The 20 Best Universities in Egypt to Study Law in 2026

Cairo University leads the ranking compiled by Impact Lawyers, followed by Ain Shams University and Alexandria University.

How the ranking was compiled

Cairo University tops the first edition of the Impact Lawyers ranking of the best universities in Egypt to study Law. Ain Shams University and Alexandria University take second and third place, while Mansoura, Al-Azhar and Assiut complete the top six.

The ranking combines the available results from three international academic references: the QS World University Rankings by Subject for Law and Legal Studies, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject for Law, and the SCImago Institutions Rankings in the legal field.

QS places particular emphasis on academic reputation, employer opinion, research citations and scholarly impact. Times Higher Education evaluates teaching, the research environment, research quality and international outlook. SCImago contributes indicators covering research, innovation and societal impact.

Egyptian law schools appear irregularly in international subject-specific rankings. Many important institutions either do not publish enough legal research in international databases or appear only in overall university tables. The absence of a university from QS or THE is therefore not treated as proof of poor quality.

The quantitative comparison was supplemented by a qualitative review of the programmes published by the universities. The analysis covered law degrees, Arabic-, English- and French-language sections, postgraduate education, moot court competitions, professional preparation, research, employability and links with courts, law firms, businesses and public institutions.

A methodology adapted to Egypt

Each ranking represents, in principle, one third of the quantitative assessment. Where a ranking publishes a band, the midpoint of that interval is used. Where a university does not appear, a proportionate penalty is applied rather than assigning the institution the lowest possible quality.

The result is supplemented by five qualitative dimensions:

• National and international academic reputation.
• The quality and impact of legal research.
• The breadth and coherence of education in Egyptian law.
• Employability and links with the Bar, judiciary and public sector.
• Internationalisation, languages and practical education.

The methodology distinguishes between the major public faculties, which educate a substantial share of the country's lawyers, and private universities offering smaller classes and international programmes. Cost, language, degree recognition and actual access to professional practice differ considerably.

Regional importance was also considered. A faculty in Upper Egypt or the Nile Delta may have less international visibility than an institution in Cairo, yet maintain a decisive network among lawyers, prosecutors, judges, public authorities and businesses within its governorate.

Cairo University: Egypt's leading legal institution

Cairo University ranks first because of its combination of tradition, reputation, professional influence, research and academic breadth.

Its Faculty of Law is one of the most important legal institutions in the Arab world. It has educated generations of Egyptian and international lawyers, judges, prosecutors, academics, diplomats and public officials.

The faculty is particularly strong in civil, commercial, criminal, constitutional, administrative and international law, as well as legal philosophy and history. Its location in Greater Cairo supports contact with the country's principal courts, ministries, regulators, law firms and companies.

The university's enormous scale provides an unmatched alumni network, although it can also mean large classes and a less personalised experience. First place reflects the institution's combined weight rather than a claim that it is the perfect choice for every student.

Ain Shams: languages and internationalisation

Ain Shams University ranks second. Its Faculty of Law combines strong education in Egyptian law with one of the country's most interesting linguistic and international offerings.

The university offers undergraduate law programmes in Arabic, English and French. Its French section maintains a partnership with Jean Moulin Lyon 3 that enables eligible students to obtain qualifications from both institutions while studying subjects in French, Arabic and English.

Its Cairo location facilitates placements and relationships with major law firms, companies, courts and public bodies. Ain Shams is especially attractive to students seeking to combine access to domestic practice with an international career.

Students should choose a language section carefully. Studying part of a degree in English or French does not remove the need to master legal Arabic when working with Egyptian legislation, courts, case files and clients.

Alexandria University and the Mediterranean tradition

Alexandria University ranks third. Established in 1938, its Faculty of Law is one of the country's oldest and most prestigious outside Cairo.

The city provides a distinctive setting for maritime law, international trade, transport, insurance and port activity. The faculty also offers extensive education in private, public, criminal, commercial and international law.

Alexandria has a particularly strong professional network along the Mediterranean coast and in the western Delta. Its university combines scale, research tradition and access to an important economic market.

For students who wish to avoid Cairo's concentration without sacrificing institutional prestige, it is one of Egypt's most balanced choices.

Mansoura: academic leadership in the Delta

Mansoura University ranks fourth. Its Faculty of Law is a leading institution in the Nile Delta and combines teaching, research and an extensive regional network.

