Non-scholarship certificate: what it is for and how to get it
Why your bank asks for it, how to get it online on the ministry platform, which documents to prepare and what to do if things get stuck.
By Worldwide Studies team, Worldwide Studies teamPublished 4 min read
You have been accepted by a university abroad, your visa is progressing… and your bank asks you for a non-scholarship certificate (attestation de non-boursier). This document, often discovered at the last minute, is nevertheless essential for your family to be able to send you money from Tunisia. Here is what the non-scholarship certificate is for, how to get it online and how to stop it from blocking your departure.
What is the non-scholarship certificate?
It is a document issued by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research certifying that you do not receive a Tunisian state scholarship for your studies abroad. In Arabic, it is known as « شهادة في عدم التمتع بمنحة دراسية ».
It therefore concerns the vast majority of students who go abroad to study with their own funds, whether they go to France, Italy, Germany, Canada or elsewhere.
What is it actually used for?
Its role is mainly financial. To transfer money out of Tunisia to pay tuition fees, rent or everyday expenses, foreign exchange regulations require you to open a student file (dossier scolarité, or student account file) with a Tunisian bank. The bank must attach the non-scholarship certificate to it.
Without this document:
the bank cannot complete your file;
your parents' transfers may be delayed or blocked;
you risk arriving abroad without being able to pay for your accommodation or your enrolment.
It can also be useful to prove your status in other procedures related to your studies, depending on the requirements of your bank or the administration.
How to get it online
The procedure is now done remotely, via the ministry's online platform for university scholarships and loans (known as BEST). The main steps:
Create an account on the ministry platform, usually with your national ID card number, then choose a username and password.
Fill in the request for the non-scholarship certificate.
Scan and attach the required documents (see below), then submit the request.
Keep an eye on your e-mails: a notification tells you when the request has been processed, often quickly.
Download the receipt from your account once the request is accepted.
Show the receipt to your bank, which retrieves the certificate through a secure space and adds it to your student file.
Which documents should you prepare?
The exact list is shown on the platform and may change. In general, prepare:
your national ID card;
your passport;
the enrolment certificate or admission letter from the foreign institution;
your baccalaureate transcript or your diploma;
possibly proof of your current year of study.
Scan each document in colour and legibly. A blurry or incomplete document is the leading cause of refusals or delays.
When should you apply?
As soon as you have an admission letter or enrolment certificate. Do not wait until the week of departure: in summer, during the enrolment and visa period, the platform is heavily used and can experience outages. Several students have already found themselves stuck a few days before their flight because of a breakdown or an incomplete file.
Our advice: apply as soon as you are accepted, then open your student file at the bank straight away.
Student file at the bank: what you need to know
The certificate is only one part of the file. Depending on the case, the bank will also ask for the enrolment certificate, the tuition fee invoice, proof of accommodation or the visa. Compare banks: opening times, transfer fees and responsiveness vary. Once the file is open, your parents can make transfers within the limits set by the regulations, which change regularly. Ask your bank about the current ceilings.
What if I have a scholarship?
If you hold a Tunisian state scholarship, this certificate obviously does not concern you: your scholarship is handled through other channels. If you have a foreign scholarship (Turkish, Chinese or Hungarian government, university…), check with the ministry and your bank: the situation may be different. We present the main scholarships in Scholarships abroad for Tunisians: the 2027 overview.
Mistakes to avoid
Waiting for the visa before applying.
Sending illegible scans.
Using an e-mail address you do not check.
Choosing a bank without checking its processing times for student files.
Forgetting that some countries also require proof of funds for the visa: the bank file must be ready early. See for example Blocked account in Germany.
We help you prepare everything
At Worldwide Studies, we build these procedures into your departure timeline: admission, visa, non-scholarship certificate, bank file and accommodation. You leave with peace of mind. Also see our guide Studying abroad after the Tunisian bac: where to start?.
Recommended timeline before departure
As soon as you are admitted: apply online for the non-scholarship certificate.
Straight after: open the student file at your bank.
Before the visa: first necessary transfers (blocked account, tuition deposit, accommodation) depending on the country.
Before departure: check your bank's transfer ceilings and processing times.
Key takeaway: apply for the non-scholarship certificate as soon as you are admitted, keep the receipt, open your student file at the bank straight away and check the transfer ceilings before leaving. These three steps prevent most last-minute blockages.
👉 Rules and platforms change: talk to an advisor to check the up-to-date list of documents before you leave.