The Kenyan universities that attract foreign students have been revealed in a new report that exposes the competitiveness of the institution of higher learning.
The cost of programmes they teach, quality of education, and
ease of accessing accommodation are some of the factors that attract
international students.
Other factors that attract foreign students to these
institutions are; the location of the university, type and duration of the courses
offered, clearly defined academic calendar, cost of living, and availability of
international students support desk.
The details are in a report by CPS Research International.
Nairobi University attracts the most foreign students.
“International students preferred some universities to
others because of high quality of education, affordability aspects, high global
ranking, great culture, holistic education, good placement, and internship
offers,” reads the report.
Overall, the state of national security, immigration rules,
culture of the country, and ease of getting employed influence students’ choice
to study in Kenya.
The University of Nairobi has the highest number of
international students with a total of 1,300 international students enrolled. The United States International University (USIU) is second with 1,100 students,
Strathmore University is third with 660, Mount Kenya University is fourth with
560 international learners and Kenyatta University closes the best five with
472 such students.
Others are Moi University at sixth position with 322, Jomo
Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) with 300, Catholic
University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in eighth with 255, and Egerton University at position nine with 130 foreign students. Maseno University closes the best
10 with 119 students.
The total number of international students in Kenyan
universities is 6,202.
Ugandans constitute the highest number of foreign students
in those mentioned institutions, according to the study. South Sudanese,
Tanzanians, Somalians, and Nigerians follow that order of highest number.
Others are from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Rwanda, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
“Most of them are young adults in the age bracket of 18-24 years at 54.1 percent, and undertaking undergraduate courses,” reads the report.