Government Slashes Public University Fees in Major Relief for Students

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.