The decision applies to graduates of technical schools specializing in computer and AI technologies and specialized applied technology schools, including WE ICT Schools for Applied Technology.
The council also approved a flexible quota system for technical and applied technology school graduates, marking a turning point in access to higher education for vocational students.
A statement by the Ministry of Education and Technical Education said Sunday that the move was made in coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, under the direct supervision of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.
What are applied technology schools?
Applied technology schools are model public schools for technical education in Egypt. They are designed to meet international standards in teaching, curricula, and assessment.
These schools, launched as a partnership between the Ministry of Education and Technical Education and various private and public sector companies, aim to modernize Egypt’s vocational education system and prepare students for local and global job markets.
Applied technology schools provide the following:
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A competency-based curriculum built around three pillars: basic and cultural sciences, technical specialization, and hands-on practical training;
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Modern technical specializations such as AI, telecommunications, industrial automation, and logistics;
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A learning environment that includes both classrooms and practical training sites;
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Teacher qualification programmes based on global best practices and delivered by experts from Egypt and abroad.
By 2024, the number of applied technology schools had expanded to 70 across 19 governorates, up from just three in 2018. The ministry plans to let the number reach 90 by the start of the 2025/2026 academic year.
Admission to these schools is competitive and based on students' preparatory certificate results.
Applicants must complete an online application, pass entrance exams in Arabic, English, and Mathematics, and attend a personal interview conducted jointly by school administrators and industry partners.
The goal is to create a new generation of technically skilled, job-ready graduates who are competitive at home and abroad — a central pillar in Egypt’s economic development and digital transformation strategy.
WE schools
Among the most prominent examples are the WE ICT Schools for Applied Technology, launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in cooperation with Telecom Egypt.
These schools are Egypt's first smart institutions, specializing in communications and information technology. They aim to prepare a new generation of technically skilled workers capable of competing in local and global telecom markets.
Students follow a three-year programme combining academic subjects with intensive training in ICT, personal development, and work readiness.
Graduates receive a technical diploma in applied technology, qualifying them for admission to technological colleges, industrial education colleges, and — before the recent policy change — engineering faculties through an equivalency test for distinguished students.
In addition, they earn an international academic certificate, a work experience certificate from Telecom Egypt, and professional certifications from leading ICT companies.
Breaking barrier to university access
Until now, admission to university programmes such as Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence was limited to students holding the Thanaweya Amma (general secondary certificate) or its equivalent. This has excluded graduates of technical and applied technology schools.
These graduates could only access university education after completing a complex equivalency process.
The new policy allows them to apply directly to these faculties through an official, competitive admission system.
This decision corrects a longstanding structural barrier; under the new system, the following categories will be included:
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Graduates of five-year technical schools,
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Graduates of three-year technical schools,
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Graduates of applied technology schools,
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Graduates of two-year post-secondary technical institutes.
They will compete in a tailored admissions track, with separate minimum thresholds based on the number of applicants in each category.
This means a student from a technical school focused on AI can now, for the first time, compete for a seat on an AI faculty — a significant expansion of educational and career horizons.
Benefits and future
Students at applied technology schools will receive internationally accredited certificates and undergo practical training at partner companies during their studies.
Outstanding students will be given priority hiring opportunities after graduation, financial incentives, free uniforms, and transportation to training sites.
After graduation, students can pursue direct employment, enroll in technological universities, join technical institutes, or, through an equivalency process, access Egyptian public universities.
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