A report by CPS Research International released on Thursday, April 1, has revealed the most popular Kenyan universities, from the perspective of international students schooling in Kenya.
The University of Nairobi (UoN) was top of the list with 1,300 international students enrolled. United States International University (USIU) was placed second with 1,100 students, Strathmore University third with 660, Mount Kenya University (MKU) was fourth with 560 learners, and Kenyatta University was in fifth place with 472 students enrolled.
Moi University was in position six with 322, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) was at position seven with 300, Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) ranked eighth with 255 while Egerton University was at position nine with 130 foreign learners. Maseno University ranked tenth with 119 students.
The reputation and global ranking of the universities, the cost of programs they teach, quality of education, and ease of accessing accommodation are the main factors foreign students put into consideration.
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 were the other factors listed.
The report also ranked the competitiveness of Institutions of higher learning and the universities with a high enrollment of students.
“Most of the international students were young adults in the age bracket of 18-24 years at 54.1 percent. The ratio of male to female international students studying in Kenyan universities is 59 percent and 41 percent respectively,” reads the report.
According to the report, the leading countries in Eastern Africa with many students in the Kenyan Universities are; Uganda with 19.9 percent, South Sudan at 19.2 percent, Tanzania at 18.8percent, Somalia at 18 percent, and others at 20 percent.
It further highlighted challenges faced by the students in the institutions.
“The most prevalent challenge faced by international students while studying in Kenyan universities was found to be the difficulties in getting and extending student visas at 40.2 percent,” revealed the report.
Other challenges include a high cost of living at 16.6 percent, reduced scholarship offers at 11.7 percent, poor accommodation facilities at 9.5 percent, limited freedom of movement at 5.1 percent while language barrier and lack of support from host university are at 5.5 percent and 3.3 percent respectively.
CPS Research International is a Market and Social Research Company that has cut a niche in specialized research in various parts of the world, with an aim of meeting the specific demands of each undertaking.
