Students at the University of Nairobi's main campus. Researchers are set to pay more for licenses to conduct studies in Kenya, with master’s students to pay up to Sh8,000 for expedited processing after Nacosti raised the fees for the first time in 17 years.

📋 Breaking It Down

Researchers are set to pay more for licenses to conduct studies in Kenya starting October 1, after the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (Nacosti) raised its fees for the first time in 17 years.

The new rates will see Kenyan and East African Community (EAC) master’s students pay Sh6,000 for a standard research license, up from the current Sh1,000, while those seeking expedited processing will pay Sh8,000.

PhD researchers from Kenya and EAC partner states will pay Sh10,000, up from the current Sh2,000, while those seeking expedited processing will pay Sh15,000.

📌 What You Need to Know

For post-doctoral researchers from EAC partner states, the standard fee will rise from Sh5,000 to Sh15,000, with expedited applications attracting a Sh20,000 charge.

Acting Director-General Dr David Ngigi said the review was necessary because the cost and scope of regulating research had changed significantly since the last review.

“The last time the reviews were done was in 2009, so it has been a long time and a lot of things have changed during that period, including inflation and the cost of doing this,” Dr Ngigi said.

A Nacosti license is a government permit that gives a researcher the green light to legally carry out a study in Kenya. The clearance ensures the researchers meet ethical, safety and regulatory requirements. The research license is valid for one year from the date of issuance.

The new fee structure also raises charges for researchers who are citizens of non-EAC partner states. Non-EAC African master’s applicants will pay $400, up from $350, or $500 for expedited processing. Non-EAC African post-doctoral researchers will pay $750, up from $500, while those seeking expedited processing will pay $850.

Dr Ngigi said the review was not specifically targeted at students but at the wider research ecosystem, covering undergraduate and postgraduate research, doctoral and post-doctoral studies, institutional research and studies undertaken by companies.

📰 Source: Nation Africa