Education

Yes, refugees can freely enroll in UNHCR managed schools in the camps, in Kenyan public schools, or private schools. There are no policies that prevent refugees from accessing basic education in Kenya. 

Basic Education in the refugee camps in Kakuma and Dadaab  

Refugees and asylum-seekers may access primary and secondary education in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps and Kalobeyei Settlement.  Primary education managed by UNHCR and NGO partners (LWF, FCA, WIK) is provided free of charge, while a small contribution is levied at the secondary level in Kakuma.   

To enroll or register in a school, please visit or walk to the nearest UNHCR Primary or Secondary school in your Camp and inquire about the procedures. 

For more information, please contact your nearest school or the UNHCR office in your locality. Some refugees also attend private schools or public schools close to the camps.  

Basic Education in urban areas for refugees 

For refugees living in urban areas, public primary and day secondary education is free of charge; however, schools may charge additional fees and levies. For more information, contact the public school in your locality or reach out to the Sub-County Director of Education. 

Students may enroll in public schools using their refugee registration number or birth certificate. Refugees holding Kenyan birth certificates are recommended to register with this document. Refugees without birth certificates may be asked to pay for examination or capitation fees.  

For assistance with admission to public schools, please contact the Sub-County Director of Education’s office.  

Scholarships to attend public secondary schools are available through the following providers, though this support is highly competitive:  

• Wings to Fly  
• UNHCR Urban Scholarships – Windle International Kenya  
• Mpesa Foundation Academy 

Kenya has a robust tertiary education sector, providing many professional pathways and qualifications opportunities through Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) colleges and many public and private universities all over the country.  

A list of accredited TVET institutions can be found here.  

A list of academic programmes offered at accredited Kenyan universities can be found here. 

Refugee students who have completed their KCSE can apply for placement in Kenyan Universities and TVET institutions through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Centralised Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal. 

Information on recognition and equation of higher education qualifications earned at universities outside of Kenya can be found here or on the KNQA portal here.  

UNHCR offers higher education scholarships through the Albert Einstein Academic Refugee Initiative or DAFI Scholarship Programme, which opens once a year (around April/May) for application. For more information on DAFI in Kenya, visit the Windle International Kenya website. 

Refugees in Kenya also have access to a number of scholarships in third countries. For more information, please visit UNHCR’s global scholarship opportunities for refugees page, as well as our scholarship opportunities for refugees in Kenya page here.