Higher education
Higher education in Ethiopia
Unlike Dutch higher education, higher education in Ethiopia is not divided into and . Ethiopian higher education institutions can offer both types of education. This means that we often check each diploma to see whether it is HBO or WO. Below, we describe the diplomas we often see.
HBO
Higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). Dutch higher education distinguishes between research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) and higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). HBO is more oriented towards professions in specific areas than WO, and has traditionally been offered at universities of applied sciences (hogescholen).
WO
Research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO). Dutch higher education distinguishes between research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) and higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). WO is oriented more towards theory and research than HBO, and has traditionally been offered at research universities (universiteiten).
Admission to higher education: cut-off points
For admission to higher education, Ethiopian higher education institutions use cut-off points. Cut-off points are the minimum total scores that students need for admission to higher education. The cut-off points vary each year and per study programme.
Every year, the Ethiopian Ministry of Education announces the cut-off points for the upcoming year. You can find the 2021 cut-off point on the website of the Ministry of Education.
TVET Certificate Level V
- : usually 2 years.
- Content: vocational subjects. Students also do an internship. They do not write a thesis.
- Admission requirements: the TVET Certificate Level IV.
- Function of the diploma: work. After gaining 2 years of work experience, students can sometimes get access to a bachelor’s programme.
- Diploma: TVET Certificate Level V.
Duration
The official length of the full-time programme (not part-time) without study delay.
The level of a TVET Certificate Level V varies. Please contact us for a credential evaluation.
Bachelor's degree (duration: 3 or 4 years)
For 3- and 4-year bachelor’s programmes, there are various fields of study, such as business administration, computer science, history and psychology. They however do not include architecture, engineering, law and pharmacy: these study programmes take 5 years to complete, see Bachelor’s degree (duration: 5 years).
- Duration: 3 or 4 years.
- Content: vocational or research-oriented subjects, sometimes an internship and/or a thesis.
- Admission requirements: the Ethiopia Secondary School Leaving Examination (ESSLE) with a total score (total) of at least 335 and sometimes an entrance exam. An educational institution may also accept other qualifications for admission. Please note: before the 2021/2022 academic year, the ESSLE was called the Secondary School Leaving Examination (SSLE). And before the academic year 2020/2021, this SSLE was called: Ethiopian University Entrance Examination Certificate.
- Function of the diploma: access to Higher education or work.
- Diploma: usually Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. Other diploma names are also possible, such as Bachelor of Business.
We compare a Bachelor of Arts to an HBO bachelor’s degree or to 2 years of WO. This depends on the content of the study programme.
We compare a Bachelor of Business to an HBO bachelor’s degree or to 2 years of WO. This depends on the content of the study programme.
We compare a Bachelor of Science (duration: 3 or 4 years) to an HBO bachelor’s degree or to 2 years of WO. This depends on the content of the study programme.
Bachelor 's degree (duration: 5 years)
Bachelor’s programmes in architecture, engineering, law and pharmacy take 5 years to complete.
- Duration: 5 years.
- Content: research-oriented subjects. Students sometimes do an internship and/or write a thesis.
- Admission requirements: the Ethiopia Secondary School Leaving Examination (ESSLE) with a total score (total) of at least 335 and sometimes an entrance exam. An educational institution may also accept other qualifications for admission. Please note: before the 2021/2022 academic year, the ESSLE was called the Secondary School Leaving Examination (SSLE). And before the academic year 2020/2021, this SSLE was called: Ethiopian University Entrance Examination Certificate.
- Function of the diploma: access to master’s programmes.
- Diploma: Bachelor of Law, Bachelor of Pharmacy or Bachelor of Science.
We compare a Bachelor of Laws to a WO bachelor’s degree.
We compare a Bachelor of Pharmacy to a WO bachelor’s degree.
We usually compare a Bachelor of Science (duration: 5 years) to a WO bachelor’s degree, but sometimes to an HBO bachelor’s degree. This depends on the content of the study programme.
Doctor of (Veterinary) Medicine
Bachelor’s programmes in medicine and veterinary medicine take 6 years to complete.
- Duration: 6 years.
- Content: research-oriented subjects. The final year of the programme usually consists of an internship. Students sometimes write a thesis as well.
- Admission requirements: the Ethiopia Secondary School Leaving Examination (ESSLE) with a total score (total) of at least 335 and sometimes an entrance exam. An educational institution may also accept other qualifications for admission. Please note: before the 2021/2022 academic year, the ESSLE was called the Secondary School Leaving Examination (SSLE). And before the academic year 2020/2021, this SSLE was called: Ethiopian University Entrance Examination Certificate.
- Function of the diploma: work or access to master’s programme.
- Diploma: Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
We compare a Doctor of Medicine to 1 year of a 3-year master’s programme in medicine.
We compare a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine to 1 year of a 3-year master’s programme in veterinary medicine.
Master's degree
- Duration: usually 2 years.
- Content: profession or research oriented subjects and sometimes an internship. Usually students have to write a thesis.
- Admission requirements:
- For master’s programmes in engineering, law and pharmacy: a 5-year bachelor’s degree in a related field of study. Sometimes there are extra requirements, such as certain grades.
- For master’s programmes in other fields of study: at least a 3- or 4-year bachelor’s degree, sometimes in a related field of study. All master’s programmes may have extra admission requirements, such as an entrance exam or an English language test.
- Function of the diploma: access to a PhD programme or work.
- Diploma: usually Master of Arts or Master of Science. There are also other diploma names, such as Master of Business Administration or Master of Education.
We compare a master’s degree with at least a 3- or 4-year bachelor’s degree as an admission requirement to an HBO master’s degree or a 1-year WO master’s degree. This depends on the content of the study programme.
We compare a master’s degree with a 5-year bachelor’s degree as an admission requirement to an HBO or a WO master’s degree. This depends on the content of the study programme.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Duration: at least 3 years.
- Content: academic research and a thesis, sometimes a number of subjects in the chosen field of research.
- Admission requirements: usually a master’s degree in a related field of study. Sometimes, students with a bachelor’s degree may have access as well. The bachelor’s degree needs to be obtained in a related field of study and with high study results. Sometimes, there are extra requirements, such as an entrance exam.
- Diploma: Doctor of Philosophy.