The university is strong in civil, commercial, criminal, public and international law. Its scale enables it to provide undergraduate and postgraduate education to a very large student community.

Mansoura regularly appears among the Egyptian universities with the strongest overall international visibility. Although much of that performance derives from scientific and medical subjects, its research environment and institutional capacity also benefit the Faculty of Law.

Its position is especially strong for students who intend to build careers in Dakahlia and neighbouring governorates.

Al-Azhar: law and Islamic tradition

Al-Azhar University ranks fifth and offers a profile that no other Egyptian institution can replicate.

Its legal education is closely connected with Sharia, Islamic jurisprudence and Al-Azhar's academic tradition. The university is particularly relevant to students seeking to understand the interaction between positive law, personal status law, religious institutions and Islamic legal thought.

Al-Azhar's influence extends beyond Egypt to numerous Muslim-majority countries. This provides an extraordinary international network, although applicants must carefully examine its campus structure, organisation and admissions arrangements.

Fifth place recognises its doctrinal and institutional importance. Its profile is more specialised and less directly oriented towards international corporate practice than those of Cairo University or Ain Shams.

Assiut: the leading law school in Upper Egypt

Assiut University ranks sixth. Founded as the first public university in Upper Egypt, it plays an essential role in educating professionals across a vast region.

Its Faculty of Law teaches the principal areas of Egyptian law and maintains strong connections with legal practice, public administration and regional courts.

The university combines tradition, research capacity and an alumni network of particular value in Assiut and the southern governorates. Living costs may also be lower than in Cairo or Alexandria.

Assiut demonstrates why the importance of a faculty cannot be measured solely through international publications. Its impact on the profession and regional access to legal education is considerable.

Helwan and access to the Cairo market

Helwan University ranks seventh. Its Faculty of Law provides a public route to legal education within the Greater Cairo metropolitan area.

Its location facilitates contact with courts, companies, law firms and government bodies. The faculty covers private, public, commercial, criminal and international law and also provides postgraduate education.

Helwan may be particularly appealing to students who value proximity to the country's largest legal market but do not enter Cairo University or Ain Shams.

Its international reputation is more limited than that of the leading institutions, but its geographical position and professional function justify a prominent place.

Zagazig and the legal strength of Sharqia

Zagazig University ranks eighth. Its Faculty of Law is one of the principal legal institutions in the eastern Delta.

The university provides education in the core areas of Egyptian law and has a significant network among legal practitioners, courts and public administrations in Sharqia.

Zagazig has developed substantial overall academic capacity and has a very large student community. Its setting encourages legal education connected with the needs of businesses, agriculture, property, families and local government.

For students intending to practise in the eastern Delta, this regional network may be more valuable than a small difference in a national ranking.

British University in Egypt and its dual orientation

The British University in Egypt ranks ninth and is the highest-placed private university in the table.

Its Faculty of Law has developed a dual-degree model combining Egyptian law taught in Arabic with British and international legal education delivered in English.

Class sizes, facilities and bilingual teaching may offer clear advantages. Its proximity to Cairo supports relationships with corporate law firms, businesses and international institutions.

Fees are substantially higher than at a public university. Before enrolling, students should verify the current recognition of the qualification, the precise terms of the dual degree and their ability to satisfy Egyptian professional requirements.

German University in Cairo: comparative law and business

The German University in Cairo ranks tenth. Its Faculty of Law and Legal Studies was established in 2016 and provides an eight-semester programme with a clearly defined comparative approach.

Egyptian law subjects are taught in Arabic, while comparative components concerning German, French, British and US law are principally delivered in English. Language education, seminars, placements, visits and moot court competitions supplement the curriculum.

GUC is particularly attractive to students interested in commercial law, international transactions, corporate practice and relations between Egypt and Europe.

The faculty's youth means that its historical network and legal research record remain more limited than those of the established public universities. Its position recognises innovation and internationalisation without automatically equating them with academic tradition.

Tanta and its position in the central Delta

Tanta University ranks eleventh. Its Faculty of Law has substantial teaching activity and a strategic location between Cairo and Alexandria.

The faculty educates lawyers and public officials from Gharbia and other Delta governorates. Its programmes cover civil, commercial, criminal, public and international law, as well as Sharia.

