Campus France Kenya 2027: the complete guide, from Nairobi to the visa

Information checked on 2 November 2026.

Kenya is one of the countries where the Études en France procedure is mandatory. Campus France Kenya has published the calendar for the September 2027 intake: platform open since 1 October 2026, file by 15 December 2026 for first-year bachelor's, by 31 January 2027 for bachelor's years 2 and 3 and master's. Fees are paid by M-Pesa, and most Kenyan applicants aim for an English-taught programme, with no French test. This guide follows the route specific to Kenya: the Nairobi office, the choice of language, the fees, the interview, then the visa. For the general logic of the platform, see our complete guide to Campus France.

Campus France Kenya: who does it apply to?

Every student living in Kenya who aims for a French public university, for a bachelor's, a master's or an institutional diploma, goes through Études en France. The platform is fully online and runs all the way to the visa request.

PhD applicants are not affected by Études en France: they write to the doctoral schools offering their subject, then apply for a "talent passport" visa at the consulate once they have a positive answer.

The Campus France office in Nairobi

Campus France Kenya receives students at the Alliance française de Nairobi, on the first floor, in the library, at the corner of Loita and Monrovia Streets (P.O. Box 45475-00100). The email address is nairobi@campusfrance.org, and the office's entry on the Campus France international website gives (20) 34 00 54 / 79.

Opening hours differ from one page to another: the contact page gives Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm, the home page Tuesday to Friday at the same times. Write before going on a Monday.

Studying in English or in French?

Campus France Kenya's answer is clear: English-taught programmes exist in France, and they require no knowledge of French. This is the most common route for a Kenyan applicant, especially at master's level.

The DAP only covers first-year bachelor's programmes taught in French: a French test is therefore needed there. Campus France Kenya does not publish the required level on the pages consulted; the other English-speaking offices ask for at least B2. For an English-taught programme, the institution may ask for proof of level: our comparison IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo helps you choose. For the French route, see our article on the French test for Campus France.

Campus France Kenya dates 2027-2028

Campus France Kenya labels its calendar "2026/2027", but the dates run from October 2026 to May 2027: they apply to the September 2027 intake.

For the DAP, Campus France Kenya announces the universities' answers before 7 May 2027, whereas the national date is 30 April. Rely on your account. Above all, remember the 31 May rule: if you have not answered by that date, the absence of an answer counts as a refusal. The comparison with other countries is in our Campus France 2027-2028 calendar.

The Campus France Kenya procedure, step by step

The Campus France Kenya application guide (PDF) and the list of connected institutions can be downloaded from the procedure page. Our guide to the Campus France motivation letter helps with the most-read part of the file.

Campus France fees in Kenya: M-Pesa

Payment is made by M-Pesa, after your documents are validated: Campus France Kenya sends you a detailed message requesting payment. Do not pay before that message.

Tuition fees are a separate expense. For the 2025-2026 year, Campus France Kenya states, for a student from outside the European Union, €2,895 per year for a bachelor's, €3,941 for a master's and €397 for a doctorate. Some universities grant exemptions. The full budget is in our article on Campus France fees.

The Campus France interview in Kenya

The interview is held with the Campus France Kenya team, once the file is validated and paid. It covers your background, your study project and your career plan, and its report accompanies your file. It is also a step that unlocks what comes next: the visa appointment can only be booked after the interview. Our guide to the Campus France interview details the typical questions.

The student visa from Kenya

Once you are admitted through Études en France, your application is automatically sent to the consular authorities. You complete the process on France-Visas, which shows the relevant submission centre; the Campus France Kenya pages do not name it. The visa issued is the VLS-TS "étudiant", valid from four months to one year.

On arrival, three rules to know:

• validate the visa online within three months, with an email address, the visa details, the arrival date, your address in France and a bank card for the fee (or an electronic stamp bought in cash);
• you may work up to 964 hours per year, i.e. 20 hours per week;
• the visa is extended with a multi-year residence permit, applied for about three months before it expires.

Only the consulate decides on the visa. Prepare proof of your resources early with our guide to proving your resources, and the whole file with the one on the student visa application.

Scholarships for Kenyans

The France Excellence Eiffel scholarship (in French) funds master's and PhD studies: the French institution submits the application, never the student, and tuition fees are not covered. The French embassy scholarships (in French) follow a calendar specific to each country. Our directory of scholarships open to Kenyans (in French) also lists programmes outside France (Mastercard Foundation, Chevening, Commonwealth), with email alerts before each deadline, and our overview of scholarships to study in France from sub-Saharan Africa compares them.

Preparing your departure with Compatri

The Campus France simulator (in French) places your profile against admitted applicants, free of charge. Its thresholds were measured on Beninese applicants: for Kenya, they give an order of magnitude, not a decision. The Campus France support service (in French) is a paid service, whose price is given at the first exchange. The diaspora mentors answer questions as volunteers.

In France, the Kenyan diaspora page brings communities together city by city, and every 12 December Jamhuri Day gathers compatriots. For the other English- and Portuguese-speaking countries, see our guide studying in France from English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa.

Compatri is not a Campus France or government service, and does not replace the official source: only the information from Campus France Kenya, the embassy and the consulate is binding.

Official sources

• Campus France Kenya: applying through the Études en France platform
• Campus France Kenya: contact and opening hours
• Campus France Kenya: paying the Études en France fee
• Campus France Kenya: when to book the visa appointment
• Campus France Kenya: do you need to speak French?
• Campus France Kenya: the long-stay student visa
• Campus France Kenya: cost of studies
• Campus France: the Nairobi office
• Campus France: countries under the Études en France procedure