty combines general legal education, research and a useful regional network. Its border setting encourages interest in international relations, trade and mobility.

University of Tunis

The University of Tunis ranks 13th. Its interdisciplinary environment connects law with economics, social sciences, governance and public policy.

Its capital-city location provides access to institutions, businesses and organisations. Applicants should verify the exact faculty and programme because Greater Tunis's legal offering is distributed among several universities.

Ibn Zohr and southern Morocco

Ibn Zohr University ranks 14th. Based principally in Agadir, it serves a vast region and provides legal education connected with tourism, fisheries, agriculture, business and territorial administration.

Its network is particularly valuable to those intending to practise in Souss-Massa and southern Morocco.

Mouloud Mammeri and linguistic pluralism

Mouloud Mammeri University of Tizi Ouzou ranks 15th. Its Faculty of Law and Political Science operates in a setting shaped by Amazigh identity and cultural pluralism.

The university provides education in Algerian law and a relevant perspective on language, decentralisation, cultural rights and administration.

University of Monastir

The University of Monastir ranks 16th. Its legal and economic education connects with the business, tourism and coastal economy of east-central Tunisia.

It has less national influence than the major Tunis or Sfax faculties but provides a regional network and a manageable university environment.

University of Tripoli

The University of Tripoli ranks 17th and is the first Libyan institution. Its Faculty of Law has educated numerous generations of lawyers, judges and public officials.

The capital concentrates ministries, courts, public enterprises and law firms. However, security, academic continuity, recognition and mobility conditions must be verified using updated information.

University of Benghazi

The University of Benghazi ranks 18th. Its Faculty of Law is a historic reference in eastern Libya.

It provides education in public, private, criminal and international law and maintains an important regional network. The same cautions regarding security and institutional stability are essential.

University of Nouakchott Al Aasriya

The University of Nouakchott Al Aasriya ranks 19th and represents Mauritania. Its law and economics education benefits from the concentration of national institutions in the capital.

The Mauritanian system combines civil-law tradition, Islamic law and bilingual practice in Arabic and French. The university is the country's principal public route into legal and administrative careers.

University of Jendouba

The University of Jendouba completes the ranking in 20th place. Its legal, economic and management education performs an important role in north-western Tunisia.

Its principal strengths are regional: proximity, cost and links with local government and practitioners. Its international research visibility is limited.

How Law is studied in the Maghreb

Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia generally follow the LMD structure: a three-year licence, a two-year master's degree and a doctorate. Exact organisation, terminology and requirements vary by country and university.

Libya usually uses four-year undergraduate law degrees. Mauritania combines structures inspired by the LMD model with its own national features.

A law licence does not automatically produce Bar admission. Entry may require a competitive examination, aptitude certificate, professional education, traineeship, oath and registration with a Bar association.

Professional admission in five countries

In Morocco, requirements for access to the legal profession include specific demands regarding university qualifications, training and traineeship duration, so it is necessary to verify the applicable regulatory framework for Bar admission.

In Algeria, the general route requires a law qualification, competitive admission to the Certificat d'aptitude à la profession d'avocat and practical training. The Ministry of Justice describes a two-year traineeship after the certificate, subject to statutory exemptions.

Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania maintain their own requirements concerning nationality, qualifications, training, examinations and registration. A degree earned in another Maghreb country may require formal recognition and does not guarantee automatic admission.

Arabic, French, English and national languages

Arabic is essential for legislation, courts and local practice. French retains enormous importance in education, scholarship, business, banking and contracts, especially in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

English is gaining importance in energy, arbitration, investment and international transactions. Amazigh has recognition and cultural relevance in Morocco and Algeria, although its presence in higher legal education remains more limited.

Students aspiring to international law firms should master Arabic and French and add strong legal English. A French- or English-language programme does not replace knowledge of national law.

There is no perfect university for everyone

Mohammed V offers a close connection to public institutions; Hassan II, to Casablanca's corporate market. Algiers 1 has a broad Algerian tradition, while Oran, Constantine and Tlemcen contribute regional networks.

Carthage and Tunis El Manar are Tunisia's leading references. Sfax is especially useful for business and industry. Tripoli, Benghazi and Nouakchott fulfil national roles that are difficult to compare solely through international research.

The choice should consider language, cost, city, specialisation, recognition, professional requirements and the country in which the student intends to practise. In a legally diverse region, location and local networks may matter more than several places in the table.

A legal region between Africa, Europe and the Arab world

The Maghreb occupies a distinctive legal position. Its systems combine civil-law codification, Islamic law, national rules and intense relationships with Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Mohammed V leads for its balance of reputation, research and institutional proximity. Algiers 1 represents the Algerian legal tradition, while Carthage reflects Tunisia's projection.

Reviewing training programmes and their academic offering provides a useful regional perspective. This selection serves as a guide, but the language, equivalence and each country's professional pathway must be verified before enrolment.