Tanta University has improved its visibility in overall classifications such as SCImago. In Law, its principal strength remains its combination of scale, regional tradition and access to a broad professional network.

Benha and proximity to Cairo

Benha University ranks twelfth. Its Faculty of Law benefits from Qalyubia's proximity to both Cairo and the Nile Delta.

The university provides core legal education and postgraduate opportunities. Its location enables students to build networks in both the local market and the capital.

Benha was placed in 2026 among the leading general category of Egyptian institutions in SCImago, although that result covers the university as a whole rather than Law alone.

It may represent a pragmatic option for students seeking an accessible public university without moving far from the country's principal legal centre.

Beni Suef and university expansion

Beni Suef University ranks thirteenth. Its Faculty of Law plays an important role in the transitional region between Greater Cairo and Upper Egypt.

The programme covers the principal branches of law and prepares graduates for private practice, public administration, prosecution and other public services.

The university has substantially expanded its academic and research capacity. The faculty has less international recognition than the leading institutions but provides a useful regional network and a clear access mission.

Menoufia and its regional presence

Menoufia University ranks fourteenth. Its legal education is closely connected with the professional and administrative needs of the Delta.

The institution provides a broad foundation in private, public, criminal, commercial and international law. Its graduate network is particularly important in Menoufia and neighbouring governorates.

It may be an appropriate choice for students who prioritise proximity, cost and regional opportunities over the international exposure available in Cairo or Alexandria.

Minia and legal education in Upper Egypt

Minia University ranks fifteenth. Its Faculty of Law helps educate lawyers, public servants and legal specialists in Upper Egypt.

The faculty provides undergraduate and postgraduate education covering civil, commercial, criminal, public and international law, as well as Sharia. Its setting encourages attention to property, agriculture, family law, public administration and territorial development.

Minia has moderate international visibility, but its regional influence and contribution to professional access justify its inclusion.

Qena University and southern Egypt

Qena University ranks sixteenth. Known as South Valley University until 2025, it maintains a Faculty of Law in Qena and fulfils an essential mission in southern Egypt.

The institution enables students to study Law without relocating to Cairo or the Delta, reducing costs and preserving connections with the communities in which many graduates will later practise.

Its faculty is distinguished more by regional relevance than by international rankings. Its network among courts, public authorities and practitioners in the south is its principal asset.

Suez Canal University and a strategic location

Suez Canal University ranks seventeenth. Its Ismailia setting offers a distinctive perspective on trade, transport, logistics, port activity and economic development.

Its legal education covers the principal fields and may be especially valuable to students interested in business, contracts, customs, investment and regulation connected with the Suez Canal.

The institution also has a regional network extending through the Canal governorates. Its international legal profile is limited, but its location creates potentially valuable practical specialisation.

Sohag and access to legal education in Upper Egypt

Sohag University ranks eighteenth. Its Faculty of Law is young compared with Cairo, Alexandria or Assiut, but performs an important social and territorial function.

The faculty provides a general education in Egyptian law and broadens access to legal studies in an area far from the country's main university centres.

Its cautious ranking reflects a shorter research and professional record. For students from the region, however, reduced relocation costs and the local network may make it a sensible choice.

Aswan and a cross-border perspective

Aswan University ranks nineteenth. Its Faculty of Law provides legal education in a region connected with tourism, energy, the Nile and Egypt's relations with the African continent.

This context may encourage interest in environmental, administrative, international and investment law, as well as dispute resolution. The university offers a smaller community and an experience very different from Cairo.

The faculty still has little international visibility and a more limited national network, but it contributes to the decentralisation of Egyptian legal education.

University of Sadat City

The University of Sadat City completes the ranking in twentieth place. Its Faculty of Law developed within the expansion of higher education in Menoufia and serves a city with substantial industrial activity.

Its programme may be relevant to students seeking to combine general legal education with interests in business, employment, industry, contracts and local administration.

Its inclusion recognises the value of territorial coverage. The institution has a shorter tradition and more limited legal research output than the leading universities, so its position should be interpreted with caution.

How Law is studied in Egypt

The standard academic route is a four-year undergraduate law degree. Public faculties generally offer a principal Arabic-language programme and, in some cases, special English- or French-language sections subject to separate conditions and fees.

