Best universities in Kenya 2023

Top 3 universities in Kenya 2023

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in Kenya

Kenya has almost 70 universities, with almost an even split between public and private institutions. Seven of those universities are included in the THE Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings. 

These are the best universities in Kenya, based on the Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.

The difference between the World University Rankings and the Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings is that the World University Rankings provide an insight into research-intensive universities across the world. They are ideal for people who are interested in postgraduate studies or careers in academia.

Meanwhile, the Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings are focused more specifically on the quality of teaching at universities across Sub-Saharan Africa. The ranking took into account responses from a survey of more than 20,000 students from 88 universities in the region. This ranking has been designed to take into consideration aspects of both Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Top three universities in Kenya

3. Kibabii University

Kibabii University gained university status in 2011.

Students can study across schools of science, business and economics, arts and social science, education, and computer and information science.

There many extracurricular clubs and societies that students can join, among them hockey club, journalism club, informatics club and the student choir.

2. Rongo University

Rongo University was established in the 1970s, and it gained university status in 2011.

Students are based within schools of education, arts, social sciences and business, science, agricultural science and environmental studies, information communication and media studies.

The university library provides academic support and e-resources for students.

The university has formed partnerships with a range of international institutions including the University of Brighton and Nottingham Trent University.

1. University of Embu

Embu University achieved university status in 2016. It was founded in 1947 as an agricultural training school providing certificate-level qualifications. The university has retained its focus on teaching in agriculture.

As well as a school of agriculture, there are also schools of law, pure and applied science, business and economics, education and social science, and nursing. There are also plans to introduce a local language curriculum over the next decade. A Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institute, offering certificate- and diploma-level courses, was opened in 2022.

The best universities in Kenya 2023

Click on each institution to see its full profile