Study in Lusaka, Zambia

About Lusaka

Lusaka is the capital of Zambia and its largest city. The Lusaka City Council gives its population as about 3.08 million and describes it as the country's commercial centre, located in the agricultural region of central Zambia and connected by rail and road to all major parts of the country.

For students, Lusaka is Zambia's main university city. English is the language of instruction, and the city's universities offer degrees from law and business to medicine, often with part-time and distance options for working students. At the University of Lusaka, students from other countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) pay the same fees as Zambian students.

Studying in Lusaka

Our directory lists three universities in Lusaka:

• The University of Zambia (UNZA) was established by Act of Parliament No. 66 of 1965 and took its first students on 17 March 1966. Its main campus is on the Great East Road, 6 kilometres from the town centre, and the Ridgeway Campus houses the Medical School. Programmes are organised in nine schools, and all teaching and examinations are in English; the university also runs English courses at three levels. Exchange students usually pay fees to their home university under a partnership agreement.
• The University of Lusaka (UNILUS) began in 2007 as the Institute for Corporate Training and Applied Research and was registered as a university in January 2008. It lists 72 programmes (24 undergraduate and 48 postgraduate) in five schools, including a business school, a school of medicine and health sciences and a school of law, and states that it has 16,800 students.
• Cavendish University Zambia (CUZ) was established in 2004 and describes itself as the first private university in Zambia. It teaches in four schools (medicine, law, business and information technology, and arts, education and social sciences) and also offers distance learning.

Study permit

Foreign students need a study permit from the Zambia Department of Immigration, which issues it for full-time or part-time study at a Zambian institution. Applicants need a letter of acceptance, a medical report from a Zambian government medical facility and a sponsor's letter, among other documents. The permit does not allow paid work outside its conditions.

UNILUS advises non-SADC students to get a visa at home before travelling and then apply for the permit in Zambia within a 30-day grace period after arrival; the first permit costs K9,000 according to UNILUS, while Cavendish gives an estimate of K9,090. Cavendish also notes that full-time students cannot enter on a visitor's visa.

Costs and accommodation

At UNILUS, SADC students pay the same tuition fees as Zambian students, while other international students pay in US dollars; all UNILUS students are enrolled in a medical insurance scheme. Official figures for rent and transport in Lusaka are not published. Prices are rising moderately: annual inflation was 6.1% in September 2026, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency.

Housing is mostly arranged through the universities. UNILUS has on-campus rooms at its Silverest campus and keeps a list of vetted boarding houses near its campuses; Cavendish works with private boarding and hostel owners; and UNZA places exchange students in shared apartments about 500 metres from its main campus.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Lusaka?

Our directory lists the University of Zambia, the University of Lusaka and Cavendish University Zambia. UNZA is the oldest, established in 1965.

Are courses in Lusaka taught in English?

Yes. At UNZA, for example, all teaching and examinations are in English.

Do I need a study permit to study in Lusaka?

Yes, foreign students need a study permit from the Zambia Department of Immigration. UNILUS states that a permit is required for any enrolment of six months or longer, including exchange students.

Can I work while studying in Zambia?

The study permit does not allow paid activities that are not specified in it, so students should not plan to finance their studies through work.