The curriculum normally covers civil, commercial, criminal, constitutional, administrative, public and private international, procedural, labour and tax law, as well as Sharia. The precise weight of each subject varies between universities and language sections.

Legal education retains a strong doctrinal and theoretical tradition. Students interested in practice should actively seek moot courts, clinics, drafting courses, law-firm placements and activities that develop research, negotiation and oral advocacy.

A degree taught partly in English or French may improve access to international law firms and companies, but legal Arabic remains indispensable for domestic practice.

Admission to the legal profession

The profession is regulated principally by Advocacy Law No. 17 of 1983, as amended. Registration requires an Egyptian law degree or a foreign or international-branch qualification recognised as equivalent under the applicable rules.

The legislation also establishes personal, documentary and fitness requirements. Amendments introduced professional education and a national written examination as conditions for certain stages of registration.

Initial registration, training, progression through professional categories and the right to appear before different courts are governed by specific rules. Requirements can change, and their practical application depends on the candidate's documents and circumstances.

Students should therefore consult the Egyptian Bar Association, the Supreme Council of Universities and their faculty directly before making decisions. Advertising by a private university or dual-degree provider does not replace the official recognition required for practice.

A civil-law system

Egyptian law principally belongs to the civil-law tradition and has been historically influenced by French law. The Civil Code drafted under the direction of Abd El-Razzak El-Sanhuri became a reference point for many Arab legal systems.

Sharia also has central constitutional and legal importance, particularly in personal status matters and the interpretation of the system's general principles.

Students must understand the relationship between the Constitution, legislation, regulations, case law, scholarship and Islamic principles. This combination makes Egypt particularly relevant for studying comparative Arab law, codification, family law, commerce and the relationship between law and religion.

Arabic, English and French

Arabic is the essential language of Egyptian legislation, courts and legal practice. Even within an international programme, students intending to practise in the country must master legal terminology, drafting and advocacy in Arabic.

English is increasingly important in arbitration, investment, banking, energy, construction, mergers and international contracts. French retains academic and historical value and may create opportunities through joint programmes and Francophone organisations.

Foreign-language education should not be confused with automatic professional eligibility outside Egypt. Every country applies its own recognition, training and admission requirements.

Cairo and professional networks

The concentration of ministries, superior courts, regulators, leading law firms, banks and corporate headquarters makes Greater Cairo the country's principal legal market.

Cairo University, Ain Shams, Helwan, BUE and GUC benefit directly from this proximity. Living and travelling in the capital, however, can substantially increase the cost and complexity of studying.

Alexandria offers opportunities in port activity, trade and transport. Mansoura, Tanta, Zagazig and Benha maintain highly relevant Delta networks. Assiut, Minia, Qena, Sohag and Aswan support careers connected with Upper Egypt.

The university with the strongest national reputation will not always provide the best network for practising in a particular governorate.

There is no perfect university for everyone

Cairo University offers the broadest tradition and professional network. Ain Shams excels in language sections, while Alexandria benefits from its Mediterranean connections. Mansoura is a leading Delta institution, and Al-Azhar provides a unique profile in Islamic law.

Assiut is essential to Upper Egypt. BUE and GUC offer bilingual and international models, but charge high private-sector fees. Regional universities may provide proximity, a local network and more manageable living costs.

The decision should consider admission scores, fees, the programme's actual language, degree equivalence, class sizes, placements, accommodation, travel and the place in which the student intends to practise.

Applicants should also establish whether an English- or French-language section awards precisely the same professional degree, a dual degree or an additional certificate, and what academic and financial requirements apply throughout the four years.

A legal tradition with regional influence

Egypt has one of the most influential legal cultures in the Arab and African worlds. Its codes, jurists, universities and courts have contributed to professional education and legislative development across numerous countries.

Cairo University leads because of its balance of reputation, research, academic breadth and the power of its professional network. Ain Shams combines Egyptian law with internationalisation, while Alexandria contributes tradition and Mediterranean specialisation.

Mansoura, Al-Azhar and Assiut demonstrate the system's diversity. Faculties across the Delta and Upper Egypt provide territorial coverage that cannot be assessed solely through research citations.

Combining QS, Times Higher Education and SCImago with an analysis of the published programmes produces a broad and critical overview. The ranking enables comparison, but the best choice will depend on each student's language, cost, region, programme structure and professional plans