Choosing where to study is a big decision, and Kenya has plenty of options. This guide goes through the leading universities in the latest Webometrics ranking. Each one has its own facilities, student life and strengths, and together they cover arts, sciences, technology and business.
According to the most recent figures, Kenya has 65 chartered universities, public and private combined. The ones below are those that placed highest in the Webometrics list.
1. University of Nairobi (UoN)
The University of Nairobi is the country’s flagship public university. It sits at or near the top of almost every national and continental ranking, which makes it Kenya’s best-known institution.
It has eleven colleges and more than 80,000 students. Courses include medicine, law, engineering, commerce, social sciences, humanities, architecture and agriculture, from certificate level up to PhD.
- Phone: (+254-20) 491 0000
- Website: www.uonbi.ac.ke
- Postal address: P.O. Box 30197, GPO, Nairobi
2. Kenyatta University (KU)
Kenyatta University has one of the biggest student bodies in East Africa, with over 70,000 learners. Its main campus covers about 1,000 acres at Kahawa, on the northern edge of Nairobi.
Thirteen schools offer degrees, diplomas and certificates. The university is especially strong in education, health sciences, engineering, business, humanities and environmental studies. It also runs satellite campuses in Mombasa, Kitui and Nakuru, so students in several regions can reach it.
- Phone: +254 20 8703000
- Website: www.ku.ac.ke
- Postal address: P.O. Box 43844 – 00100, Nairobi
3. Strathmore University
Strathmore is regularly named Kenya’s top private university, and it is best known for business, technology and law. Its green Madaraka campus draws students from more than 40 countries.
It has six schools: Business, Computing and Engineering Sciences, Law, Humanities and Social Sciences, Tourism and Hospitality, and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences. They offer undergraduate, postgraduate and executive programmes, mostly taught in English. The Business School works in partnership with Spain’s IESE and has a strong name for its MBA and executive courses, which attract working professionals from across East Africa.
- Phone: +254 (20) 600 6155
- Website: www.strathmore.edu
- Address: Ole Sangale Road, Nairobi
4. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
JKUAT is widely seen as Kenya’s leading science and technology university. It usually sits among the country’s top five and holds a Q1 global ranking for its science and engineering research.
The campus is in Juja, about 36 kilometres northeast of Nairobi on the Thika Superhighway. More than 200 programmes are spread across colleges of agriculture, engineering, medicine, science, commerce, management and building sciences. KUCCPS places most students who come straight from school. Private intakes are handled by the admissions teams at the Karen, Westlands (Nairobi CBD) and Juja campuses. There is also a campus in Kigali, Rwanda, for regional students.
- Phone: 067-5870001
- Website: www.jkuat.ac.ke
- Postal address: P.O. Box 62000 – 00200, Nairobi
5. Moi University
Moi University is Kenya’s second-oldest public university. Its large main campus in Kesses, Eldoret, has helped train much of western Kenya’s professional class for more than forty years.
Thirteen schools and institutes teach medicine, veterinary science, law, education, engineering, environmental sciences, arts, business and information technology. The College of Health Sciences has its own teaching hospital in Eldoret.
- Phone: (+254) 790 940 508
- Website: www.mu.ac.ke
- Postal address: P.O. Box 3900 – 30100, Eldoret
6. Egerton University
Egerton is Kenya’s oldest institution of higher learning. It began in 1939 as a farm school set up by Lord Egerton of Tatton, on a 740-acre land grant in the fertile highlands near Nakuru.
Today it has faculties in agriculture, arts and social sciences, education, engineering and technology, environment and resources development, health sciences, law, commerce and science.
- Phone: +254 051 2217891
- Website: www.egerton.ac.ke
- Postal address: P.O. Box 536 – 20115, Nakuru
7. Mount Kenya University (MKU)
Mount Kenya University is the country’s largest private university by enrolment, with over 52,000 students. It runs 14 campuses and centres across Kenya, plus sites in Rwanda and Uganda. It is also one of the most popular private choices among Kenyan students.
Programmes run from certificates and diplomas to degrees and postgraduate study. Schools include business, nursing and midwifery, pharmacy, education, computing and informatics, law, medicine, agriculture, and pure and applied sciences.
