The Council of Legal Education (CLE) has published an updated list of institutions licensed to offer law programmes in Kenya.

The council has outlined universities approved to offer Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), Master of Laws (LL.M), Diploma in Law programmes, as well as institutions whose applications are still under review.

In an X public notice on July 7, 2026, the council said the licensing status is issued under the Legal Education Act and reflects the legal education providers authorised to offer various law programmes across the country.

“Under the provisions of Sections 2, 8 (1) (b), 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 48 of the Legal Education Act Chapter 16B Laws of Kenya, the following are the ONLY licensed Legal Education Providers and Legal Education Programmes in Kenya as indicated under each respective cluster,” CLE noted.

The list of institutions approved

According to the council, only four universities are currently licensed to offer the Master of Laws (LL.M.) programme.

They are Kenyatta University School of Law, Strathmore Law School, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) Faculty of Law, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) School of Law.

The council also approved 16 institutions to offer the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) programme.

These include Umma University, Chuka University, Tharaka University, Zetech University, Tom Mboya University, Daystar University (Athi River Campus), University of Embu, Kisii University, Mount Kenya University (Parklands Campus), Riara Law School, Kenyatta University, JKUAT, CUEA, Strathmore University, Maseno University and South Eastern Kenya University.

For Diploma in Law, the approved institutions are Mount Kenya University (Parklands Campus), Kisii University, Kenya School of Law and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Institutions pending approval

The notice further shows that several institutions have applied for licensing or renewal, but their applications are still under consideration by the Council.

They include Egerton University, Kabarak University, Africa Nazarene University, Moi University, the University of Nairobi (Parklands Campus), Rongo University, Kenya Methodist University and Murang’a University of Technology, all seeking approval or renewal to offer the LL.B programme.

Mount Kenya University School of Law has also applied for a licence to offer the Master of Laws (LL.M.) programme, with its application pending review.