University of Rwanda Admission 2026 for International Students

Admission at a glance

International applicants to the University of Rwanda apply through the same online Application Portal (applications.ur.ac.rw) used by domestic applicants, for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across UR's seven Colleges and the Rwanda Institute for Computing. For undergraduate programmes, the University of Rwanda opens its online application system for a defined window each year; for Academic Year 2026-2027 this window ran from 22 September 2026 to 5 October 2026. Applicants first generate a UR Reference Number and PIN through the portal; international applicants and Rwandans with foreign qualifications must hold an official Equivalence Certificate from the relevant Rwandan authority and must upload supporting documents including the Equivalence Certificate, secondary school certificate, and a copy of their passport. Admission for undergraduate programmes is offered on the basis of the university's absorption capacity and the applicant's academic merit, and each applicant may select up to three preferred programmes. A non-refundable application fee applies, with international applicants paying a higher amount (Frw 6,000) than Rwandan and East African Community citizens (Frw 5,000). For postgraduate programmes (Master's, PhD, postgraduate diplomas and certificates), the University of Rwanda mainly advertises a single September intake each academic year, with a separate April intake offered specifically for PhD programmes; applicants submit a cover letter, CV, notarized degree certificates and transcripts, two academic reference letters, and (for PhD applicants) a research concept note of up to 10 pages, addressed to the Director of the UR Center of Postgraduate Studies. Newly admitted postgraduate students, including international students, must also present a valid Rwandan student visa or residence permit before registering. Tuition and most administrative fees for undergraduate programmes are the same for national and international students; postgraduate tuition is charged in both Rwandan Francs and US Dollars, with international/non-EAC postgraduate students paying rates roughly 20 percent above the national and EAC rate. The University of Rwanda states on its own fee-structure page that its 2018 approved fee schedule remains in force until officially revised.

Requirements

Bachelor

Admission into UR undergraduate academic programmes is based on the university's absorption capacity and the applicant's academic merit, assessed through performance in Advanced Level national examinations or, for international applicants and Rwandans educated abroad, an official Equivalence Certificate. Requirements are stated by the university to be the same for domestic and international applicants; each applicant may select up to three preferred programmes. Detailed, programme-specific minimum entry requirements (subject combinations, grades) are published by UR alongside each call for applications and vary by programme and College. After enrolment, all first-time entrants must sit a UR-administered English proficiency test (no minimum score is published), and a credit-bearing English language module runs through all three years of undergraduate study.

Master

Entry requirements are set per advertised programme and published alongside the University's postgraduate call for applications; there is no single university-wide minimum grade or test score published for all Master's programmes. Applicants apply to a specific programme through the online portal and must s...

Full requirements and documents