Universities in DR Congo

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), universities are part of a wider higher education sector that the government calls "enseignement supérieur et universitaire" (ESU). It is overseen by the Ministry of Higher and University Education, Scientific Research and Innovation (Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur, Universitaire, Recherche Scientifique et Innovations, ESURSI). Alongside the universities there are specialised higher institutes, such as the instituts supérieurs pédagogiques (teacher training) and the instituts supérieurs des techniques appliquées (applied technology), and both public and private institutions.

French is the main language of higher education. SpainExchange currently lists one university in the country: the Université de Lubumbashi (UNILU) in Lubumbashi, in the south-east.

How the university system works

The DR Congo is moving to the Licence-Master-Doctorat (LMD) system, the three-cycle structure also used in France and Belgium: a licence (bachelor's level), then a master's degree, then a doctorate. According to the ministry, LMD programmes were to start from the 2021-2022 academic year, and on 3 February 2022 the minister sent public and private institutions a circular with model curricula for the LMD programmes in the main fields of study.

Institutions need an agrément (official approval) from the ministry to operate legally, and the ministry carries out periodic checks to act against institutions that do not meet the standards. It publishes an online list of recognised higher education institutions that can be filtered by category, public or private status, province and approval status (approved or provisionally approved). Checking this list is the simplest way to confirm that a university or institute is recognised.

The Université de Lubumbashi is one example. According to the university, it goes back to the Université Officielle du Congo et du Ruanda-Urundi, created by Belgian royal decree in 1955 and opened in 1956, and took its present name and status by presidential order in 1981. Its faculties and schools include agronomy, architecture, law, criminology, economics, letters, medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, public health, psychology, the sciences and an engineering school (polytechnique). In 2026 it opened enrolment for new first-year master's programmes, including artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, within a programme supported by the World Bank.

Admission

Admission to a first degree requires a completed secondary education. At UNILU, applicants choose two faculties or schools that match the section they followed at secondary school, and the university warns that a first choice may not be accepted if places run out. Required documents depend on the applicant's situation, country of origin and planned studies. Students who have already studied elsewhere should first contact the department or faculty, which assesses their admission conditions and possible course exemptions.

Recognition and funding

The ministry runs services for the authentication and equivalence of diplomas, which matter both for Congolese degrees used abroad and for foreign qualifications presented in the DR Congo. It also awards scholarships, including a national solidarity grant, excellence grants and grants under bilateral or multilateral cooperation for certain fields. Tuition fees are set by each institution; contact the university directly for current fees.

How to choose a university

• Recognition: check that the institution appears on the ministry's list of recognised institutions
• Degree structure: whether the programme follows the LMD system
• Field of study: a full university or a specialised higher institute
• Public or private institution
• Location and access to the campus from your home region

Frequently asked questions

What language are university courses taught in in the DR Congo?

Mainly French, the language used by the ministry and by universities such as the Université de Lubumbashi.

What is the LMD system in the DR Congo?

LMD stands for Licence-Master-Doctorat, a three-cycle degree structure. The ministry launched LMD programmes from the 2021-2022 academic year and published model curricula in February 2022.

How can I check whether a Congolese university is recognised?

The Ministry of Higher and University Education publishes an online list of recognised higher education institutions, with their status and approval stage.