OYOMINTO TV
Kenyan students and researchers undertaking academic studies in the country will begin paying revised research licensing fees from Thursday, October 1, 2026, following the implementation of a new fee schedule by the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation.
The changes affect different categories of researchers, including master’s and doctoral students, and form part of NACOSTI’s revised charges for research licensing.
According to NACOSTI, the new fees take effect on October 1, with applicants advised to review the updated schedule before submitting their research licence applications.
Under the new schedule available through NACOSTI’s research licensing system, East African Community citizens applying for a standard research licence will pay KSh6,000 for master’s-level research and KSh10,000 for Doctor of Philosophy research.
Expedited applications attract higher charges, with master’s applicants paying KSh8,000 and PhD applicants KSh15,000.
Other categories also have separate charges. Standard licensing for post-doctoral or individual researchers from EAC countries is listed at KSh15,000, while research institutions face a KSh30,000 standard fee and companies KSh50,000.
The revised charges are particularly relevant to universities because research licensing is part of the requirements for people intending to undertake research in Kenya.
NACOSTI’s research portal states that persons intending to conduct research in the country are required to apply for a research licence. The application process involves submitting documents that can include an institutional introductory letter, an approved research proposal and, where applicable, ethical approval and other supporting documentation.
The commission’s requirements are designed to regulate research activity and ensure that studies conducted in Kenya comply with national laws, ethical standards and other relevant regulations.
For postgraduate students, however, the change adds another financial consideration to an already expensive academic process.
Students undertaking master’s and doctoral studies often have to budget for tuition, data collection, transport, accommodation, printing, supervision and other research-related expenses.
The licensing fee therefore becomes part of the overall cost of completing an academic research project.
NACOSTI has maintained that research licensing is part of its regulatory mandate covering science, technology and innovation in Kenya.
The commission is responsible for regulating, coordinating, advising and promoting activities within the country’s science, technology and innovation sector.
The licensing framework also places obligations on researchers beyond simply paying the required fee.
According to NACOSTI, licensed researchers must comply with applicable laws and ethical standards and must ensure their work does not endanger public safety, adversely affect communities or the environment, or violate intellectual property rights.
Researchers are also required to submit their final reports to the commission within the stipulated period after completing their studies.
The commission has further migrated research licensing payments to the eCitizen platform as part of the government’s broader digitalisation of public services.
Applicants can initiate the licensing process online through the NACOSTI research management system and make payments through the available government payment channels.
The fee changes are likely to receive close attention from universities, students and academic supervisors as the new academic year and research cycles progress.
For institutions, the revised charges may require students to account for the additional cost when preparing research budgets and planning fieldwork.
For NACOSTI, the new structure comes as the commission continues to strengthen regulation of research in Kenya.
The immediate impact will be felt most directly by researchers applying for licences from October 1, particularly postgraduate students who must complete research as part of their academic programmes.
As universities continue to expand postgraduate education and research, the cost and accessibility of research licensing will remain an important part of the wider conversation about the affordability of higher education and the development of Kenya’s research ecosystem.
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