The first stage of admissions to Egypt’s public universities is set to start on 22 August, following the end of university admission tests, according to Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Abdel Ghaffar’s comments came during his inspection tour of the Coordination of Admission to Universities Office at Ain Shams University.
About 650,000 students across the country undertook their school leaving (Thanaweya Amma) exams this year. The success rate in the exams stands at 81.5%, with the student’s score determining which university and faculty they can attend.
Admission to public universities is divided into four stages, the first of which is reserved for top scoring students seeking admission into elite faculties.
Earlier on Monday, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said that about 77,000 students have applied to take the admission tests to Egyptian universities for the 2020/2021 academic year.
The admission tests are set to take place between 8 August and 20 August, with students able to submit their applications to attend the tests via the government’s official website.
A total of 11 universities across Egypt require students to sit entrance tests in order to enrol in their academic programmes. These include courses covering mass communication, arts and applied arts, physical education, and energy and industrial technology schools.
The ministry confirmed that admission tests are being conducted at universities amidst strict preventive measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The students are required to wear face masks, with social distancing measures inside the examination halls strictly enforced. Students will also have their temperatures measured before entering university campuses.
