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By Bonaventure Ogeto|

How to prepare for university in Kenya when you are the first in your family to go

Start with the paperwork: confirm your admission, sort funding, and get your documents in order. Then prepare mentally. University runs on self-direction, not supervision. Nobody will chase you to attend class or submit work. The students who struggle are the ones who expected someone to tell them what to do next. Build that muscle before you report.

Nobody gave you a script, and that is normal

If you are the first in your family to attend university, you do not have an older sibling or parent who went through this. Nobody at home can tell you how registration works, what CATS are, or why you should not pick electives randomly.

That is not a disadvantage if you know it upfront. Most of what you need to learn is logistical, not academic. The syllabus is the same for everyone. The gap is knowing how the system works: when to register units, where to find past papers, who to talk to when something goes wrong.

This guide covers the practical steps. Bookmark it and come back to it in your first week.

Sort the paperwork before anything else

Before you think about what to pack or what hostel to book, handle these:

Confirm your admission. Log in to the university portal with the credentials in your admission letter. If the portal is down (common), call the admissions office. Do not assume everything is fine because you got a letter. Confirm it online.

Sort funding. If you are applying for HELB or any other funding, start early. The process involves forms, signatures, and sometimes visits to the chief or your ward office. If your family is helping with fees, have a clear conversation about what they can cover and when. Surprises in week three are worse than hard conversations now.

Get your documents ready. The full packing list covers this in detail, but the short version: admission letter, national ID, KCSE certificate, passport photos, and any funding paperwork. Print copies. Email copies to yourself.

Accommodation. If you are going for a university hostel, apply early. Spaces fill fast, especially at popular campuses. If you are going off-campus, do not pay a deposit to anyone you have not met in person. Read the hostel vs off-campus guide before you commit.

What changes about learning at university

In secondary school, someone checked your homework, called your parents, and made sure you showed up. At university, nobody does any of that.

Attendance may or may not be tracked. Assignments are posted once, sometimes only on a noticeboard or a WhatsApp group you did not know existed. The lecturer will not remind you. If you miss it, that is your grade.

This is not cruelty. It is how the system works. The sooner you accept it, the faster you adapt.

Three things that help:

  • Join the class WhatsApp group immediately. This is where announcements actually travel. Ask your class rep or any coursemate on day one.
  • Write things down. Use your phone calendar for deadlines, not your memory. Set reminders two days before every due date.
  • Find one person ahead of you. A second-year in your course is worth more than a textbook. They know which lecturers are strict, which units are hard, and where to find resources. Ask them respectfully, and do not waste their time with questions you can Google.

The social side nobody warns you about

If you grew up in a small town and you are going to a large campus, the social shift is real. You will meet people from backgrounds nothing like yours. Some will have laptops, cars, and allowances that make yours look invisible.

Do not compare. Comparison is the fastest way to spend money you do not have on things that do not matter.

Instead, focus on two things in your first month:

  • Find your people. Not the loudest group, but the ones who show up to things and follow through. Join one club. One is enough. Make it something that interests you, not something that sounds impressive.
  • Protect your time. University has more free hours than secondary school. Those hours will either build something or disappear into Netflix and gossip. Decide early which it will be.

You do not need to have everything figured out. But you do need to be honest with yourself about what you are doing with the time nobody is monitoring.

Three things first-generation students get wrong

1. Assuming they need to know everything before arriving. You do not. You will learn how the library system works, how to register units, and how to read a timetable in your first week. Everyone is confused in orientation, including the students whose parents went to university.

2. Not asking for help. There are student counsellors, peer mentors, and academic advisors at every Kenyan university. Most first-years never visit them. These people exist specifically for questions like "I do not understand my fee structure" or "I think I registered the wrong unit." Use them.

3. Trying to look like they belong. You already belong. You earned the same admission as everyone else. Spending money to fit in, or pretending to know things you do not, wastes energy you need for actual work. The students who do well are not the ones who look comfortable. They are the ones who ask uncomfortable questions early.

Read more guides in this series for step-by-step help with each stage of your first semester.

What to do this week

  • Log in to your university portal and confirm your admission is active.
  • Start your funding application (HELB or other) if you have not already.
  • Print and email yourself copies of your admission letter, ID, and KCSE certificate.
  • Download a calendar app and set a reminder for your reporting date.
  • Find one second-year student in your course (try X, Facebook groups, or family connections).

Frequently Asked Questions

What if nobody in my family can help me with university paperwork?
The admissions office at your university has staff who handle exactly this. Call them, visit during reporting, or email. You can also ask at the dean of students office. They deal with first-generation students every intake and will walk you through the process.
Do I need to buy textbooks before first year?
No. Wait until lecturers tell you what they actually use. Many courses rely on lecture notes, slides, and free PDFs. Buying textbooks in advance often means buying the wrong edition or books you never open.
What if I do not have money for orientation week activities?
Most orientation activities are free. The paid ones are social events, not academic requirements. Focus on registration, class allocation, and learning where things are on campus. You will not miss anything critical by skipping a paid welcome party.
How do I make friends if I do not know anyone at my university?
Everyone is new in first year. Sit next to someone in your first lecture, introduce yourself, and exchange phone numbers. Join one club or society. That single action gives you a ready-made group of people with shared interests, which is more effective than trying to befriend your entire class.

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