Study in Nairobi, Kenya

About Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital of Kenya and the country's largest city. It lies in south-central Kenya, 140 kilometres south of the Equator, and the Nairobi City County government describes it as the most populous city in East Africa, with an estimated population of about 3.5 million. Kenya as a whole counted 47,564,296 people in the 2019 census, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

For students, Nairobi is the main academic centre of East Africa. It is also a regional hub for business and international organisations: the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Habitat are based in the Gigiri area. Students come for degrees in business, technology, health sciences, agriculture, development and international relations, usually taught in English.

Studying in Nairobi

Our directory lists two universities in Nairobi: the public University of Nairobi and the private Strathmore University.

• The University of Nairobi (UoN) was established by an Act of Parliament (Cap 210 of the Laws of Kenya). It describes itself as the pioneer institution of university education in Kenya and the region and states that it started in 1970. It offers approximately two hundred programmes on seven campuses in the capital and its surroundings, in fields from agriculture, engineering and law to health sciences, veterinary medicine, journalism and Kiswahili. Its research institutes include the Institute of Tropical & Infectious Diseases and the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies. An International Students Office on the 17th floor of the University Towers, on the main campus, helps foreign students settle in.
• Strathmore University began in 1961 as Strathmore College, an Advanced-level Sixth Form College for science and arts subjects, encouraged by Saint Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei. It merged with Kianda College in 1993 and moved to Ole Sangale Road in Madaraka Estate. Kenya's Commission for Higher Education approved its university charter in June 2007. Its roots are in accountancy, commerce and information technology.

Both universities teach in English. Programmes in agriculture, environmental studies and tropical medicine draw on Kenya's own setting, while business, management and IT are the most widely offered subjects in our listings.

Student visa and costs

Foreign students need a Student's Pass, which the Directorate of Immigration Services defines as an authorisation for a foreigner who has been accepted or admitted by an academic or training institution. Applications are made online on the eFNS portal. The requirements include an application form (Form 30) completed by the institution, a cover letter from the institution stating the course and its duration, a passport copy, a sponsor's commitment letter, proof of funds for self-sponsored students and a police clearance certificate for adults. Documents in other languages must be translated into English. The fee is 100 US dollars per year for students from outside the East African Community; students from EAC member states pay nothing.

We found no official figures for student rent or transport fares in Nairobi. Tuition depends on the university and the programme, and both universities publish their own fee schedules; check them before applying, together with the cost of accommodation near your campus.

Getting around and daily life

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is the city's international gateway, served by airlines with global networks, and roads link Nairobi with the other main cities of East Africa.

Nairobi is the only capital city with a national park within its boundaries: Nairobi National Park covers 113 square kilometres of plains, cliffs and forest at the edge of the city. Other places students visit include the Nairobi National Museum, Karura Forest and Uhuru Park.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Nairobi?

Our directory lists the University of Nairobi, a public university established by an Act of Parliament, and Strathmore University, a private university chartered in 2007. The University of Nairobi offers undergraduate, master's and doctoral programmes.

Do I need a visa to study in Nairobi?

Foreign students need a Student's Pass from Kenya's Directorate of Immigration Services, applied for online on the eFNS portal after admission. It costs 100 US dollars per year for students from outside the East African Community.

In which language are courses taught in Nairobi?

University courses are taught in English. Immigration documents in other languages must also be translated into English.

Is there support for international students?

The University of Nairobi has an International Students Office on its main campus that helps foreign students with information on admission, accommodation, health services and student life.