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Nairobi · KenyaFree to read
Private (International)

Aga Khan University (AKU)

A premier international health sciences university in Nairobi, Kenya, training doctors and nurses across East Africa.

County
Nairobi
Established
2002
Students
2,500
Employment rate
85%

The institution

Who they are, how big, and how they rank.

About

Established in 2002 as part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), Aga Khan University (AKU) is a private international university located in Parklands, Nairobi. The university serves over 2,500 students across its University Centre and Aga Khan Hospital campuses.

The university operates six schools including the Medical College East Africa, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Graduate School of Media and Communications, Institute for Human Development, and the East Africa Institute. Its medical and nursing programmes are accredited by the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (MPDC) and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK).

Accredited by CUE, MPDC, and NCK, AKU ranks 56th nationally. As part of AKDN, one of the world's largest private development organisations, the university brings international standards of health professional training to Kenya and the wider East African region.

The numbers

Annual fees
Ksh 400,000 to Ksh 1,200,000
Student to staff
1:10
Mode of study
Full-time, Part-time, Distance Learning
Charter status
Chartered
Chartered
2002
Scholarships
Offered

Research

Aku's research focuses on maternal and child health, infectious diseases, and medical education, with significant output in peer reviewed journals and policy influence across east africa. the medical college, east africa conducts research on tropical diseases, hiv/aids, and public health challenges in partnership with the aga khan hospital's clinical facilities, while the school of nursing and midwifery advances research on nursing education, healthcare delivery, and community health systems. the institute for human development investigates early childhood development and education across east africa. partnerships with the university of calgary and mcmaster university (canada) and the university of texas (usa) support collaborative research in health sciences and medical education. the graduate school of media and communications conducts research on media development and communication in developing societies. aku's research increasingly informs health policy, nursing practice standards, and medical education reform across kenya, tanzania, and uganda, bridging international research standards with east african health challenges.

Accredited by

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)
  • Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (MPDC)
  • Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK)

What they teach

Faculties, departments and the programmes on offer.

Admission requirements

A C+ mean grade is the minimum for a Bachelor's degree; competitive programmes (medicine, engineering, law, nursing, architecture) require higher grades and specific KCSE subject clusters. Master's programmes require a relevant Bachelor's degree; PhD programmes a relevant Master's degree.

Intakes

  • January
  • September

Schools and faculties

6 in total
  • Medical College, East Africa

    Aga Khan Hospital Campus, Nairobi

  • School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa

    Aga Khan Hospital Campus, Nairobi

  • Graduate School of Media and Communications

    University Centre, Nairobi

  • Institute for Human Development

    University Centre, Nairobi

  • East Africa Institute

    University Centre, Nairobi

  • Faculty of Arts and Sciences

    University Centre, Nairobi

Campus and beyond

Where you would be, and who they are connected to.

Campuses

Main campus
Nairobi Campus
  • University Centre (Nairobi)

    Nairobi

    Parklands, Nairobi (13-storey building)

  • Aga Khan Hospital Campus

    Nairobi

    Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi (Medical College and School of Nursing)

On campus

  • Library
  • Sports Complex
  • Student Hostels
  • Computer Labs
  • Health Centre
  • Simulation Labs

Notable alumni

  • Medical professionals and nurses from East Africa
  • Health educators and hospital administrators
  • Media professionals from Aga Khan network

International partnerships

5 institutions
  • Aga Khan Health Services
  • University of Calgary (Canada)
  • University of Texas (USA)
  • McMaster University (Canada)
  • AKDN network institutions

Further reading

Keep this

Entry marks, intakes and fees at Aga Khan University are restated each year. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.