The University of Nairobi (UON) is among the best universities in Kenya, ranking first among 63 universities. The best thing about Nairobi University is that its admission doors are open to students at all programme levels, i.e., Fellowships, Certificates, Diplomas, including Higher Diplomas, Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s, and even Doctorate programmes. The University application process can be easily done via the UON admissions portal instead of visiting the official physical premises. However, a still-present challenge for most applicants is not knowing how to access their letter of offer after being successfully admitted to the university. So, how do I get the University of Nairobi admission letter in 2026?
UON is one of the oldest universities in Kenya, established in 1956 as the Royal Technical College and officially designated as the University of Nairobi in 1970. The University started with 215 students, made up of 105 Africans, 100 Asians, and 10 Europeans, when it was established in 1956, but as of 2026, Nairobi University boasts more than 40,000–45,000 students across all 10 Faculties.
University of Nairobi admissions
UoN admissions are closely tied to its intakes, which it advertises through its various academic calendars. So, how many intakes does UoN have per year? Mainly, the university has three intakes: the first in September/October, the second in December/January, and the third in April/May.
As for the 2026 academic year going into 2027, the University of Nairobi has already advertised intakes, especially for September 2026, with 17th to 20th September set as the application deadline, and the report date is 17th August 2026.
During the admissions period, the education faculty accepts only two categories of students: government-sponsored and self-sponsored students. If you are a government-sponsored student, you can apply through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) Portal. In contrast, self-sponsored students can apply directly through the University of Nairobi Online Application Portal.
Check these article on the University of Nairobi application, which go into further details on how to apply and join this prestigious University in 2026
How do I download my UON admission letter?
One of the main requirements for anyone looking to join the University of Nairobi is that you must have your letter of offer (Admission letter) with you prior to reporting on the university grounds. The process of downloading is a straightforward one, and you can comfortably do it via your phone or laptop. Here is how:
- Visit the official University of Nairobi website (www.uonbi.ac.ke) and navigate to the student portal
- Alternatively, you can access the UON Students portal directly by visiting https://smis.uonbi.ac.ke/uonbi
- Enter the Registration number, e.g., C3/3333/2025, as username and KCSEindexnumber as password, e.g., 123456789112023.
- Once you’ve entered your credentials, click the ‘Login ‘ button to access your personalised dashboard.
- On your student portal dashboard, look for a section titled ‘Admission Letter’ or ‘Documents.’ Click on it to view and download your admission letter.
Joining Instructions and Important Dates
Once you’ve downloaded your admission letter, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the joining instructions and important dates for the 2026/2027 academic year. It is important to note that as of this writing, the university has only advertised the intakes for the current year of study, and thus, no admission letters have yet been released.
However, what you can do in the meantime is to keep checking the student portal for any further communication or follow the university social media pages to stay updated.
The admission letter itself usually contains the following details:
- Your official Names
- Your Course of Study that you have been assigned to
- The reporting date to the University for official admission
- Other official documents you are to bring, such as:
- Admission letter
- KCSE certificate or equivalent
- National ID card or passport
- Passport-sized photographs
- Any other documents specified in your admission letter
You can also keep checking this page for more updated information regarding first years at Nairobi University: https://www.uonbi.ac.ke/information-first-years
UON Contacts
In case you need assistance with any issue, please reach out to the university via the following contacts:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Postal Address | University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, GPO, Nairobi, Kenya |
| Main Telephone | (+254-20) 491 0000 |
| Corporate Affairs (General Correspondence) | Email: pr@uonbi.ac.ke |
| Academic Registrar | Email: reg-academic@uonbi.ac.ke |
| Undergraduate Admissions | Academic Registrar, Admissions Office Reception, Main Campus, Administration Block, 1st Floor — Tel: (+254-20) 491 0000 — Email: admissions@uonbi.ac.ke |
| Graduate Admissions | Deputy Registrar (Postgraduate Studies), P.O. Box 30197-00100 Nairobi — Tel: 020 491 0000 — Email: pg@uonbi.ac.ke |
