Study in Germany from Kenya: no tuition fee, but the blocked account comes first
At public universities in 15 of Germany's 16 states nobody pays tuition, Kenyans included. The cost that decides whether a family can go is the blocked account of €11,904, about KSh 1,729,968 at today's rate, paid in before the visa and returned to you at €992 a month.
Last checked 26 October 2026. Rates read 27 Oct 2026. Planning figures, not offers.
A year's cost, in shillings
These bands add tuition to living costs and convert at €1 = KSh 145.33, the rate read today. A university sets its own fees, so treat the figures as planning ranges.
| Level | Per year | Made up of |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | KSh 3,183,234 to KSh 4,636,500 | Tuition €10,000 to €20,000 plus living €11,904 |
| Master's | KSh 3,183,234 to KSh 4,636,500 | Tuition €10,000 to €20,000 plus living €11,904 |
| Funds the visa asks for | about KSh 3,183,234 | €11,904 for living plus the first year's undergraduate tuition |
Show the data behind Figure 1
| Level | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | KSh 3,183,234 | KSh 4,636,500 |
| Master's | KSh 3,183,234 | KSh 4,636,500 |
Source: SchoolRegistry Pathways catalogue, rates read 27 Oct 2026.
How the shilling has moved against the EUR
Kenyan families pay foreign fees in shillings, so the exchange rate sits inside every quote. One EUR was KSh 108.60 in 2012 and KSh 129.67 in 2021. It is KSh 145.33 now, 1.12 times the 2021 level and 1.34 times the 2012 level. Take a first-year bill of 10,000 EUR: KSh 1,296,700 in 2021, KSh 1,453,266 today. The high point in this series was 2023, at KSh 151.21.
Show the data behind Figure 2
| Year | KES per EUR |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 108.60 |
| 2013 | 114.38 |
| 2014 | 116.80 |
| 2015 | 108.93 |
| 2016 | 112.36 |
| 2017 | 116.82 |
| 2018 | 119.63 |
| 2019 | 114.18 |
| 2020 | 121.59 |
| 2021 | 129.67 |
| 2022 | 124.12 |
| 2023 | 151.21 |
| 2024 | 145.93 |
| 2025 | 146.11 |
| Today | 145.33 |
Source: World Bank, official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average), Kenya and United Kingdom; today's rate from the Pathways catalogue.
- English
- IELTS 6.0 to 6.5; German not required for English-taught programmes
- Intakes
- October, April
- After graduation
- 18-month job-seeker residence after graduation.
- Bringing family
- Possible with additional funds.
Is KCSE enough for direct entry?
Most German universities do not accept the KCSE on its own for direct entry to a degree. Applicants often need a foundation course called a Studienkolleg, or a year or more of university study at home first. Read the rule for your own certificate on the university's admissions page or in the anabin database before you plan around a date.
What you pay at a public university
There is no tuition, but there is a semester contribution of about €150 to €350, or KSh 21,799 to KSh 50,864, which normally includes local transport. Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500 a semester.
English-taught degrees cost more
Most English-taught bachelor's places are at private universities, which usually charge €9,000 to €16,000 a year, that is KSh 1,307,939 to KSh 2,325,226. A family whose budget stops short of that should ask about German-taught public courses and the language year they need.
Work while you study, and after
Students may work 140 full days or 280 half days a year without a separate permit. After graduating you get 18 months to find a job, during which you may take any work.
No one can promise you admission or a visa.
Our job is to match your profile to universities it suits, prepare a complete and truthful file, and tell you what the visa will ask before you spend money. Governments decide visas. Pathways costs a family nothing, because our partner schools pay SchoolRegistry when a student we place enrols.
Keep going
Questions Kenyan families ask about Germany
- Is German university really free for Kenyans?
- Public universities in 15 of 16 states charge no tuition, on the same terms as for German students. You still pay a semester contribution of about €150 to €350, and Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500 a semester.
- How much is the German blocked account in Kenyan shillings?
- €11,904, about KSh 1,729,968 at today's rate. It is your own money, paid out at €992 a month after you arrive.
- Can I stay in Germany after graduating?
- You may stay 18 months to look for work and take any job while you search.
Source: German Federal Foreign Office and uni-assist application handling fees, 2026.