As freshmen prepare to join campus in a few weeks time, capital campus will be informing you on what to expect at campus. Various Universities have prepared well enough to receive you and senior resident students are also psyched to receive you (proceed with caution)
This week, capital campus has been reviewing housing around universities in Kenya. We have analyzed the situation of housing and it is no good news for all universities, as accommodation is way below the student population.
There is no single University/college in Kenya that has enough rooms for is its students, and this has given room for private hostels to develop and even charge exorbitant prices. We shall also discuss where to get the hostels near your campus.
University of Nairobi
Located in the CBD of Nairobi city and environs, The University of Nairobi has not significantly expanded student housing in the last decade, but the number of students has been rising. Though UoN was recently ranked as the best university in the region by Webometrics, accommodation has not improved in tandem with other indices. The nine campuses have just enough accommodation for the regular (government sponsored) students but main campus has perennial student accommodation issues. There is still no room especially for parallel students (Privately sponsored).
The cost of housing at the university of Nairobi hostel varies from Kshs 540 for three sharing to Kshs 900 per Month for a single room. However, students are allowed to pay for the rooms per year, and the cost ranges from Kshs 1700 to Kshs 5000 respectively. The good thing is that rooms can be applied online here.
For Private hostels, the nearest ones are at the Young Men’s Christian Association Center and Vera Ladies Hostels, both on State House Road and Young Women Christian Association Center on Mamlaka Road. All these hostels charge Kshs 12000 per month.
Kenyatta University
If there is a university that has been badly hit by accommodation crisis, it’s Kenyatta University, onThika Road. Application of rooms is manual and therefore only the early applicants and connected students get the best rooms. If you don’t have the patience of queuing, then you might give up easily. The University charges Kshs 7000 per year, but one could also pay per semester. However, most KU students reside in private hostels at Kahawa West and Kahawa Sukari, where rent ranges from Kshs 3000 to Kshs 5000 per month.
United States International University
USIU is also located on Thika Road, next to Safari Park. Very few students reside within the campus and they are mostly foreign students. However, if you are a local student and are wondering where to get a hostel, there are a few private ones around the university. There is Priwana, which charges 14000 per month, Paragon which charges slightly the same, Paragon Blue and White and Esanto. However, most local students who can’t afford to pay 14000 per month opt to live at Kasarani where charges range from Kshs 5000 to 8000. The university offers work study programmes so you can work for a few hours as you study.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology
JKUAT is located in Juja. It has been recognized as the only institution where technology is comprehensively applied, however, the few rooms can’t be applied online, hence manual. The University charges Kshs 7800 per year and the rooms are shared. However, in case you miss rooms there are a number of private hostels in Juja that go for Kshs 4000 per month. Such hostels are Mwenge, Riaing Cock, Alpha, Kibs, Jubelee House, Almata, Surura, Silvia, Nathan and Golden Balls.
Strathmore University
Located in Madaraka Estate, Strathmore University does not provide hostel facilities to students it has however, partnered with investors to offer accommodation to its students in Madaraka Estate. The hostels go for Kshs 10,000 per month and the university recommends which one to select.
