Study Reveals Bias Against Maghrebian Students in French University Admissions

In February 2022, a testing campaign was carried out with 2,122 masters in 84 higher education institutions, including 55 universities. Each master’s program manager received four information requests: two from a candidate and a candidate with a Maghrebian first and last name, and two sent by male and female candidates with a "typically French" name, reports SaphirNews.

A male or female candidate - of French origin has a 68% chance of getting a response, the survey reveals. The rate rises to 61.1% for the candidate of Maghrebian origin and 60% for his female counterpart from North Africa. Masters in literature, languages, arts and humanities and social sciences are less discriminatory than programs in science, technology, health, law, management and economics. The lack of response "can be interpreted as a predictive sign of non-selection and encourages (students) not to apply. Which results in a form of self-censorship," comments Clément Martin, in charge of the Studies mission at the Defender of Rights.