The Russian government has announced a new opportunity for Kenyan students, offering 70 fully funded spots at Russian universities under a tuition-free scholarship program.
In a statement on Monday, September 15, the Russian Embassy in Kenya confirmed that the application window has officially opened, and can be accessed through education-in-russia.com
The scholarship program covers undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate studies in Russia without requiring students to pay tuition fees.
"Applications are now open for the Russian Government Scholarship! Apply and submit the documents and by early December 2025," the notice read.
To qualify, candidates must create a profile on the portal, select their preferred level of education and up to six universities, and upload essential documents.
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The documents include a valid passport scan, academic transcripts, and proof of previous education; applicants still in school can provide a certificate from their current institution.
"Be sure to click the ‘Send request for verification’ button. Applications in the ‘Draft’ status do not participate in the competition!" the Embassy pointed out.
Postgraduate candidates will need to submit a motivation letter, an essay, or an article outlining their proposed research area.
Additionally, the Russian Embassy stated that eligibility is restricted to non-Russian citizens.
"Only foreign citizens are eligible to participate in the quota. If the candidate holds dual Russian citizenship, they must reside permanently outside Russia and not hold previous education certificates issued by Russian institutions,” the statement explained.
The program is being coordinated by Rossotrudnichestvo, Russia’s federal agency for international humanitarian cooperation, which oversees the implementation of scholarship quotas for foreign students.
This comes a week after the Open University of Kenya (OUK) unveiled new professional development courses, ICT certifications, and degree programmes.
According to an advertisement put out on Tuesday, September 9, development courses on offer include Business Modelling for Entrepreneurs and Mental Health Awareness, which are fully sponsored.
Other courses, such as Accountability Fundamentals, Corporate Governance, Risk Management, Cybersecurity Basics, and Big Data Management, are being offered at discounted rates ranging from Ksh3,000 to Ksh5,000.
Advanced training options in areas including Cloud Computing and DevOps, Robotics and Automation, and Artificial Intelligence for Professionals are also available.
The university is also rolling out ICT professional certifications, with the BCS Building Generative Artificial Intelligence Applications certification available free of charge.
Learners can also pursue the Huawei Certified ICT Associate in Artificial Intelligence at a cost of Ksh5,000.
OUK has additionally expanded its degree programmes across the School of Science and Technology, School of Business and Economics, and School of Education.
Options include Bachelor of Data Science, Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computing, Bachelor of Business and Entrepreneurship, and Bachelor of Technology Education, each charged at Ksh70,000 per academic year.
Postgraduate programmes such as Master of Data Science, Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy are being offered at Ksh157,500 for the entire programme.
To qualify for undergraduate programmes, applicants must have a KCSE mean grade of C+ with relevant subject clusters, a diploma from a recognised institution, or equivalent qualifications recognised through prior learning.
Master’s applicants must hold a relevant bachelor’s degree, while PhD candidates require a master’s degree in the same field.
The university confirmed that its students are eligible for government scholarships and Higher Education Loans Board funding.
Fully sponsored courses are free, but students are required to meet costs such as internet access, data bundles, and examination centre fees, particularly those outside East Africa.
Applications are open throughout the year through the university’s online portal at ouk.ac.ke.
