Universities in Burundi

Burundi's public university system is built around the Université du Burundi (UB) in Bujumbura, founded in 1964. By number of students, staff and fields of study it is the largest public institution of higher education in the country. It operates under the minister responsible for higher education; today the portfolio sits with the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research (MENRS).

The university was reorganised by Decree No. 100/279 of 18 October 2012, which sets out its faculties and institutes and its governing board of nine members. Teacher training also takes place at the École Normale Supérieure (ENS) in Bujumbura, which the ministry lists alongside the university.

How it works

UB has 8 faculties and 7 institutes, each divided into departments and sections. The faculties cover political and legal sciences, sciences, agronomy and bioengineering, psychology and education, engineering, economics and management, medicine, and letters and humanities. The institutes include the Institut Supérieur de Commerce, an institute of digital technologies and the Institut des Statistiques Appliquées. Teaching is spread over seven campuses, with Mutanga as the main one. The university's statistics panel gives a student population of 18,500, 68 programmes and 500 professors; its history page puts enrolment at more than 12,000.

Degrees follow three cycles: the baccalauréat (the first university degree, not the school-leaving exam as in France), the master's and the doctorate, with a separate master's cycle and a doctoral school. Years of the first degree are numbered Bac I, Bac II and Bac III; at the ENS, Bac III is described as the third year of the licence. The ENS has departments of applied sciences, natural sciences, and languages and humanities.

Admission

Entry to the first cycle is based on the national state exam (Examen d'État). Successful candidates are assigned to a programme through orientation lists and then register online with their exam registration number. For the 2025-26 academic year, UB published the orientation lists on 14 November 2025 and classes started on 24 November 2025, so the academic year starts later than in Europe.

Master's and doctoral applications go through the university's own master's and doctoral platforms. International applicants should contact the university directly, since the online first-cycle registration is designed for holders of the Burundian state exam. The university publishes its information in French, with an English version of the website.

Costs and visa

The university does not publish its tuition fees on the pages we checked; ask the faculty or institute before applying. Visas are issued by the Commissariat Général des Migrations, part of the national police, which takes visa applications online and lets applicants track them.

How to choose

• Field: check which faculty or institute teaches your subject and on which campus
• Level: first-cycle places are allocated through the state exam; master's and doctoral studies have their own application routes
• Teacher training: the ENS specialises in preparing teachers, with supervised teaching placements
• Language: information is published mainly in French
• Calendar: the academic year can start as late as November

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in Burundi?

The main public university is the Université du Burundi in Bujumbura, founded in 1964 and the largest public institution of higher education. The École Normale Supérieure, also public, trains teachers.

What is a baccalauréat at a Burundian university?

It is the first university degree, with years called Bac I, Bac II and Bac III. It is followed by the master's and the doctorate.

When does the academic year start in Burundi?

It depends on the state exam results. In 2025-26, classes at the Université du Burundi started on 24 November 2025.

Where do I apply for a visa to study in Burundi?

Visas are issued by the Commissariat Général des Migrations, which accepts applications online. Ask the university for an admission letter first.