The government has announced a significant reduction in tuition fees for all public university programmes under the student-centred funding model, offering much-needed relief to students and families grappling with the cost of higher education.
The revised fee structure, directed by Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala, will take effect from September 2025 and will apply to both new and continuing students across all public universities. Institutions have been instructed to update their systems accordingly and implement the new rates without delay.
The move aims to make university education more accessible and equitable, especially for students from low-income backgrounds. Below is a detailed breakdown of the new semester fee ranges by programme:
Health and Science-Related Courses
Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy: KSh 12,343 – 75,000
Nursing, Clinical Medicine (BSc), Medical Laboratory Science & Tech: KSh 14,400 – 57,600
Animal Science, Radiography, Sport Science, Public Health, Psychology, etc.: KSh 13,082 – 52,326
Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition: KSh 11,401 – 45,603
Applied Sciences & Education (Science & Tech), Biochemistry, Financial Engineering, etc.: KSh 11,628 – 46,512
Basic Sciences (Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography – BSc): KSh 10,659 – 42,636
Engineering, Architecture & Design
Engineering & Surveying: KSh 14,256 – 57,024
Architecture: KSh 12,960 – 57,888
Built Environment and Design (Construction, Urban Planning, Real Estate, Computing): KSh 12,960 – 51,840
Agriculture and Environmental Studies
Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment, Wildlife Management: KSh 9,729 – 38,880
Business, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Applied Social Sciences & Arts (Media, Hospitality, Fashion, Music – BMus, Law): KSh 9,690 – 38,760
Business, Education (Arts), Economics: KSh 7,525 – 30,101
Applied Humanities & Social Sciences (Languages, BA Ed, IR, Social Work): KSh 6,982 – 27,927
Basic Humanities & Social Sciences (History, Religion, Philosophy, Literature): KSh 5,814 – 23,256
The revised model is expected to ease the financial strain on learners and align university education with national development priorities. Stakeholders have welcomed the move as a progressive step toward inclusive access to quality higher education.
