Studying in Kenya

What a year costs

Tuition, an example. USIU-Africa's 2024-25 schedule charges students from outside East Africa 30% above local rates for tuition and mandatory fees, at KES 14,300 to 18,200 a credit depending on the programme; East African students pay the Kenyan rate. Public universities publish their own schedules; ask the international office for the current one.

Pass fee. USIU-Africa lists a pass fee of KES 13,800 (USD 101) a year for non-East African students. The Department of Immigration Services issues the exact amount as an invoice on eFNS after approval. Citizens of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi are exempt from the pass fee but still need the pass.

Living costs. No official monthly budget for students is published. Nairobi costs more than other university towns; university hostels are the cheapest option.

The Student Pass

Apply online on eFNS once an approved institution has admitted you; Strathmore University advises applying three months before your studies begin. The Department of Immigration Services lists:

• Form 30, signed and stamped by your institution
• a cover letter from the institution to the Director of Immigration Services, giving your course and its length
• a signed commitment letter from your sponsor and a copy of the sponsor's passport
• proof of funds, if you pay for yourself
• your passport, two photos, certified academic certificates and the institution's Ministry of Education registration certificate
• a police clearance certificate from your home country (or from Kenya if you already live there)
• for renewals: transcripts and your previous pass

After approval you pay the invoice on eFNS (or at Nyayo House in Nairobi). The pass is renewed every year or every two years, depending on the approved duration.

Register as a foreigner. Foreign nationals staying more than 90 days must register and get an alien card; late registration is charged KES 1,000 for every year or part of a year in arrears.

Working while you study

Not allowed. The Department of Immigration Services says it is an offence on a student pass to "engage in any form of trade or employment", whether for gain or not.

After you graduate

We found no post-study visa. The student pass ends with your studies; to work you need a work permit, normally applied for by an employer.

Language

Teaching is in English. Kiswahili is the national language and the language of daily life; some Kiswahili helps a lot outside campus.

When to apply

Intakes differ between universities, and several private universities admit more than once a year; check your university's dates. Leave three months for the Student Pass.

What to watch out for

Approved institutions only. The pass needs your school's Ministry of Education registration certificate. Check accreditation with the Commission for University Education before you pay.

Do not work. It risks the pass and your stay.

Register within 90 days. Arrears are charged for late alien card registration.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change. Check the official source before you rely on any figure. No national tuition figure or living-cost budget was published in a form we could verify.