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Kenya

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

The English language requirements for our courses are provided on individual course pages as minimum IELTS scores, however we accept many other tests and qualifications.

Please visit our English language requirements page for more information. 

Undergraduate Entry Requirements

Applicants from Kenya can apply directly for an undergraduate degree with the following qualifications:

  • Diploma with a final GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent from a recognised institution (at the discretion of the department - this is a vocational qualification)
  • Higher Diploma with a final GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent from a recognised institution (first- or second-year entry at the discretion of the department)
  • completion of one year of a Bachelor’s degree at an accredited university with a GPA of at least 3.0/4.0
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A-levels will be considered for direct admission to our undergraduate degree programmes. IB requirements range from 28 to 30, depending on the course.

Applicants from Kenya who have completed the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and other qualifications will be considered for a four-year course with foundation programme in their field of interest. Upon successful completion of the Foundation Year, students will automatically progress on to our three-year degree. 

Alternatively, applicants can opt for a Foundation course at our partner provider OnCampus London (or another recognised provider) for entry onto undergraduate programmes at Birkbeck.

Postgraduate Entry Requirements

To be considered for entry onto a Master’s degree at Birkbeck, you must have completed a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university. Please note that all applications are considered on an individual basis and you may be admitted to Master's programmes with a lower-level degree if you have work experience relevant to the degree applied for.

Kenyan degree classification

  • 1st (alternative classifications: A/70-100%; alternative name: Excellent; English translation or equivalent: 1st)
  • 2:1 (alternative classifications: B/60-69%; alternative name: Good; English translation or equivalent: 2:1)
  • 2:2 (alternative classifications: C/50-59%; alternative name: Satisfactory; English translation or equivalent: 2:2).

If you do not meet these criteria, you can apply for the Master's Foundation Programme at our partner provider OnCampus London, which is available for 2- to 4-term progression onto a wide range of Master's degrees at Birkbeck.

Research Degrees Entry Requirements

The usual entrance requirement for a research degree is a Master’s degree from a recognised university with a grade of at least 65% or a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or equivalent; or a Doctorate/PhD from a public or chartered (fully accredited) private university with a final grade of at least 65% or a GPA of 3.0/4.0 (this qualification is considered comparable to the UK MPhil/PhD standard). Students with high grades in the Bachelor’s degree can be accepted onto the MPhil/PhD at the discretion of the department.

Applicants are strongly urged to contact potential supervisors within the department before submitting a research application.

Our representatives in your country

Please get in touch with our in-country representatives if you have any queries.

IDP

  • Uniabroad-IDP
  • Address: Soin Arcade, Mezzanine floor, Westlands Road, Westlands, Nairobi
  • Phone: +254 752 092 287 or +254 729 129 799
  • Whatsapp: +254 71661 2223

Intake Education

S3 EDUCATION

SI-UK

  • SI-UK
  • Nairobi office
    • Address: Ground floor, Jimkan House, Woodvale Grove, Westlands, Nairobi 12830-00400
    • Phone: +254 (0) 755688242/47/53
  • Mombasa office
    • Address: Second floor, Amal Plaza, Links Road, Nyali, Mombasa 84453-80100
    • Phone+254 (0) 780 450 642

Student First Education Consultants

  • SFE Consultants
  • Address: Eden square complex, Block 1, 7th floor, Chiromo Road, Nairobi
  • Phone:+254703041028

UNISERV

  • <UNISERV
  • Nairobi office
    • Address: 9th Floor, Fortis Tower, Wood vale Grove, Westlands, Nairobi
    • Phone: +254 739 873 229
  • Eldoret office
    • Address: 1st Floor Rupar's Mall, Malaba Road
    • Phone: +254 735 536 101 or +254 713 685 652
  • Mombasa office
    • Address: 4th Floor Texas Building (next to Nyali Cinemax), Nyali Road, P.O. Box 95649-80106, Mombasa
    • Phone: +254 41 4472108 or +254 729 575 173 or +254 735 091 072

More information

Contact the Birkbeck international team

Financial support

  • As an international student, you will be expected to self-finance your studies, so before you apply to join a programme you should be aware of the fees that you will be required to pay and any discounts or bursaries that you may be eligible for. 
  • Birkbeck is committed to providing advice and support to help you finance your studies. 
  • We offer a number of scholarships specifically for international students. Some are offered directly by Birkbeck, others are offered in partnership with other organisations.
  • You may be eligible to apply for faculty and school funding linked to your programme of study.
  • Birkbeck offers flexible payment options that allow you to spread the costs of your fees across the year at no additional cost. 

Online events

  • Our open events and taster sessions are a great chance to find out more about your chosen course and studying at Birkbeck, University of London.
  • A taster session will provide you with a more in-depth view of the College and your chosen school.

Talk to a current student

Take a virtual campus tour

  • Explore the campus from the comfort of your home and visit our learning facilities, social spaces and local amenities. 

Kenyan students at Birkbeck

  • Embarking on studies in the UK has been made even more challenging due to the pandemic. Presley Gitari tells us what motivated him to study at Birkbeck, and his life as an international student. Read Presley Gitari's blog.