University of Benghazi 2026–2027 | Guide to faculties, majors, admission, and ranking (Libya's largest university)

University of Benghazi 2026–2027 | Faculties, majors, admission, and rankings

University of Benghazi

University of Benghazi is one of Libya's public universities with an academic history extending back to the 1950s and is among the most prominent higher education institutions in eastern Libya. The university began under the name the Libyan University, whose establishment law was issued on 15 December 1955, and it was officially opened in January 1956. The name University of Benghazi officially returned on 17 February 2011.

About University of Benghazi

The university states that its establishment law was issued on 15 December 1955, and that classes actually began on 23 January 1956, following the official opening the previous day. The university at that time began with the Faculty of Arts and Education and enrolled 31 students.

History of University of Benghazi

The university's roots go back to the establishment of the Libyan University in Benghazi in 1955, making it the first Libyan university.

The most prominent historical milestones include:

• 15 December 1955: Issuance of the university establishment law.
• 22 January 1956: The official opening.
• 23 January 1956: Actual start of classes.
• 1957: Establishment of the Faculty of Commerce and Economics.
• 1962: Establishment of the Faculty of Law.
• 1970: Establishment of the Faculty of Human Medicine.
• 1973: The university's name became “University of Benghazi”.
• 1973: Establishment of the Faculty of Engineering.
• 1974: Establishment of the Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine and Surgery and the Faculty of Science.
• 1974: The university moved to its current headquarters in the university city in the Garyounis area.
• 1975: Establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture.
• 1976: The university's name was changed to Garyounis University.
• 1989: Establishment of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
• 1994: Establishment of the Faculty of Public Health.
• 2006: Establishment of the Faculty of Information Technology.
• 2011: The University of Benghazi name returned and the medical faculties joined it.
• 2011: Establishment of the Faculty of Media.
• 2015: Establishment of the Faculty of Technical Medical Sciences.
• 2019: Establishment of the Faculty of Physical Education and the Faculty of Languages.

Thus, the university evolved from an institution that began with a limited number of students and majors into a university system comprising multiple faculties, programs, and branches.

Where is University of Benghazi located?

The main university headquarters is located in the city of Benghazi, specifically in the Garyounisarea, while faculties and university campuses exist in a number of Libyan cities and regions.

The university lists among its branches and locations:

• Al-Marj.
• Al-Abyar.
• Suluq.
• Qaminis.
• Tocra.
• Al-Wahat.
• Awjila.
• Jalu.
• Kufra.

University data also indicate the presence of 15 faculties at the main headquarters in the city of Benghazi, in addition to faculties and branches outside the city.

Faculties of University of Benghazi

University of Benghazi comprises a wide range of faculties and majors. The most prominent include:

Medical and Health Faculties

• College of Human Medicine.
• Faculty of Pharmacy.
• College of Oral and Dental Medicine and Surgery.
• Faculty of Public Health.
• Faculty of Technical Medical Sciences.
• Faculty of Nursing.

The university medical city comprises the buildings of the general administration, human medicine, pharmacy, public health, and medical technology, in addition to educational and sports facilities and a central library for the medical faculties.

Scientific and engineering faculties

• College of Science.
• Faculty of Engineering.
• Faculty of Information Technology.
• Faculty of Engineering and Petroleum in Jalu.

Humanities and social sciences faculties

• Faculty of Arts.
• Faculty of Law.
• Faculty of Media.
• Faculty of Education.
• Faculty of Languages.
• Faculty of Physical Education.
• Faculties of arts and sciences in a number of branches.

Other faculties

• Faculty of Agriculture.
• Faculty of economics, accounting, and business administration in some branches.
• Newly established faculties, such as the Faculty of Architecture وFaculty of Sharia.

In February 2026, the university announced a decision to establish the faculties of Architecture and Sharia, with defined departments for each.

Note: The list of faculties and programs is subject to update; therefore, the university's guide for the target academic year should be relied upon when making an application decision.

University of Benghazi majors

The university covers a wide spectrum of fields; examples of officially published programs in the Faculty of Science include:

• Mathematics.
• Statistics.
• Microbiology.
• Physics.
• Chemistry.
• Earth sciences.
• Botany.
• Zoology.

The Faculty of Science offers bachelor's and master's programs in a number of these fields.

The university system also includes majors in:

Medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, public health, medical technology, engineering, information technology, science, agriculture, economics, law, media, education, languages, physical education, and the humanities.

Graduate Programs

The university offers postgraduate programs including:

• Master's degrees.
• Doctorate.

The university also provides a dedicated page for study programs that includes programs for Licence, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

In April 2026, the university announced discussions on accrediting eight postgraduate programs, including doctoral programs, in faculties such as engineering, biomedical sciences, Al-Marj education, and public health.

