University Tuition and Cost of Study in Zambia

What tuition costs at a public university

Public university fees in Zambia are set per program category rather than per course, and split by whether you count as a Zambian, refugee, SADC, or resident-permit student, versus an international student. UNZA's published undergraduate fee schedule gives a clear example of how this works.

Kwacha exchange rates against the US dollar move often, so treat any conversion as a rough guide only. At exchange rates seen through 2024 and 2025, the science-based Zambian fee works out to roughly USD 900 to 1,200 a year, and the international science fee to roughly USD 2,200 to 2,600 a year.

SADC status matters here: if you hold citizenship in a Southern African Development Community member state, UNZA bills you at the same rate as a Zambian student rather than the international rate, which makes a meaningful difference on a science or medicine program. Refugees and resident-permit holders in Zambia qualify for the same local rate.

Other fees on top of tuition

Beyond tuition, UNZA charges a set of small annual fees for registration, examinations, recreation, medical services, technology, the student union, the library, and your student ID card. Individually these range from about K20 to K300 a year. First-year students also pay a one-time caution fee of K210 when they register, which UNZA lists as non-refundable.

Other public universities, including Copperbelt University, Mulungushi University, and Chalimbana University, publish their own fee schedules on the same pattern: a core tuition charge plus a shorter list of functional fees. Amounts differ by institution and program, so check the specific university's finance or registrar page before you budget, rather than assuming UNZA's numbers apply everywhere.

Accommodation costs

Students who secure a place in university housing pay an additional K5,850 a year at UNZA, on top of tuition and the smaller functional fees. This does not cover food, which students budget for separately whether they live on campus or off.

How you pay

UNZA splits tuition into four installments of 25% each. The first installment, together with all the annual functional fees, falls due at registration. The remaining three installments follow at set points across the academic year, roughly at the end of the first term, partway through the second term, and before final examinations. Missing an installment deadline can affect your ability to sit exams, so track the payment calendar your university publishes each year rather than your own estimate of when funds are due.

Private university costs

Private universities in Zambia, including institutions like Cavendish University, DMI-St. Eugene University, and ZCAS University, set their own fee schedules independently of the public system, and these typically sit above public tuition levels. Because private fee schedules change by institution, program, and intake, confirm current figures directly on the university's own fee page before you commit, rather than relying on a fixed figure here.

Why costs vary so much

Program type is the single biggest driver of tuition within a public university, since science, engineering, and medicine cost more to teach than arts and social science and universities price them accordingly. Your student status matters just as much: Zambian, refugee, SADC, and resident-permit holders pay one rate, while international students pay a rate roughly double that. Institution choice matters too, since public and private universities set fees independently of each other, and even two private universities can differ substantially on the same type of program.

Cutting costs without cutting corners

• Apply for a HELSB loan or a university bursary early, since funding is limited and processed in the order applications arrive

• Secure a hostel place if your university offers one, since it usually costs less than an equivalent off-campus room once you add transport

• Buy secondhand textbooks from senior students where your program allows it

• Track the four-installment payment calendar closely, since missing a deadline can affect your ability to sit exams

• Ask your university's finance office about any hardship or payment-plan options before a missed installment becomes a bigger problem

Budgeting beyond fees

Tuition and accommodation are only part of the picture. Add food, transport, phone and data, books, and personal costs to get a realistic total. These vary a lot by city and by whether you live in a hostel with a meal plan or cook for yourself off campus, so build your monthly budget around your actual city and living arrangement rather than a national average.