Garissa University (GaU) is a public university in Garissa, in North Eastern Kenya. It began life as a constituent college of Moi University on 12 August 2011, under Legal Notice No. 116 and the Garissa University College Order 2011, and was granted full university status, becoming a fully-fledged public university, on 23 October 2017. It was the first university of its kind established in the North Eastern region.

The main campus sits on University Way, off Kismayu Road, in Garissa town. The postal address is P.O. Box 1801–70100, Garissa, Kenya.

The university is headed by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ahmed Osman Warfa, who also serves as its Chief Executive Officer. Governance also runs through a University Council; council members and university management are listed on the official site.

It's the university's own tagline, and it plays on its setting: Garissa sits in Kenya's semi-arid North Eastern region, and the university positions itself as a hub of learning, research and opportunity, an oasis, for that part of the country.

Yes. On 2 April 2015, the campus, then Garissa University College, suffered a terrorist attack in which 148 lives were lost, and the institution was closed. Teaching resumed in January 2016, and the university has grown steadily since, now serving a student population of over 2,000. GaU marks this history openly as part of its story of recovery and growth.

Government-sponsored placement is handled through KUCCPS (the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service), while self-sponsored and other applicants apply directly to the university. The official site provides an "Apply Now" pathway, and admission letters can be downloaded online once a place is confirmed. GaU accepts inquiries from prospective students throughout the year by phone, email, or the website's contact form.

Garissa University admits new students three times a year: January, May, and September. Exact opening and closing dates for each intake are announced ahead of time on the homepage and through the Admissions Office, so it's worth confirming the current cycle before applying.

Current students manage registration, results and other academic records through the university's student portal at students.gau.ac.ke. Log in with the credentials issued at admission; contact the Registrar's office if you need your login reset.

The Admissions Department can be reached at admissions@gau.ac.ke or +254 721 966 418. For matters handled by the Registrar (Academic, Student Affairs), email registrar_asa@gau.ac.ke or call +254 713 680 988.

It receives and reviews applications, checks that applicants meet the required academic criteria, participates in admission decisions, and communicates with prospective students about requirements and the process, including outreach to schools and education exhibitions.

Yes. The university lists a Government Scholarship & Loan Application route (typically linked to HELB funding) as well as an IPSS Scholarship specifically for the Institute of Peace & Security Studies. Both are accessed via the Admissions section of gau.ac.ke.

Admission letters, including for new KUCCPS-placed students, can be downloaded directly from the "Download Admission Letters" link on the university homepage.

Fees are published on the "Programme Fees Based on Funding Model" page and vary by programme, level of study, and funding category, for instance whether a student is government-sponsored (under the Differentiated Unit Cost model) or self-sponsored. Because these figures are reviewed periodically, it's best to check the current fee structure on gau.ac.ke or confirm directly with the Registrar's office before budgeting.

Kenyan public universities, including GaU, place students into funding bands based on household means-testing and other criteria, which determines the mix of government capitation, loans, and personal contribution a student pays. This is why fee schedules are shown "based on funding model" rather than as a single flat figure.

Yes, the Government Scholarship & Loan Application link on the university's homepage walks students through the steps for accessing government scholarship and loan support.

GaU is organised into the School of Pure & Applied Sciences, the School of Business & Economics, the School of Education & Social Sciences, and the Institute of Peace & Security Studies (IPSS), the latter reflecting the university's regional focus on peace, security and conflict studies.

The university offers Certificate, Diploma, Undergraduate (Bachelor's), Master's, and other Postgraduate programmes across its schools. Full, current course listings are maintained on the "Academic Programmes" and "Courses" pages of gau.ac.ke.

Yes, GaU runs an E-Learning platform accessible from the main site, supporting students alongside in-person instruction.

The university has run initiatives such as an Intel-linked SLPP programme and a Huawei HCIA-Cloud Computing training covering virtualisation, networking and storage, examples of the kind of industry-linked, skills-based training the university periodically hosts. Availability changes year to year, so check current notices on the homepage.

The university's student population currently stands at slightly over 2,000, having grown steadily since teaching resumed in January 2016.

Students have access to a university Library, the E-Learning portal, and the academic facilities of each school. GaU also holds regular graduation ceremonies and hosts events such as International Environment Day celebrations.

Graduation information, including graduation lists, application windows, and collection of degree and diploma certificates, is posted under the "Graduations" section and in homepage announcements as each cohort approaches completion.