OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDYING AT KIGALI INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (KIST) The Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) was established by the Government of Rwanda in 1997, with a mission to provide advanced training in, Engineering, Science, and Technology. Towards the end of 2008, KIST established the Faculty of Architecture and Environmental Design (FAED), with the aim of training relevant experts and technocrats needed in the country and the region as a whole. The Institute provides training leading to bachelors’ degrees in several fields of engineering such as Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering. Furthermore, the Institute provides training leading to bachelors’ degrees in Applied Science such as Applied Biology, Applied Chemistry, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics and in Food Science & Technology. In all the academic programmes offered at KIST, emphasis on hands-on practical work is done through laboratory sessions, workshop trainings, field trips and Industrial attachment for a period of ten weeks. In addition, KIST provides training to develop entrepreneurial skills, using a model cottage industry workshop, where students are trained on how to manage and operate small production units. In the training process, the institute produces a number of products such as soap, nails, conduit pipes, toilet paper rolls, bread, jam, juices, etc., which are sold to the public. In addition, KIST has got a center for languages (KIST Language Center, (KLC)). It offers English and French courses to all undergraduate students. In addition, KLC also offers tailor made short courses in English and French. In future, KLC plans to offer German, Swahili as well as Chinese courses.

A. ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES OFFERED AT KIST

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Full-time programmes
The Faculty offers a four-year degree programme leading to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering in the relevant disciplines as listed below;

1. BSc. Civil Engineering
2. BSc. Water & Environmental Engineering
3. BSc. Computer Engineering
4. BSc. Electrical Engineering
5. BSc. Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering
6. BSc. Mechanical Engineering

1. B.Sc. Computer Science.
2. B.Sc. Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering

1. BSc. Creative Design
2. BSc. Estates Management and Valuation.
3. BSc. Quantitative Surveying

1. B.Sc. Applied Biology
   Options
   • Applied Microbiology
   • Biotechnology
2. B.Sc. Applied Chemistry
   Options
   • Biochemistry
   • Environmental Chemistry
3. B.Sc. Applied Physics
4. B.Sc. Applied Mathematics
5. B.Sc. Food Science & Technology

Subject to Faculty/Departmental requirements, the normal basic requirement for entrance to undergraduate degree programs shall be an advanced level secondary school certificate or its equivalent (12 years of primary and secondary education).The minimum cut-off points for government sponsored students are declared annually for each subject combination, by the Rwanda National Examination Council.

Students wishing to join KIST by applying directly to the Institute must possess an advanced level secondary school certificates or its equivalent (12 years of primary and secondary education). To be admissible the candidate must have at least two relevant principal passes with a minimum score of grade “C” in each of the two subjects, at ‘A’ level, unless otherwise stipulated by the KIST Board of Directors.

Students who wish to join KIST from outside Rwanda must apply through RNEC and must meet the KIST minimum qualification requirements.

GCE-O level and Cambridge IGCSE alone do not qualify one for admission. They are only used to complement A-level or Cambridge HIGCSE qualifications. For admission, two relevant principal passes at A-level are the minimum requirement.

Faculty/Departmental Requirements

Prospective students must acquaint themselves with the faculty admission requirements as stipulated by the respective faculty Program Specifications and Prospectus. For admission into respective programs the required subjects read and passed at Senior Six Secondary School level (Humanities) are as follows:

Other school leaving qualifications may be accepted on their own merit as alternatives, and shall be evaluated against existing admission criteria.

Admission to the Institute is based solely on merit and is dependent upon the number of places available within each department. Therefore, attainment of the minimum score does not necessarily guarantee admission. KIST reserves the right to interview candidates before admission.
Admission of students applying directly to the Institute are subject to availability of places and can only be considered if the Institute receives satisfactory evidence that the candidate has sufficient funds for the full duration of the course for which he/she intends to register. Please note that the Institute is not yet able to assist any of its students financially nor is it in a position to consider applications for financial assistance from candidates who are seeking admission at the Institute.

Students who have been discontinued from other higher institutions because of cheating in examinations or any other act of dishonesty shall not be considered for admission.
Students with criminal records or who have previously been implicated with offenses of a criminal nature shall not be considered for admission.
No student will be discriminated for admission to the Institute on any basis, be it gender, race, ethnicity, or HIV/AIDS status.
Students discontinued from studies shall not be considered for re-admission

C. FEES STRUCTURE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

D. KIST LANGUAGE CENTRE (KLC)

KIST Language Center (KLC) is a support center to KIST faculties of Architecture, Engineering and Science and to various public and private institutions and organizations operating in Kigali and Rwanda at large. Thanks to its skilled and experienced staff and to its modern logistical framework, KLC offers high quality full time courses to KIST students and part time courses to insiders and outsiders. We offer courses in English and French and we are planning to introduce German and Swahili as well as Chinese.

Developing appropriate level language skills (Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing) is just an entry into our focus: Language for Professional Purposes, including English for Academic Purposes (EAP), English for Science and Technology (EST), English for Business and Economics (EBE), Français Technique (FST), etc. KLC also offers quality services in various CONSULTANCY areas. Professional translation is on top of those activities.

LANGUAGE SHORT COURSE

Level of language learning
The level of learning is determined through an entry test which helps teacher and learner to classify the latter as Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced.

Duration / Length of the course
The teaching at each level is divided into three (3) sessions
The Session totals 60 hours taught during 30 days or a month (i.e. 2 hours per day).
The Level totals 180 hours taught during 90 days or 3 months.
Intensive language learning for the person who starts as beginner and intends to end as an advanced speaker of English or French can be covered in a period of 9 months.

Certificate of Language Proficiency
At the end of each level of learning, the learner at KLC is awarded a certificate in language proficiency, which is of the utmost utility in educational and professional areas. Former full time students in various fields who want to reach up to postgraduate studies in foreign universities, request KLC testimonials.

Cost of the teaching / learning for each level
Since KIST can only avail a language lecturer for teaching a minimum group of 15 learners, there are 2 possible scenarios:
Cost for an individual in a group of at least 15 learners from different institutions
1st Session of each level:
Registration fees : RwF 10,000 (To be paid to Account 040-0291556-07, BK / KIST)
Tuition fees : RwF 50,000
Student card : RwF 5,000
Certificate : RwF 5,000
2nd Session : RwF 50,000
3rd Session : RwF 50,000

RwF 170,000 per person x 20 = RwF 3,400,000

Cost for any group of less than 20 learners who wish to learn as a separate group at KIST or at different venue: RwF 3,400,000 for the 3 sessions of a level.

E. ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation shall be a private arrangement of each student. The Institution through the Director of Students’ Services and the Students Association (KISTAS) can assist foreign students on locating appropriate and secure accommodation out side the campus. There is only one small hostel which accommodates only 248 students out of about 30000 students. The hostel is run by the Student Affairs Committee under the Director of Students’ Services office. Due to limited rooms, in allocation of rooms in the campus hostel priority is given to the following categories of students;

1. Genocide survivors with no relatives (selected by students’ association of Genocide Survivors, AERG)
2. Foreign Students
3. Disabled Students(selected by their association)
4. Leaders of the Students’ Association (KISTAS)
5. Fist year female students (depending on their number)
6. Final year students (depending on their number)
7. Other social cases.