Daystar University

Daystar University is a Christian liberal arts university located in Nairobi, Kenya. The university
was originally founded in Zimbabwe in 1967, by an American missionary couple and a political
refugee from South Africa. By 1971 Daystar had launched short-term training programs to assist
church leaders in developing cross-cultural communication strategies. It relocated to Nairobi in
1974, and it became an accredited university in 1994. The University has two campuses, the
Nairobi Campus and the Athi River Campus.
Daystar is reputed as a top university in East Africa, particularly as one of the best universities
in communication. The University has led an aggressive campaign over the years to promote
performing arts, in a bid to challenge the idea that the arts are irrelevant to the Kenyan context.
Daystar equally maintains collaborative programmes with foreign universities, geared at
academic interaction and exchange. It also has two online journals – the African Journal of
Clinical Psychology (AJCP), and the Interdisciplinary Journal of the African Child (IJAC).
Daystar is home to over 2000 local and international students.
Daystar University boasts among its facilities a modern ICT Centre located on the Athi River
Campus. This centre is the hub of the University’s computer services and doubles as the host of
the University’s Science and Engineering programme. It comes fully equipped with lecture
rooms, a theatre hall, labs for biological and computer sciences respectively, and an Outsource
centre. Daystar’s communication department operates a radio station, sound, video and
television studios, and a student newspaper, in order to provide hands-on experience. The
University has two fully operational libraries on its two campuses, which serve as valuable
resource centres. Notable Alumni of Daystar University include Biko Adema (rugby player),
Larry Madowo (journalist), Rebecca Joshua Okwaci (South Sudanese politician).

School/Institutes
Daystar counts 5 Schools, each with several departments and an Institute that runs short
courses. These departments and courses are listed below.

School of Communication

• Department of Language and Performing Arts

• Department of Media and Film Studies
• Department of Strategic and Organisational Communication

School of Arts and Humanities

• Department of Education
• Department of Theology and Biblical Studies
• Department of Peace and International Studies
School of Science, Engineering and Health

• Department of Nursing
• Department of Computer Science
• Department of Science

School of Human and Social Sciences

• Department of Development Studies

• Department of Psychology and Counselling
• Institute of Child Development

School of Business and Economics

• Department of Commerce
• Department of Economics

School of Law

• Department of Media & Communication Law

Daystar Leadership and Professional Development Institute

• Diploma in Human Resource Management (DHRM)

• Diploma in Business Administration and Management (DBAM)
• Diploma in Information & Communication Technology (DICT)
• Diploma in Communication

Admission Requirements

Daystar University offers programmes at Certificate, Diploma, Undergraduate and Postgraduate

levels.

Certificate Programmes
The minimum entry requirement into Certificate programmes is a D+ mean grade in KCSE or its
equivalent.

Diploma Programmes
The minimum entry requirement into diploma programmes include;
- C- in KCSE, or two Subsidiaries in ‘A’ Level
- Division IV in KCE Certificate with a credit pass in Mathematics, English and 4 other
units, or 3 credits in GCE
 - Other equivalent qualifications approved by the University.

Undergraduate Programmes
The minimum entry requirement into undergraduate programmes include;

− a C+ and above in KCSE or, 5 Credits in IGCSE

− 2 Principal passes in 'A' level or Division 2 in GCE or 50% from other countries using
percentages
− CPA (K) entry to commerce degree.
Additional requirements can be obtained from the University Catalogue on the University’s
Website.

Postgraduate Programmes
The entry requirement is a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a minimum
cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4-point scale or a degree awarded with First-Class or Upper
Second-Class Honours. Those whose GPA is 2.5, or who have Lower Second-Class Honours
and a Higher Diploma with relevant experience, may be considered if the degree or diploma is
relevant to the field of study.

How to Apply
− Application Forms can be obtained from the Nairobi and Athi River Campuses, as well
as online from the University’s website (https://www.daystar.ac.ke/downloads.html)
− Once the forms are completed applicants must submit their applications with a non-
refundable application fee of Ksh 2000.
− Applicants should submit along with their forms, official copies of all secondary, post-
secondary, College and University certificates.
− Foreign applicants need to include a financial letter from sponsors guaranteeing
payment.
− 2 recent passport size photographs (4 for foreign students) are required
− Applicants should equally submit completed student information sheets
− Foreign applicants are required to submit copies of their passports.
Intake runs throughout the year, and completed application forms should be submitted on or
before:
- 30th November for the January Intake
- 30th April for the May Intake
- 31st July for the August Intake

About the City of Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya. It is situated in the south-central part of the country, between
the cities of Kampala and Mombasa. With a population of over 4 million residents, it is also the
largest city in Kenya. It is popularly referred to as the Green City in the Sun. The city was
founded in 1899 as a railway town by colonial authorities, and quickly became a centre for the
colony’s coffee and tea industry, growing to replace Mombasa as the capital in 1907. It
remained the capital when Kenya gained independence in 1963 and quickly became the
principal industrial centre of the country. The city experiences two seasons of moderate rainfall,
and the climate alternates between wet and dry seasons. It is divided into 17 constituencies that
are all represented by members of Parliament in the National Assembly. Nairobi is home to one
of the largest stock exchanges in Africa, the Nairobi Securities Exchange. It is also the regional
headquarters of several international companies and organisations, contained within its central
business district. The city is a major financial capital of Africa, with the Greater Nairobi
Metropolitan region generating about 60% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Nairobi boasts a vibrant urban culture, from music to literature and film, as well as gastronomy.
The city has been the setting of several novels and foreign films. It is also a popular venue for
foreign musicians who tour Africa, having welcomed Bob Marley on his first-ever visit to Africa.
The city of Nairobi is blessed with several landmarks and impressive infrastructure, recently
experiencing a construction boom. Several skyscrapers can be seen towering over the city’s
skyline. It has two parks, the Nairobi National Park and Uhuru Park, which provide the city with
colourful touristic sites. Several global food chains can be found in the city as well. The Moi
International Sports Centre is the prime sports facility in Nairobi, and by extension, Kenya.
Nairobi is served by highways that look to ease the daily motor traffic in the metropolitan area. It
also has several railway lines, being a former railway town. It is equally home to the largest
airport in Kenya, the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The presence of global industries like
Google, Coca-Cola, Airtel and Cisco Systems could prove to be advantageous to students
looking for employment. The city’s status as an educational hub, with several higher institutions
located in or around the town, should encourage students thinking of studying in Nairobi.

Scholarships
Daystar University offers a few Work-Study scholarships that cover 75% of the tuition, room and
board charges. These are based on demonstrated need, and they are awarded according to
guidelines that can be found in the University Catalogue on the University’s website.