Apply to establish a university (Letter of Interim Authority and Charter)
Commission for University Education · sources read 2 Oct 2026
Apply in writing to CUE with a full proposal and a draft charter, and pay KSh 405,000 for the Letter of Interim Authority. Once you meet the standards, apply for the Charter (KSh 480,000), which the President grants.
- Fee
- KSh 405,000Institutional accreditation for a Letter of Interim Authority (LIA)KSh 480,000Institutional accreditation for award of Charter
- How long
- CUE's target is 40 working days from payment to process each application (LIA or Charter)
- Where
- In writing to the Commission for University Education, Redhill Road off Limuru Road, Gigiri, Nairobi
What you need
- Proposal in CUE's prescribed format and a forwarding letter from the sponsor
- Appendices: curricula, evidence of physical resources, governance documents, draft charter, rules and regulations
- A draft Charter for the proposed university
Steps
- Apply in writing to CUE with your proposal, sponsor's forwarding letter, appendices and draft charter, and pay the LIA fee.
- CUE inspects and assesses your resources. If you meet the requirements, it recommends a Letter of Interim Authority to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, who grants it.
- With the LIA you can set up a governing body, build facilities and assemble academic resources.
- Apply for the Charter. CUE prepares an accreditation report for the Cabinet Secretary, who can recommend that the President grants the Charter.
Watch out
- An LIA does not let you admit students on its own: you need CUE's prior approval before you advertise or admit students to any programme.
- Every university in Kenya must be established by a Charter, so you can't operate as a full university without one.
Who can apply
- Any person or sponsor who wants to set up a university in Kenya.
Official sources (4)
- The Universities Act, 2012 (No. 42 of 2012), Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 192 cue.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Citizen Service Delivery Charter 2025 cue.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Frequently Asked Questions cue.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026
- Establishment of New Universities cue.or.ke · read 2 Oct 2026