Strathmore vs USIU-Africa 2026: Fees, Courses and Admission

Updated 2 November 2026

Strathmore vs USIU in short: USIU-Africa is usually cheaper per semester for business and social science degrees (KSh 147,750 for BSc Finance in 2025/26 against roughly KSh 230,000 to 270,000 at Strathmore) and carries US accreditation, while Strathmore has the stronger name in accounting, law and finance and charges a flatter fee per semester. Both are private, chartered universities in Nairobi, both admit students directly rather than through KUCCPS, and students at both can apply for HELB loans. This guide compares fees, billing, courses and admission so you can decide.

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Updated November 2026. USIU-Africa figures are from its official 2025–2026 fee schedule for Kenyan students; Strathmore figures are from Strathmore Law School’s published LLB costs and the university’s typical undergraduate range. Always confirm the current fee on your offer letter.

Strathmore vs USIU-Africa: comparison table

Fees compared

USIU-Africa publishes a fee schedule in which tuition is the number of units multiplied by a unit rate, plus fixed charges. For 2025/26 the per-semester totals for Kenyan students include:

Strathmore Law School states that LLB tuition averages KSh 250,000 per semester, with two semesters a year over four years, for a programme total of KSh 2,051,438. Other Strathmore undergraduate degrees fall broadly in the KSh 230,000–270,000 per semester range, depending on the programme. Strathmore does not publish a single unit-rate schedule like USIU’s, so compare the fee on each offer letter.

On these figures a USIU-Africa business or psychology student pays roughly KSh 80,000 to KSh 120,000 less per semester than a typical Strathmore undergraduate. For computing the gap narrows: USIU’s KSh 220,750 is close to the bottom of Strathmore’s range. For more detail see USIU-Africa fees and Strathmore University fees.

Remember that USIU’s bill moves with your course load: fewer units lower that semester’s fee but can lengthen the degree. East African students pay KSh 8,000 more per semester for medical insurance at USIU, and students from outside East Africa pay higher unit rates.

Courses and reputation

• Strathmore started training accountants for ACCA exams in 1966 and is still best known for accounting, finance, law and information technology. Its schools include Strathmore University Business School, Strathmore Law School and the School of Computing and Engineering Sciences, and its research centres include @iLabAfrica and the Strathmore Energy Research Centre.
• USIU-Africa runs six schools, including the Chandaria School of Business and the School of Communication, Cinematic and Creative Arts. It uses an American-style credit system, and its US accreditation makes credit transfer abroad easier. It has more than 25,000 alumni.

Strathmore vs USIU vs public universities

Both private universities bill per semester, while public universities bill per year. A self-sponsored Bachelor of Commerce costs KSh 216,000 a year at the University of Nairobi and KSh 168,967 a year at JKUAT, compared with about KSh 147,750 a semester at USIU and KSh 230,000 or more a semester at Strathmore. Compare more institutions on our university fees in Kenya hub and the University of Nairobi fees guide.

Which should you choose?

• Choose Strathmore if you want accounting, finance, actuarial science, law or business IT and value its strong links with employers and professional bodies.
• Choose USIU-Africa if you want a lower per-semester fee for business, international relations, psychology or media, or US-recognised credits for later study abroad.
• If cost is the deciding factor, a government-sponsored place through KUCCPS at a public university will be far cheaper than either.

How to apply and fund your studies

1. Check the programme’s minimum KCSE mean grade and subject grades on strathmore.edu or usiu.ac.ke.
2. Prepare your KCSE certificate or result slip, national ID or birth certificate and passport photos.
3. Apply online through the university’s admissions portal and pay the application fee shown there.
4. Pay the first-semester fee only into the accounts on your offer letter.
5. Apply for a HELB loan as soon as you have your admission letter; students at accredited private universities qualify. Strathmore also runs scholarships and a financial-aid office.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Strathmore or USIU?

USIU-Africa is cheaper for most business and social science degrees: KSh 147,750 a semester in 2025/26, against roughly KSh 230,000 to 270,000 a semester at Strathmore.

How much is law at Strathmore per semester?

Strathmore Law School says LLB tuition averages KSh 250,000 per semester, with a four-year programme total of KSh 2,051,438.

Is USIU-Africa accredited in the US?

Yes. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) as well as Kenya’s Commission for University Education.

Do Strathmore and USIU admit students through KUCCPS?

No. Both admit undergraduates directly, so you apply on the university’s own portal.

Can I get a HELB loan at Strathmore or USIU?

Yes. Students at accredited private universities can apply to HELB for loans.

Sources: USIU-Africa 2025–2026 fee schedule for Kenyan students; Strathmore Law School published LLB costs; Commission for University Education. Figures as at November 2026.