A university is an institution that provides education and training leading to intermediate and full academic or professional qualifications, such as certificates, diplomas, and degrees.
The process of establishing a university institution in Tanzania involves two key steps:
- Application for a Provisional Licence, and
- Application for a Certificate of Accreditation.
The Provisional Licence is valid for three years and can be renewed once.
To initiate this process, the individual or institution intending to establish a university must submit a formal application (in English) to the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU). The application must include a duly completed TCU Form No. 1, accompanied by the following documents:
- Three copies of the project write-up for the proposed university.
- Evidence of the basic facilities necessary for the development of the proposed university.
- A title deed or other proof of ownership (in the name of the proposed university) for the proposed facilities.
- A master plan outlining the long-term development of the proposed university.
- An implementation plan corresponding to the submitted master plan.
- Draft curricula for the initial academic programmes and the proposed fee structure.
- A draft charter, prepared using the model charter provided by the Commission. For a university with a foreign charter, the application must include the approved foreign charter along with a supporting letter from the accrediting body of the foreign university.
- Details of the applicant, including the proposed location of the university and any other information required by the Commission.
Applicants are required to pay a non-refundable application fee as follows:
• TZS 5,000,000 (five million Tanzanian Shillings) for local investors, or
• USD 5,000 (five thousand United States Dollars) for foreign investors.
This fee must be paid in advance.
A holder of a Provisional Licence who has met the stipulated conditions may proceed to apply for accreditation using TCU Form No. 9.