University of Dar es Salaam
The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) was originally established in 1961 as an affiliate college of the University of London, later becoming a constituent college of the University of East Africa in 1963. In 1970, it was reconstituted as an independent national university. UDSM offers a wide range of academic programs across its multiple campuses, colleges, schools, and institutes, including engineering, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. It is recognized as a premier institution for higher education, research, and public service in East Africa.
Programmes
- BA in Anthropology
- BA in Archeology
- BA in Archeology and Geography
- BA in Archeology and History
- BA in Art and Design
- BA in Development Studies
- BA in Education (Chinese and English)
- BA in Film and Television
- BA in Geography and Environmental Studies
- BA in Heritage Management
- BA in History
- BA in Journalism
- BA in Language Studies
- BA in Library and Information Studies
- BA in Literature
- BA in Mass Communication
- BA in Music
- BA in Philosophy and Ethics
- BA in Political Science and Public Administration
- BA in Psychology
- BA in Public Relations and Advertising
- BA in Sociology
- BA in Statistics
- BA in Theatre Arts
- BSc Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries
- BSc in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
- BSc in Petroleum Chemistry
- BSc in Petroleum Engineering
- BSc in Petroleum Geology
- BSc in Quantity Surveying
- BSc in Wildlife Science and Conservation
- BSc with Education
- BSc with Geology
- Bachelor of Architecture
- Bachelor of Arts (Economics)
- Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
- Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology
- Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology and Geography
- Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology and History
- Bachelor of Arts in Art and Design
Tuition
- No UDSM fee figures could be verified — contact vc@udsm.ac.tz or +255 22 2410 615. THREE COST FACTS THAT APPLY AT EVERY TANZANIAN UNIVERSITY AND ARE EASY TO MISS. First, EVERY student pays a TZS 20,000 ANNUAL TCU QUALITY ASSURANCE FEE on top of tuition, mandated under section 16 of the Universities Act — expect it as a line item. Second, the HESLB loan is applied for SEPARATELY from admission, through the OLAMS system, with a non-refundable TZS 30,000 application fee. Third and most important: CHECK WITH HESLB WHETHER YOUR PROGRAMME CARRIES LOAN PRIORITY BEFORE ACCEPTING A PLACE — not all programmes are equally supported, and you can be admitted to one that attracts no funding. Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's most expensive city, so living costs at Mlimani exceed those at inland universities like UDOM or SUA.
Admissions
- APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE UNIVERSITY. Tanzania does NOT operate a central placement body equivalent to Kenya's KUCCPS — TCU's current guidance is that applicants apply through the institution itself, which announces its own successful applicants. Many third-party sources still describe the old Central Admission System; ignore them.
- DIRECT ENTRY: two ACSEE principal passes at grade E or above totalling at least 4.0 points, in the two subjects defining your programme. The NECTA scale is A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1, S=0.5. A second scale applies to some certificates (A=5, B+=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, E=0.5) — check which yours falls under.
- EQUIVALENT ENTRY: holders of an Ordinary Diploma or NTA Level 6 have their own well-established route, with a separate TCU admission guidebook published annually for it. This is a substantial parallel pathway, better formalised than in neighbouring systems.
- UDSM's own cut-offs for competitive programmes will sit well above the national 4.0 minimum.
- INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: which body assesses your qualification depends on its LEVEL — NECTA for secondary and teacher education certificates, NACTVET for technical/NTA Level 6, TCU for university awards. Using the wrong one delays admission AND blocks your HESLB application.
- Applications typically open in June and close around August, with a second window announced for programmes with places left. If you are not selected first time, wait for that window rather than assuming you have failed — but note you CANNOT change your choices after final submission, and the only remedy for an unwanted placement is a transfer when that window opens.
- Accepts international applicants
- Scholarships or financial aid available
Official website · Apply on the institution site · Universities in Tanzania · All African universities · Scholarships