Students and researchers in Kenya will face higher research licensing fees from October 1, 2026, following the introduction of a new fee structure by the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI).
The revised charges affect diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students as well as individual researchers, research institutions and companies.
For East African Community citizens, diploma-level students will pay KSh1,000, up from KSh100, while undergraduate students will pay KSh2,000 instead of the previous KSh100.
Postgraduate diploma students will pay KSh3,000, while the cost for Master's students will increase from KSh1,000 to KSh6,000.
PhD students will face one of the biggest increases, with the standard research licence fee rising from KSh2,000 to KSh10,000.
Postdoctoral and individual researchers will pay KSh15,000, while research institutions will be charged KSh30,000. Companies will pay KSh50,000 for a standard licence.
NACOSTI has also introduced higher charges for applicants seeking expedited processing. A Master's student, for example, will pay KSh8,000 for expedited review, while a PhD student will pay KSh15,000.
The new fees were published in a Gazette notice dated August 21 and will take effect at the beginning of October.
Researchers who are citizens of countries outside the East African Community will continue to pay in US dollars, with charges varying according to the level and type of research.
The changes mean students planning academic research will need to factor the higher licensing costs into their research budgets from October.
NACOSTI regulates and assures quality in science, technology and research activities in Kenya, including issuing licences to individuals and institutions conducting research in the country.
