Help-seeking and presenting needs in a Moroccan university counselling service: associations with field-of-study change and year of study

Purpose Student mental health and help-seeking are growing concerns in STEM higher education, yet evidence from North African counselling services remains limited. This study aims to examine whether field-of-study change between upper-secondary track and university discipline was associated with primary presenting need. Design/methodology/approach Anonymised routine records from 401 undergraduate service users at a Moroccan public faculty of science (2015–2018) were analysed using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression. Findings Academic/study-related concerns represented 74.8% of consultations and psychosocial/social-welfare/basic-needs concerns 25.2%. Field-of-study change was associated with lower adjusted odds of psychosocial/social-welfare/basic-needs presentation, indicating more academic/study-related concerns. Later year of study showed higher odds, especially in the gender-adjusted sensitivity analysis. Supporting analyses contextualised where field change was concentrated and found no significant alignment between scholarship status and baccalaureate distinction. Originality/value Routine educational-pathway information can help low-threshold counselling services interpret intake needs and organise guidance/referral pathways in underrepresented STEM settings.