Relief for parents as universities roll out reduced fees for freshers

Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala in a past event in Malava on May 21, 2025 The Ministry of Education has begun implementing the newly revised fee structure for all first-year students admitted through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS). This reflects the government's latest move to ease the burden of higher education costs for Kenyan struggling families. The directive, effective September 1, 2025, applies to public universities as the new academic year begins. According to Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala, the transition has been smooth. "Fees have actually come down. Students are now paying slightly above Sh5,000, and the most they are paying is Sh75,000 per semester," she explained. "As of last week, over 30,000 students had joined Moi, Kisii, Maseno, Kibabii, and Meru University, and all of them paid the revised fees without complaint. A majority of students are paying Sh28,000 per semester, which is far below what many parents pay even in high school." The reassurance comes after months of anxiety from parents and students over the affordability of university education. Confusion had earlier arisen about how scholarships, government loans, and personal contributions would be calculated. In a statement issued by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on July 31, the government said the move was a direct response to concerns raised by families across the country. "In direct response to concerns raised by students and their families, the Government has lowered fees payable by students across all academic programmes," the statement read. "This bold step reaffirms our commitment to ensuring affordable, accessible, and quality university education, while maintaining the financial sustainability of our institutions." Dr Inyangala said universities have been instructed to update their admissions and finance portals to reflect the new fees, with the entire cost of programmes met through a combination of tuition fees, scholarships, and loans tailored to individual student needs. For instance, students pursuing Humanities and Social Sciences, including Geography (BA.), History, Philosophy, Religion, Sociology, Literature, Political Science, and Linguistics, will pay between Sh5,814 and Sh23,256 per semester. Clinical courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine will cost between Sh22,371 to Sh75,000, still significantly subsidized compared to previous years. Veterinary Medicine Clinical will pay a minimum of Sh20,546 and a maximum of Sh75,000, while Pharmacy-Clinical will cost Sh19,152 and Sh75,000 per semester.

Relief for parents as universities roll out reduced fees for freshers

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Relief for parents as universities roll out reduced fees for freshers

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