- Prospective law students have been advised to verify both institutions and programmes before committing tuition fees.
- The Council of Legal Education regularly publishes licensing information to help learners identify recognised legal education providers.
- Students should check the latest licensing status because institutional approval does not automatically cover every legal programme offered.
Students seeking to pursue a Diploma in Law in Kenya have been urged to confirm that their preferred institution and programme are licensed by the Council of Legal Education (CLE) before paying tuition fees.
The Council’s official institutional licensing status shows that four institutions were licensed to offer Diploma in Law programmes as of June 30, 2025. They are the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) Faculty of Law, Mount Kenya University School of Law–Parklands Campus, Kisii University School of Law and the Kenya School of Law.
CUEA’s Diploma in Law licence is valid until November 29, 2027, while the licences for Mount Kenya University and Kisii University are valid until April 9, 2029. The Kenya School of Law is licensed to offer a Diploma in Law in Paralegal Studies, with its licence also valid until April 9, 2029.
Students urged to verify programmes
The latest information also highlights the importance of checking the status of a legal education programme rather than relying solely on an institution’s name.
The Council of Legal Education says accreditation and licensing are intended to ensure that legal education providers meet established standards and protect students by ensuring that programmes are properly recognised. The CLE explains that accreditation evaluates areas including curriculum, faculty, facilities, resources and student support.
A graphic circulating online lists five institutions, including the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM), as providers of Diploma in Law. However, the official CLE licensing document dated June 30, 2025, lists four institutions and does not include KIM among the licensed Diploma in Law programmes.
The CLE website currently provides institutional licensing-status documents, including one dated December 31, 2025, allowing prospective students to verify the latest position before enrolling. The Council says it publishes lists of licensed and recognised legal education providers twice a year, towards the end of June and December.
Licensing protects students
Under the Legal Education (Accreditation and Quality Assurance) Regulations, 2025, a person is not allowed to offer legal education in Kenya unless the programme has been accredited and the provider issued with a licence by the Council.
Prospective students are therefore advised to verify both the institution and the specific programme with the Council of Legal Education before making payments. Enrolling in an unlicensed programme could leave students with qualifications that may not receive the recognition they expected for employment or further professional training.
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The Council maintains that its licensing system is aimed at promoting quality legal education and ensuring that students receive training from institutions that meet the required standards.
By Jeff Kirui
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