Overview
The BEM (Brevet d'Enseignement Moyen) is Algeria's national exam at the end of middle school (collège), sat by students finishing the 4th year of the "moyen" cycle, usually around age 15. It is set and run by the Office National des Examens et Concours (ONEC) under the Ministry of National Education, and it decides whether a student moves on to general and technological secondary school (lycée).
Who can apply
Two groups sit the BEM each year: students currently enrolled in a public or private middle school (candidats scolarisés), and external candidates (candidats libres), including those registered with the National Office for Distance Education and Training (ONEFD). School candidates are registered by their school; external candidates register themselves directly with ONEC.
Exam pattern
The BEM is written over three days and covers Arabic, mathematics, French, English, Islamic education, civic education, history and geography, physical sciences and technology, and natural and life sciences; students who study Tamazight also sit an Amazigh language paper. For the 2026 session, the written papers ran from 19 to 21 May 2026, with subjects spread across the three mornings and afternoons.
Each subject carries its own coefficient, and the coefficients across all papers add up to 25. A student's BEM average is the sum of each mark multiplied by its coefficient, divided by 25.
Marking and results
A BEM average of 10/20 or higher admits the student directly to the first year of general and technological secondary school. Below 10/20, the school recalculates an admission score as the average of the BEM result and the student's 4th-year annual school average; if that combined figure reaches 10/20, the student is still admitted.
Among those admitted to secondary school, students are then placed into one of the common-core tracks ("Sciences et technologie" or "Lettres") based on their stated preference, their school results, and their ranking against other students who requested the same track.
Students who do not reach the admission threshold either repeat the 4th year of middle school and sit the BEM again the following year, or move into vocational training.
For the 2026 session, the Ministry of National Education announced a national pass rate of 65.19%, with results published on 14 June 2026; 74.39% of that cohort went on to be admitted to the general and technological secondary stream.
Important dates
For the 2026 session: registration for school and external candidates ran from 18 November 2025 to 17 December 2025 (midnight); convocations could be withdrawn online from 19 April 2026; the written exams took place from 19 to 21 May 2026; results were announced on 14 June 2026.
Fees
For the 2026 session, registration cost 1,000 DA for students registered through a school and 2,000 DA for external candidates (including ONEFD candidates). Fees are paid only by electronic payment: school candidates pay through the Ministry's online portal, and external candidates pay through the ONEC BEM site, both using the Edahabia card issued by Algérie Poste.
How to apply
School candidates are registered by their own middle school through the sector's digital information system; no separate individual application is needed beyond confirming personal details and paying the fee online. External candidates create their own account on the ONEC BEM site, complete the registration form there, and pay the fee online with an Edahabia card. The Ministry has moved registration fully online, with no paper forms.
After the exam
Students who clear the admission threshold move into the first year of secondary school (lycée) and are placed into the "Sciences et technologie" or "Lettres" common-core track. Those who fall short repeat the final year of middle school or are redirected into vocational training.
Preparation tips
Treat the 4th-year annual school average seriously, since it can rescue a BEM score that falls just under 10/20. Practise past BEM papers for each subject, since the written exam format and coefficient weighting repeat from year to year. Keep track of the ONEC registration and convocation dates each session, since both registration and fee payment are online-only with fixed windows.
FAQs
What age are BEM candidates usually?
Most candidates are around 15, finishing the 4th and final year of middle school, though the exact age varies with when a student started school or repeated a grade.
Is the BEM free for school students?
No. For the 2026 session, school-registered candidates paid 1,000 DA and external candidates paid 2,000 DA, both through online payment with an Edahabia card.
What happens if I score just under 10/20?
The school averages your BEM result with your 4th-year annual school average. If that combined score reaches 10/20, you are still admitted to secondary school.
What if I don't get into secondary school after the BEM?
You either repeat the final year of middle school and sit the BEM again the next year, or move into vocational training.