- Phone: +254 20 2878 000
- Website: www.mku.ac.ke
- Postal address: P.O. Box 342 – 01000, Thika
8. United States International University – Africa (USIU-Africa)
USIU-Africa offers an American-style liberal arts education on its campus along USIU Road in Kasarani. Its students come from more than 55 countries, a mix that no other Kenyan university matches.
Five schools offer 38 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programmes, full-time and online: Chandaria School of Business, Science and Technology, Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Communication, Culture and Creative Arts.
- Phone: +254 730 116 290
- Website: www.usiu.ac.ke
- Postal address: P.O. Box 14634 – 00800, Nairobi
9. Maseno University
Maseno’s main campus lies right on the equator, beside the Kisumu–Busia Road in western Kenya. That makes it one of the most unusually placed universities in East Africa.
Twelve schools and an institute cover arts and social sciences, business and economics, education, engineering, environment and natural resources, graduate studies, computing and informatics, public health and community development, and nursing.
- Phone: +254 57 351
- Website: www.maseno.ac.ke
- Address: Maseno, Kenya
10. Technical University of Kenya (TU-K)
The Technical University of Kenya has almost 70 years of polytechnic history behind it. It grew out of the Kenya Polytechnic and became a fully chartered university in 2013. It has a reputation as Nairobi’s most practical, industry-focused technical institution.
Its faculties cover applied sciences and technology, social sciences and technology, built environment and architecture, engineering sciences, and business. Degree and diploma programmes lean heavily on hands-on training.
- Phone: +254 20 343 672
- Website: tukenya.ac.ke
- Postal address: P.O. Box 52428 – 00200, Nairobi
More universities worth knowing
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (Nyeri County). A leading centre for technology and engineering. It also produces capable graduates in business subjects.
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), Kakamega. A research-focused institution and a good fit for students drawn to science, technology and related fields.
Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Known for well-rounded professional training and academic quality. It appeals to students who want moral and intellectual growth alongside their studies.
Murang’a University of Technology. A newer university with a lively campus atmosphere and a focus on technology and innovation.
Meru University of Science and Technology. A science- and technology-driven campus that suits aspiring scientists and technologists.
Daystar University. Widely recognised for its media and communication programmes, and for building both personal and professional skills in its students.
University of Embu. Strong in agricultural and environmental studies, set on a green, scenic campus that is pleasant to study in.
Kenya Methodist University (KeMU). Focused on technical innovation and community service, which makes it attractive to students who want a balanced education.
South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU). Committed to research and innovation in technical fields, with close links to the local community.
Pwani University. On the coast, with an emphasis on research and community engagement. It is a good choice for learners who want exposure and job-ready skills.
Wider list of universities in Kenya
Beyond those above, these institutions also appear in the ranking:
- Adventist University of Africa
- Africa International University
- Africa Nazarene University
- Aga Khan University
- Alupe University
- AMREF International University
- Bomet University
- Chuka University
- Co-operative University of Kenya
- Garissa University
- Great Lakes University of Kisumu
- Gretsa University
- Islamic University of Kenya
- Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology
- Kabarak University
- KAG EAST University
- Kaimosi Friends University
- Karatina University
- KCA University
- Kenya Highlands Evangelical University
- Kibabii University
- Kirinyaga University
- Kiriri Women’s University of Science and Technology
- Kisii University
- Laikipia University
- Lukenya University
- Machakos University
- Management University of Africa
- Maasai Mara University
- Multimedia University of Kenya
- Pan Africa Christian University
- Presbyterian University of East Africa
- Riara University
- Rongo University
- Scott Christian University
- St. Paul’s University
- Taita Taveta University
- Tangaza University
- Technical University of Mombasa
- Tharaka University
- Tom Mboya University
- Umma University
- University of Eastern Africa, Baraton
- University of Eldoret
- University of Kabianga
- Uzima University
- Zetech University
New campuses keep opening and are working to compete with the established names as higher education goes more digital.
In conclusion, Use this ranking as a starting point when choosing a campus. The right university is the one that offers your course, suits your budget and location, and fits the career you are aiming for.
