- Multiple scholarship pathways exist for Kenyan Form Four leavers to study abroad, including Zawadi Africa Education Fund (for needy female students with A/A- grades), KENSAP (for high-achieving but financially disadvantaged students heading to top US universities), and the Student Refugee Programme via WUSC (for refugee students aged 18-25 applying to study in Canada).
- Merit-based leadership and enrichment programmes like the Equity Leadership Programme (ELP) channel top KCSE performers, including Wings to Fly and Elimu Scholarship beneficiaries, into Ivy League and other prestigious institutions, with 505 students enrolled in 2024 alone from 47 counties.
Apart from the preparedness to study in Kenya, students should also see and seize merit-based scholarship opportunities based abroad, which are up for grabs. Scooping scholarships reminds us of Tom Mboya, the spell-binding orator of all time. I fleshed this information from Prof B.A. Ogot’s heroic book titled Tom Mboya: Life, Death and Disintegration of the Nascent Enterprise ‘Project Kenya’. Tom Mboya’s greatest gift to Africa was the philanthropic project of Kenyan students’ airlift to America (1959-1961). The maiden trip of 1959 had 81 students; the second one of 1960 had 288 students; and the third one of 1961 had 300 students.
The best beneficiaries included: Pamela Odede, later the wife of Tom Mboya, Prof Wangari Maathai – the eco-warrior and 2004 Nobel Laureate. Then, there was Barack Obama Senior, Philip Ochieng’, among other veritable academic giants. Dr. Susan Mboya, Tom Mboya’s youngest child, carries the fire lit by the father through Zawadi Africa Education Fund, which since 2002 has been supporting bright but needy girls to study in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Canada, the United States and South Africa. When the philanthropic drive started in 2002, only 2 girls benefited, but by 2009, about 86 girls had received hope and help. The raft of qualifications includes: the applicant must be a needy female student, scored an A (plain) or A- (minus) in KCSE, undertaken a leadership role in high school or community and should have completed high school not more than 2 years before applying. Applications are opened every February and closed in April of each year. This is the website: http://www.zawadi.org/apply-now/.
Consequently, Kenya Scholar Access Programme (KENSAP) extends hope and help to high-achieving, but financially-famished Kenyan students. Successful applicants secure crucial chances to matriculate into top-tier universities in the US with full financial aid. The applicants must have scored at least an A- (minus) in KCSE, with at least a B (plain) in English. Applicants who scored less than an A- (minus), should send Statements of Purpose explaining why they think they should be cordially considered. Successful applicants benefit from college application assistance, mentorship, SAT or ACT coaching, pre-college counselling and access to the rich alumni network. This is the website: https://www.kensap.org/apply.
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A classic case is Naphtali Haya, an alumnus of Alliance High School, who is one of the success stories in this sphere. After scoring an A (plain) in KCSE 2016, he secured a KENSAP scholarship and proceeded to pursue Engineering at Harvard University. Luckily, while at Harvard, his Senior Capstone Project, which is a requirement for all Engineering students, carried the day. In turn, he scooped the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Engineering Project. Lending credence: Beneath the skin, we are all the same. There is no superior race on matters of academic excellence.
Moreover, for instance, in 2023, through the Equity Leadership Programme (ELP), around 73 students joined Ivy League tertiary institutions in countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, China, India and Germany. 5 joined Pennsylvania, 3 joined Harvard, 2 went to Princeton, 2 matriculated into Dartmouth, 2 went to Cornell, 1 joined Brown, and 1 went to Columbia. In 2024, ELP enrolled 505 students from 47 counties to undergo leadership mentorship before joining top-tier universities. The 26th cohort had 215 who scored A’s in 2023 KCSE. Then, 104 Wings to Fly Programme participants and 186 Elimu Scholarship recipients. Students on Wings to Fly Scholarship and Elimu Scholarship who score A- (minus) and A (plain) in KCSE become automatic beneficiaries of ELP. Then, top students in every sub-county in the KCSE exam also become beneficiaries of ELP.
Withal, there is the Student Refugee Programme (SRP) through World University Service of Canada (WUSC), which assists refugee students to study in Canada after high school. The 2025-2026 SRP Kenya applications opened on February 9, 2024 and closed on February 23, 2024. Qualifications include: Be a refugee living in Kenya of between ages of 18-25, minimum grade of B+ (plus) for male students and B- (minus) for female students, be proficient in English or French, be single and without children, have barriers to accessing or completing undergraduate education. Be self-reliant, mature, and suitable for integration in Canada.
Then, the Education and Social Empowerment Programme (EaSEP) assists Kenyan students from low- and middle-income settings to join and learn in elite North American colleges and universities. EaSEP’s main aim is to develop globally-educated, open-minded, ethical leaders for Kenya’s future. Each year, EaSEP selects 10 students and assists them to apply for full-need-based in some Ivy League tertiary institutions in North America. Qualifications include: At least an A- (minus) in KCSE and demonstration of leadership. Applicants should have roots in Western Kenya. EaSEP areas of jurisdiction include: Baringo, Nakuru, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Kericho and Bomet. Ideally, students should either be from those areas by birth or attended learnt in schools nestled in those regions. Applications close in July. The website: http://www.easepkenya.org/.
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Furthermore, Head Start Africa by DLA Piper in collaboration with DLA Piper Africa, offers robust support to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds who have traditionally experienced barriers such as insufficient funding for their studies. Or lack of opportunities to develop employability and network in their pursuit of tertiary education and a career in law or a law-related career such as finance or IT. To be eligible for HeadStart, you must: Come from a low-income household, like Orphaned and Vulnerable (OVCs) and a Person Living with Disability (PLWD). Be interested in pursuing a legal career or law-related course such as finance or IT. Scored a B (plain) or B- (minus) from marginalised communities. Attended a public secondary school. Wielding a leadership and moral fitness letter from secondary school. A letter from the chief. University admission letter if already admitted. Contact Sandra Abong’o, the responsible business co-ordinator: headstartafrica@ikm.co.ke.
Finally, study-abroad opportunities serve as excellent pathways to tertiary institutions abroad. These oodles of opportunities offer exciting experiences. Various study-abroad agencies such as craydel can also facilitate this journey. When applying to study abroad, students must prepare scanned copies of KCSE certificates, international passport and any other requisite documents.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor Ochieng’ is a career educator. He guides students on making informed career choices. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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