Universities in Burundi: Admission, Costs and How to Apply
By Muntasir • Published Jan 30, 2026 • Updated Aug 08, 2026 • African Countries & Cities, Africa Admissions & Exams
Burundi has one large public university, University of Burundi in Bujumbura, plus 5 smaller public schools and around 20 private universities. Admission runs on your Examen d'État (State Exam) results, and you apply directly to each school through its own portal.
🎓 University of Burundi opened in 1964 and enrolls about 18,500 students across 8 faculties.
Other public schools: University of Ngozi, Université Polytechnique de Gitega, École Normale Supérieure de Bujumbura, École Nationale d'Administration.
Private options include Université Espoir d'Afrique, Université des Grands Lacs, Bujumbura Light University, and more than a dozen others, mostly founded after 2000.
📩 Register with your Examen d'État number plus your provincial (DPE) and communal (DCE) education office codes.
Most teaching runs in French, with English use growing under a 2019 trilingual policy.
Burundi's university system at a glance
Burundi runs a mixed public and private higher education system centered on Bujumbura, the country's main city. University of Burundi , founded in 1964, is the only large, nationally funded university, with about 18,500 students spread across 8 faculties and several specialized institutes covering areas like commerce, agriculture, and applied sciences. Around it sits a small group of other public schools and a much larger group of private universities, most opened after 2000 as demand for higher education outgrew the public system's capacity.
Most programs teach in French, the long-standing language of Burundian higher education. A trilingual policy the government introduced in 2019 brings Kirundi and English into classrooms alongside French, so expect growing English content in newer programs, especially at schools with international partners.
Public universities
Six public institutions serve most of the country:
| University | Founded | Location |
|---|---|---|
| University of Burundi | 1964 | Bujumbura |
| École Normale Supérieure de Bujumbura | 1965 | Bujumbura |
| École Nationale d'Administration | 1966 | Bujumbura |
| National Institute of Public Health | 1991 | Bujumbura |
| University of Ngozi | 1999 | Ngozi |
| Université Polytechnique de Gitega | 2013 | Gitega |
Find the fuller list on Wikipedia's list of Burundi universities . University of Burundi carries the heaviest student numbers and the widest program range, from sciences and medicine to law, engineering, and agriculture. The other public schools train narrower groups: teachers at the École Normale Supérieure, civil servants at the École Nationale d'Administration, and public health specialists at the National Institute of Public Health.
Private universities
More than a dozen private universities operate in and around Bujumbura, most founded since 2000: Université Espoir d'Afrique, Université des Grands Lacs, Bujumbura Light University, Université du Lac Tanganyika, Université Sagesse d'Afrique, International Leadership University Burundi, Université des Collines, and Université Polytechnique Intégrée in Cibitoke, among others. Each private school sets its own admission timeline and entry requirements, so treat the public orientation cycle described below as University of Burundi's process, not a rule that applies everywhere.
Admission requirements and the State Exam
Your route into any Burundian university starts with the Examen d'État, the national exam sat at the end of secondary school. Passing it gives you a registration number that public universities use to place you into a faculty. On University of Burundi's official registration portal , you enter your provincial education office (DPE) code, communal education office (DCE) code, and Examen d'État registration number to complete enrollment online.
For the 2025/26 academic year, University of Burundi posted its orientation lists, which show which faculty each student was assigned to, on November 14, 2025. Registration opened the next day, an appeals window ran from November 15 to 21, and classes started on November 24, 2025. Expect a similar sequence each year, though exact dates shift.
How to apply, step by step
Sit and pass the Examen d'État at the end of secondary school, and keep your registration number.
Watch for the orientation list, which assigns State Exam passers to a public faculty based on scores and stated preferences.
Register online within the window your university sets, using your DPE and DCE codes plus your exam number.
If you're applying to a private university, contact its admissions office directly instead. Most ask for your State Exam diploma, birth certificate, and passport photos, and run a separate timeline from the public orientation cycle.
Pay the registration and tuition fees your school sets, then attend faculty orientation before classes start.
What it costs
Public university tuition in Burundi sits well below private tuition, since the government subsidizes University of Burundi and the other public schools. Exact fee schedules vary by faculty and change year to year, so confirm the current figure with your faculty secretariat or registration portal before you budget. Private universities set their own tuition, generally higher than the public rate, and often add separate registration and exam fees, so ask for the full itemized cost before you enroll.
Public or private: how to choose
Public universities cost less and carry weight in fields like medicine and law, but seats are limited and entry runs entirely on your Examen d'État placement. Private universities accept a wider range of applicants, often run evening or weekend classes for working students, and let you start outside the national admission cycle. Weigh cost against flexibility and the specific program you want before you decide.