Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar Admission Guide: Baccalaureat Orientation Process
By Muntasir • Published Jun 15, 2026 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Africa Admissions & Exams
Senegalese baccalaureat holders do not apply to UCAD directly. You register on the national Campusen orientation platform, rank your preferred fields of study, and the Ministry of Higher Education assigns you a university and faculty based on your results and available seats.
📩 Apply and rank choices at orientation.campusen.sn, not through UCAD
🎓 Non-Senegalese baccalaureat holders also apply through CAMPUSEN, using the Baccalaureat Etranger track on the same platform
Open faculties (Lettres, Sciences Juridiques) admit broadly by series and mention
Selective filieres (medicine, engineering, economics) set stricter entry conditions
⏱️ Orientation is not enrollment; you still register at UCAD afterward
How UCAD Admission Works for Senegalese Baccalaureat Holders
Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD) does not accept direct applications from new Senegalese baccalaureat holders. Admission requests go exclusively through Campusen , the national orientation platform run by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. The Ministry, not UCAD's own admissions office, decides which university and faculty each student is assigned to.
Applying Through Campusen
- Create an account on orientation.campusen.sn using your baccalaureat details to obtain your National Student Identification Number (INE).
- Browse available fields of study across Senegal's public higher education institutions, including UCAD faculties.
- Rank your preferred choices in decreasing order, with your top preference listed first.
- Submit your ranked list to validate your admission request before the platform's deadline.
- Wait for the orientation results, which assign you to a specific institution and field based on your baccalaureat series, mention, and the seats available.
Being oriented through Campusen is not the same as being enrolled. Once you receive your assignment, complete administrative registration directly at UCAD, submitting a complete file and paying the required fees, before your place is confirmed.
Open Faculties vs Selective Filieres
UCAD's open faculties, such as the Faculte des Lettres et Sciences Humaines and Faculte des Sciences Juridiques et Politiques, generally admit baccalaureat holders based on their series and overall result without a separate competitive test. Selective filieres, including medicine (Faculte de Medecine, de Pharmacie et d'Odonto-Stomatologie) and the engineering school (Ecole Superieure Polytechnique), set stricter entry conditions: a stronger baccalaureat average, a specific series, or an additional entrance assessment on top of your Campusen orientation. Check each faculty's published entry conditions on the UCAD website before ranking a selective filiere as your top choice.
Applicants With a Foreign Baccalaureat
If you hold a baccalaureat from outside Senegal, you still apply through CAMPUSEN, not directly to UCAD. After logging in, select the "BACCALAUREAT ETRANGER" option in your account to submit your foreign qualification file online; the university reviews it and pre-selected candidates then bring original/certified documents to UCAD's registrar. Check UCAD's page for foreign qualification holders for the specific documents and equivalency steps required, since these differ from the standard Senegalese baccalaureat route.