Introduction
No matter where you come from or what you would like to do when you graduate, Kabale University experience will challenge, inspire, develop and support you. Through a combination of excellent teaching, rich and varied campus life and a cultured community, you’ll have the experience of a lifetime. The University is a home away from home to many international students and we always have nice warm people welcoming you from all around the world. We are sure and confident that life at Kabale University (KAB) is pretty relaxed and you will love the ambiance other students and staff accord to you.
Background Information
Kabale University is located on Plot 364 Block 3 Kikungiri Hill, in Kabale Municipality, about a kilometer off Kabale-Katuna-Kigali Highway. The Main Campus sits on 50 acres of land. The University can be accessed via Mukombe Road, which connects the Kikungiri Campus to the Highway. An additional Campus is located on Plots 66-76 in Nyabikoni Parish in the Central Division of Kabale Municipality comprising of 3 acres. This houses the Faculty of Engineering, Technology, Applied Design and Fine Art. Kabale University School of Medicine is partially housed on Makanga Hill, in the Kabale Regional Referral Hospital next to the headquarters of Kabale District Local Government.
The idea of establishing Kabale University was born way back in 1995 under the umbrella of the Kigezi Development Association. In 1999, Kabale District Local Government signed and sealed a commitment deed confirming its donation of land in Kabale Municipality for the development of Kabale University. This contribution was fifty-three (53) acres of land and the developments on it both at Kikungiri Hill (where the main campus is housed) and Nyabikoni (which houses the Faculty of Engineering). In the same year, an application to operate Kabale University as a center of higher learning was submitted to the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES).
The University was initially established as a not-for-profit community institution, owned by the people of Kigezi. The University opened its gates in 2002 to forty-two (42) students and presently has an enrolment of about 3,193 coming from all parts of Uganda, and the neighboring countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo (DRC) and South Sudan. The University obtained a Charter in 2014 (Certificate No. UI.CH.008) – the last stage of accreditation by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education.
In 2015, Kabale University was transformed from a private to a public University under Statutory Instrument No. 36 of 16th July 2015, under the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 (as amended). Kabale University is therefore a unique institution in Uganda, enjoying the status of being the first institution of its kind to transform from a private to public University. It is overseen by the University Council as the oversight organ. The University Senate deals with academic matters of the University.
The University currently has 9 faculties/schools/institutes, with over 54 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The University has a School of Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Fine Art and Design, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Computing and Information Sciences, the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences and Institute of Language studies. The University has a staffing of 346 administrative and academic staff. Kabale University has great potential of being the leading university in the Great Lakes Region, given its location and opportunity of offering quality education to the Anglophone and Francophone parts of the region, thereby enhancing social and economic integration.
Location of the University
Kabale University is found in the South Western part of Uganda in Kabale District, Kabale town and is located on Kikungiri Hill, 1 km off Kabale-Katuna- Kigali High way. It is the only secular university in the Great Lakes Region. We experience the best weather in the whole country with a cool and calm environment very ideal for studying and reading. Kabale District is endowed with the natural beauty of sunshine, Lake Bunyonyi, green hills and valleys and Bwindi Impenetrable forest that is known as a home of Mountain Gorillas that you can visit.
Application and arrival information
Application on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes can be found at………More details are available at the University website at www.kab.ac.ug. For admitted students, plan your travel in time. Contact your international students’ coordinator in the office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs (Ruth Mbabazi) at rmbabazi@kab.ac.ug or Tel. +256 782 339 977. Other relevant information details can be obtained from relevant government offices.
Students’ Experience
There is an International Students’ Association which is student-run and it organizes a range of social events throughout the year in and around Kabale.
We recognize that studying in a different country can be scary in all aspects so we have an excellent structure in place to give you all the help and comfort that you need. We will ensure that you are well supported during your time with us.
Student Accommodation
Kabale University is still a non-resident university but there are secure privately-owned student hostels within the surrounding environment. In the meantime, the university can accommodate only a few students at its Kikungiri Main Campus Hostels. We do have other campuses; Nyabikoni for the Faculty of Engineering, Fine Art and Design as well as the Kabale University School of Medicine at Makanga, Both are still within a walkable distance to Kabale University main campus. Accommodation arrangements are done by the university before your arrival but payments to rooms and space are done by students themselves on an individual basis. For room or house bookings, you may contact the Coordinator, International Students at rmbabazi@kab.ac.ug or you may need to call +256 782 339 977
Visas, Student Pass and Immigration
If you are from outside Uganda you may need to apply for a visa and a student pass to become a full-time student in the country. A student pass is an added mandatory document to have if you are to identify yourself as a student anywhere in the country during your stay and at the time you want to exit the country. The university offers guaranteed support to students to obtain these documents with the assistance of the Coordinator, International Students. You are requested to find out in time whether you will need a visa, how to apply and what documents you may need before arrival, at arrival, and during your stay. For more information, you can contact the Foreign Affairs Office in Uganda at www.immigration.go.ug
International Student Support
The offices of the Academic Registrar, Dean of Students and International Students coordinator will help you adjust and settle in through a programme of orientation events and support within the first week of arrival. The support includes:
- A specialized Welcome Week programme to help you to settle in and make friends
- Immigration advise including guidance on how to apply for a student pass and renewal of a Student Visa
- Support and advice from our international students’ coordinator’s desk
- Dedicated facilities for you to practice your faith outside the university
- A range of student-led clubs and associations so that you can try out new activities and meet like-minded people
- International Students Association (ISA) – a student-led society specifically for international students
- International networking through Kabale University Alumni Association.
We will help you to settle and adapt to a new lifestyle while studying and living in Uganda-Kabale. In case you got a question about life at KAB as an international student, please do not hesitate to reach out to the offices of the Academic Registrar, the Dean of Students or the International Coordinator.
Click here to Download a Brochure for International Students