Mount Kenya University
Mount Kenya University (MKU) is a private, multi-campus university in the municipal town of Thika, Kenya. It was established by Prof. Simon N. Gicharu and has become one of the most significant private universities in Kenya. MKU has a student population of 52,000 as of September 2015. MKU is chartered and ISO 9001:2015 certified.
Programmes
- Accredited Academic Programmes 29.05.2026
- Bachelor in Supply Chain and Logistics Management
- Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Language
- Bachelor of Arts in Community Development
- Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Security Management
- Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Digital Journalism and Mass Communication
- Bachelor of Arts in Film Production, Animation and Gaming
- Bachelor of Arts in Film and Animation Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in International Relations
- Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy
- Bachelor of Arts in Justice and Security Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication
- Bachelor of Arts in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
- Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration
- Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Governance
- Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Management
- Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
- Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Development
- Bachelor of Biomedical Laboratory Science
- Bachelor of Business Information Technology
- Bachelor of Business Management
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Counselling Psychology
- Bachelor of Economics
- Bachelor of Economics and Data Analytics
- Bachelor of Economics and Finance
- Bachelor of Economics and Policy
- Bachelor of Economics and Statistics
- Bachelor of Education Arts
- Bachelor of Education Primary Education)
- Bachelor of Education Primary Option)
- Bachelor of Education Science
- Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Studies
- Bachelor of Education in Special Needs Education Primary Option)
- Bachelor of Education in Special Needs Education Secondary Option)
- Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Management and Office Administration
- Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
- Bachelor of Organizational Management and Technology
Tuition
- No MKU fee figures could be verified — ask on info@mku.ac.ke. MKU is positioned as the most financially and geographically accessible private university in Kenya, and its structure backs that up: 14 campuses and centres, distance-learning centres in eight further towns, and six intakes a year. The trade-off is the funding model: as a private university MKU accesses HELB loans ONLY, not Universities Fund scholarships, so a needy student would still receive more public support at a public university. Kenya's funding framework is under active litigation and reform — treat any figure as dated August 2026. Two figures circulating about MKU should not be relied on: the '52,000 students' count appears to date from 2015 and is still being recycled a decade later, and a claimed '5,000+ academic staff' would imply a 10:1 staff ratio that is implausible for a mass-access private university and probably includes administrative staff. Ask MKU for current numbers rather than trusting either.
Admissions
- MKU accepts both KUCCPS-placed and self-sponsored direct applicants.
- Specific entry grades were not published — confirm with the university.
- If you are entering a REGULATED profession, MKU's professional accreditations are the thing to check and it is unusually strong here: it holds recognition from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, the Nursing Council of Kenya, the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board, the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute, the Kenya Dental Association, the Kenya Veterinary Board, the Council of Legal Education, the Public Health Officers and Technicians Council, and the Teachers Service Commission. A degree in a regulated field is only useful if the licensing body recognises it, and MKU has secured that across nine separate councils — the most comprehensive set in this directory.
- Accepts international applicants
Official website · Universities in Kenya · All African universities · Scholarships