Study in Ethiopia from abroad

Choose a programme and institution

Start with what you want to study, then compare where it's taught. Ethiopia has public universities run by the federal government and private colleges and university colleges. Admission rules, fees and intake dates are set by each institution, so shortlist two or three.

• Search by subject, level and region in Find a programme, then open each institution's profile for its colleges and official links.
• Graduate programmes at some universities admit only once a year. Haramaya University, for example, states that admission "shall take place once in a year in a given program and modality".
• Ask the institution which language the programme is taught in. Higher-education programmes are generally taught in English, so a test such as IELTS or TOEFL may be requested.

You deal with the university's website and registrar

Check the programme is accredited

The Education and Training Authority (ETA), formerly the Higher Education Relevance and Quality Assurance Agency (HERQA), accredits institutions and programmes and runs quality audits. Its rule is clear: no institution is allowed to start a program before the accreditation of the program by the Agency.

• Search ETA's register of accredited institutions and programmes. You can filter by institution type, accreditation status (fully or provisionally accredited), and modality (regular, distance, online, blended, extension).
• The online register is new and not yet complete. If a programme isn't listed, ask the institution for its accreditation certificate, or contact ETA before paying anything.
• Be especially careful with private colleges, distance and online programmes: check the accreditation covers the exact programme and study mode you're enrolling in.

You deal with Education and Training Authority

Get your certificates authenticated and recognised

Ethiopian universities need to know your previous qualifications are genuine and what they're equivalent to. For graduate study, Haramaya University says foreign applicants should present academic records equivalent to accredited Ethiopian Higher Learning Institutions.

• Authenticate in your own country first. ETA asks for certificates and transcripts authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and the Ethiopian embassy there, and then by Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Translate documents that are not in English, with a sworn translation attached.
• Apply for an equivalence letter from ETA online at neta.gov.et. The published fee is Birr 450 per level for non-Ethiopians. ETA says most requests are completed within a few working days.
• Ask your university whether it needs the equivalence letter before admission or at registration. ETA also uses it later: degrees earned by students admitted on a foreign certificate are authenticated against that letter.

You deal with your country's foreign ministry, the Ethiopian embassy, Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ETA

Plan how you'll pay

You'll need to show how your studies are funded twice: to the university, and to immigration, which asks for proof of payment of tuition fees or scholarship details and proof of sufficient financial means.

• Government scholarships. Ethiopia's Ministry of Education runs scholarships for students from neighbouring African countries, arranged government to government. In January 2026 the Ethiopian News Agency reported more than 130 African students at Bahir Dar University under regional scholarship programmes. Ask your own Ministry of Education or the Ethiopian embassy about current calls.
• Self-funded places. Universities set their own fees for foreign and private students. Haramaya, for example, admits private applicants who meet regular requirements and "produce evidence of financial support to cover full tuition fees and other expenses". Ask the registrar for the current fee schedule in writing.
• Graduate students usually also cover thesis or dissertation research costs.

You deal with your Ministry of Education or the Ethiopian embassy (scholarships), the university (fees)

Apply to the university

Apply directly to the institution: undergraduate applications through the registrar, graduate ones through the School of Graduate Studies or the department. Ethiopian students are placed in public universities through the national Grade 12 exam run by the Educational Assessment and Examinations Service (EAES). Applicants with foreign school results are assessed separately by the university.

• Expect an entrance exam. Haramaya says applicants with foreign examination results must pass the University Entrance Examination, and graduate applicants must pass an entrance exam set by the department.
• Send authenticated copies of certificates and transcripts, your passport, a language certificate if asked, and the ETA equivalence letter if you have it.
• Keep the acceptance letter. You need it for the visa.

You deal with the university registrar or School of Graduate Studies

Apply for a student visa

The Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS) issues student visas. Apply online, at an Ethiopian embassy or consulate in your country, or in person at an immigration office. ICS says most applications take about 5 to 10 business days.

ICS does not publish the student-visa fee or validity on its service page. Confirm both with the embassy or ICS before you pay.

You deal with Immigration and Citizenship Service or the Ethiopian embassy in your country

Arrive, register and get a residence ID

A visa lets you enter. To stay for your studies you need a residence ID from ICS. Its temporary ID service covers students. For a student, ICS asks for a letter to ICS from the Ministry of Education, plus a passport copy, a valid visa and the visa stamp.

• Register at the university first and ask its registrar or international office to help request the Ministry of Education letter.
• Renew the residence permit before it expires. ICS requires the current permit, passport, photos, proof of residence and the renewal fee.
• ICS help: info@ics.gov.et, free call 8133.

You deal with the university, the Ministry of Education, ICS

Graduate and authenticate your degree

Employers and universities abroad often ask for proof that an Ethiopian degree is genuine. ETA authenticates educational documents issued in Ethiopia, checking directly with the institution that issued them.

• Apply online at neta.gov.et. You upload scans, then bring the originals to an appointment. ETA asks for the degree and transcript signed and stamped by the institution, and, if you were admitted on a foreign certificate, your ETA equivalence letter.
• For use abroad, documents usually also need authentication by Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Check what the receiving country requires.

You deal with ETA, Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs