Pwani University (PU)

Established in 2007 as Pwani University College, a constituent college of Kenyatta University, and chartered in 2013, Pwani University is located in Kilifi Town, Kilifi County. The university serves over 10,000 students across its Main Campus and Mombasa centre.

The university operates schools of Environmental and Earth Sciences, Pure and Applied Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Business and Economics, and Health Sciences. Its coastal location supports unique research in marine ecology, oceanography, and coastal agriculture.

Accredited by CUE, the university ranks 12th nationally. It is the only public university headquartered in Kenya's coastal region north of Mombasa, serving as the primary higher education institution for the communities of Kilifi, Malindi, and the broader coastal hinterland.

Pwani University's research focuses on marine and coastal ecology, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity conservation, with significant outputs in tropical marine sciences and coastal ecosystem management. The Marine Research Station serves as a hub for research on coral reef health, mangrove ecology, and fisheries management in the Western Indian Ocean. Partnerships with the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIO-MSC) support collaborative research on shared marine resources and coastal vulnerability. The School of Agricultural Sciences advances research on drought-resistant crops and coastal agriculture suited to the region's semi-arid conditions. The School of Environmental and Earth Sciences investigates coastal erosion, groundwater salinity, and climate change impacts on coastal communities, informing county-level environmental policy across Kilifi, Mombasa, and the wider coastal region.

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.