University of Nairobi automates admission applications for self-sponsored students

University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor Prof Peter Mbithi speaking at the institution, before he officially launched the online application system. PHOTO: EDWARD KIPLIMO/ STANDARD.

NAIROBI: Prospective students wishing to join the University of Nairobi (UON) will no longer have to fill manual application forms.

This follows the launch of an online application system that will see the entire admission process fully automated.

Vice Chancellor Prof Peter Mbithi officially unveiled the online portal, which marks the computerization of the admission process for privately sponsored students.

"The application process, payment of application fees, notification of applicant and admission letter are now fully automated. Applicants can perform the operation and get the admission letter through the portal at a click of button," said Prof Mbithi during the launch of the system.

The Vice Chancellor explained that following the launch of the system, applicants will receive notification on the progress of their admission via SMS and Emails from any part of the world.

"With the implementation of the system, it is now possible for the applicants to finish the application process from the comfort of their desk across the globe without ever coming to the university to check the status of their application," he said on Monday.

"The portal is fully integrated with Kenya National Examinational Council (KNEC) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results from 1998-2014 and UON graduates from 2008-2015," said Mbithi.

He pointed out that the system will generate information that will aid the learning institution in decision making on various parameters concerning application and admission information.

Prof Mbithi added: "Payment for admission will be integrated too through online payment platforms including credit/debit, mobile money and direct banking. The university will do real-time monitoring and oversee the seamless completion of the application process."

Julius Ogeng’o the University's Director of the Centre for Self-Sponsored Programmes (CESSP) said the delay in processing and disbursement of admission letters to successful applicants will now be a thing of the past.

Prof Ogeng’o noted that since the introduction of self-sponsored programmes in the late 1990s, students have been compelled to use a manual application system which was time consuming, considering the high volume of applications.

"Upon receipt of application forms, the University engaged its staff in tedious and time consuming exercise of data entry at the admissions and Board of Postgraduate Studies (BPS) offices before the letters were mailed by post to successful applicants. This was a slow and very costly process," he added.