This indicates a trend toward expanding the scope of postgraduate studies, with the need to verify the programs actually open for registration each year.

Admission to University of Benghazi

A distinction must be made between Undergraduate admission requirements and the procedures and decisions that regulate admission at the higher education level in Libya.

Admission depends on factors including:

• The type of secondary certificate.
• The required major.
• The required percentage or GPA.
• Capacity.
• The rules governing admission.
• Required documents.
• The deadlines set by the competent authorities.

An old minimum threshold should not be used as a fixed threshold for 2026–2027.

International students

The university's administrative structure includes a department for international students, which reflects the presence of an administrative framework for handling international student affairs.

International students should verify:

• The required certificate.
• Equivalency of the qualification.
• Admission requirements.
• Language.
• Fees.
• Documents.
• Visa and residency procedures.
• Final registration.

from the university and the competent Libyan authorities before beginning study procedures.

Scientific research at University of Benghazi

Scientific research is one of the important aspects in evaluating the university, and the university appears in international research indicators.

And in SCImago Institutions Rankings 2026, University of Benghazi ranks 9,757 globally within the universities sector, with separate indicators for research performance, innovation, and societal impact. SCImago shows for the university:

• Research percentile: 88
• Innovation percentile: 70
• Societal percentile: 75
• Best quartile in Libya: Q3.

These indicators are important because they reflect that the university's evaluation does not depend only on reputation or online presence, but can also be analyzed from the angle of research, innovation, and societal impact.

University of Benghazi ranking 2026

Webometrics 2026

University of Benghazi achieved a strong result in the edition of Webometrics – January 2026; the university officially announced that it ranked:

first in Libya
4423 globally

according to the edition released in January 2026.

The index displays aspects related to digital presence, openness, and research excellence, and therefore should not be interpreted as the sole measure of university education quality.

SCImago Institutions Rankings 2026

According to SCImago 2026:

University of Benghazi: ranked 9,757 globally in the universities ranking, with its ranking according to research, innovation, and societal impact indicators.

This indicator is more closely linked to research and institutional performance than rankings that rely more heavily on reputation or digital presence.

UniRank 2026

University of Benghazi appears among the higher education institutions listed in uniRank 2026 in the city of Benghazi. The index relies on web metrics rather than a comprehensive academic evaluation similar to QS or THE.

University of Benghazi rankings table

What do the rankings say about University of Benghazi?

Three main observations can be drawn:

1. Relatively strong digital presence

The university topped Libyan universities in the January 2026 Webometrics result, with a rank of 4423 globally.

2. Scientific research is an important element in the university's international presence

The university's appearance in SCImago 2026 confirms that its activity can be measured through research, innovation, and societal impact — not just digital presence.

3. There is no single “global ranking”

The rank of 4423 in Webometrics and 9757 in SCImago do not represent a contradiction, because each index uses a different methodology and set of indicators.

Strengths

Based on official data and available indicators, a number of strengths can be identified:

1. Long institutional history Dates back to 1955.
2. Great diversity in academic fields.
3. The presence of a system of medical and health faculties.
4. The presence of bachelor's and postgraduate programs.
5. Geographic spread through branches outside Benghazi.
6. Presence in international university indicators.
7. Topping Libyan universities in Webometrics January 2026.
8. Appearance in SCImago 2026 with separate indicators for research, innovation, and societal impact.
9. Continued development of academic programs.
10. The presence of a new strategic direction for community service for the years 2026–2027.

Student Life and Services

The university's organizational structure includes specialized offices for:

• Registration, studies, and examinations.
• Student housing and catering.
• Social work.
• Cultural activity.
• Sports activity.
• International student affairs.
• Alumni affairs.
• Computing services.

The university also comprises educational, medical, and sports facilities and libraries, in addition to facilities for the faculties located in the various branches.

Is University of Benghazi suitable for a student?

University of Benghazi can be suitable for a student looking for a Libyan Public university with a long history and wide academic diversity, especially for those who wish to study in Benghazi or at one of the university's branches.

But the best decision should depend on the specific major.

— a medical student needs to study the clinical environment, hospitals, and training, while an engineering student needs to evaluate laboratories, programs, and partnerships, and a computer science student needs to study curricula, training, and the labor market.

Therefore, there is no single answer to the question “Is University of Benghazi good?” independent of the major and academic goal.

Official and Trusted Sources

Official website of University of Benghazi

Official history of University of Benghazi

Study programs at University of Benghazi

Webometrics ranking – University of Benghazi, January 2026

SCImago – University of Benghazi 2026