Kenyatta University: Fees, Courses, Campuses, Admission and History

Kenyatta University (KU) is a public university whose main campus sits on more than 1,000 acres at Kahawa, off Thika Road, about 17.5 km north-east of Nairobi’s city centre. It became Kenya’s third university in 1985 and is now one of the largest, offering 117 bachelor’s, 94 master’s and 14 doctoral programmes accredited by the Commission for University Education. This guide covers its history, campuses, schools, admission, fees, accommodation, alumni and contacts.

History and founding

In 1965 the British government handed the Templar Barracks at Kahawa to the new Kenyan government. The southern part remained in military use as Kahawa Barracks, while the rest became Kenyatta College, which offered A-level (Form 5 and 6) education and some diploma courses.

In 1978 the entire Faculty of Education of the University of Nairobi moved to Kenyatta College, which was renamed Kenyatta University College by an Act of Parliament. It became the only institution in Kenya training teachers at degree level, and its degrees were awarded in the name of the University of Nairobi. In 1985 it was granted full university status as Kenyatta University, after the University of Nairobi (1970) and Moi University (1984).

The university later grew well beyond teacher education into medicine, engineering, law, business and the sciences. KU also appointed the first female vice-chancellor of a Kenyan public university, Prof. Olive Mugenda, who served from 2009 to 2016. In 2015 US President Barack Obama visited the main campus during his trip to Kenya.

Campuses and location

The main campus is at Kahawa in Kasarani Sub-county, along the Nairobi–Thika Road. KU’s other campuses and centres include:

• Parklands Campus (Nairobi)
• City Centre Campus (Nairobi CBD)
• Kitui Campus (Kwa Vonza)
• Mombasa Campus
• Nyeri Campus
• Nakuru Campus
• Embu Campus
• Dadaab Campus

The former Ruiru Campus became Kenyatta Model School for early-years and primary learners in 2024. The Arusha and Kigali campuses closed in 2018.

Reputation and facilities

KU is accredited by the Commission for University Education and is a member of the Inter-University Council for East Africa, the Association of African Universities, the International Association of Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities. Its library is one of the largest in Africa. The university also runs Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, a conference centre, a bookstore, the Uni-City mall and the KUTV television station.

KU is well known for sport. It hosted the athletes’ village for the 2017 IAAF World U18 Championships in Nairobi and has won the Kenya University Games several times.

Schools and popular courses

Teaching is organised into schools covering education, humanities and social sciences, business, economics, law, engineering and architecture, pure and applied sciences, health sciences, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, agriculture, environmental studies, hospitality and tourism, creative and performing arts, public health and security studies. KU offers open, e-learning (digital school), school-based, part-time and full-time study.

Popular degrees include the Bachelor of Education (Arts and Science), MBChB, Bachelor of Pharmacy, BSc Nursing, Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Commerce, the engineering degrees, BSc Computer Science and Bachelor of Economics.

Admission requirements

Government-sponsored students are placed by KUCCPS using KCSE results, cluster points and their choices. The general minimum for a degree is a KCSE mean grade of C+ (plus) with programme-specific subject grades; medicine, pharmacy, law and engineering need much higher cluster points. Self-sponsored students apply directly to KU and must meet the same minimum requirements. Diploma holders can join some degrees through credit transfer.

Fees

Year-1 fees for self-sponsored students in popular programmes:

Programme	Year 1, self-sponsored (KSh)
MBChB	612,000
Bachelor of Pharmacy	428,400
Engineering degrees	336,600
BSc Nursing / Medical Laboratory Science	275,400
Bachelor of Commerce	183,600
Bachelor of Laws	183,600

KU bills about 60% of the year’s fee in the first semester and 40% in the second; for MBChB that is KSh 367,200 and KSh 244,800. Your admission letter gives the exact amount for your programme.

Government-sponsored students have their programme cost shared between a government scholarship, a HELB loan and the household. See government-sponsored vs self-sponsored fees.

KUCCPS cut-off points at KU

KU lists 90 degree programmes on the KUCCPS portal. These are the cut-off points for the 2025, 2024 and 2023 placements, from the most competitive. The highest 2025 cut-off was 45.961 for Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.CH.B.). For every university, see KUCCPS cut-off points 2025.

How fees compare with other universities

Self-sponsored fees for a Bachelor of Commerce or similar business degree at universities we cover:

University	Business degree fee (KSh)	Billing period
University of Nairobi	216,000	Per year
Kenyatta University	183,600	Year 1
JKUAT	168,967	Per year
USIU-Africa (BSc Finance/Accounting)	147,750	Per semester
Strathmore (most degrees)	230,000–270,000	Per semester

Public universities bill per year, while Strathmore and USIU-Africa bill per semester, so multiply private-university figures by the number of semesters in your year when comparing.

Accommodation

KU has hostels on the main campus, including the Nyayo hostels, which housed athletes during the 2017 World U18 Championships. Places are allocated through the university’s accommodation office, and first-years are usually prioritised. Many students rent privately in Kahawa Wendani, Kahawa Sukari, Githurai and Ruiru, all within reach of the main campus.

Notable people

Prominent people linked to KU include Equity Group chief executive Dr James Mwangi, entomologist Esther Ngumbi, education leader Dr Eddah Gachukia and former vice-chancellor Prof. Olive Mugenda. Olympic athlete Prof. Mike Boit taught sports science at the university.

Contacts

Kenyatta University, Kahawa, off Thika Road, Nairobi. Website: ku.ac.ke. Pay fees only into the accounts printed on your admission letter or the official KU fee structure.

Related

University and TVET fees hub · KUCCPS cut-off points · School fees hub

Frequently asked questions

How much is nursing at KU?

About KSh 275,400 in year 1 for self-sponsored students.

How much is MBChB at Kenyatta University?

About KSh 612,000 in year 1 for self-sponsored students, billed 60% and 40% across the two semesters.

When did Kenyatta University become a university?

In 1985. It started as Kenyatta College in 1965 and became Kenyatta University College in 1978.

Where is the KU main campus?

At Kahawa, off the Nairobi–Thika Road, about 17.5 km north-east of Nairobi’s city centre.

How many programmes does KU offer?

117 bachelor’s, 94 master’s, 14 doctoral and 12 postgraduate diploma programmes accredited by the Commission for University Education.

What is the KUCCPS cut-off for KU?

It depends on the programme; in 2025 it ranged up to 45.961 for Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.CH.B.). The table above lists every programme.

Sources: Wikipedia, Kenyatta University, KUCCPS. Last updated October 2026.