New Partnership Addresses Key Hurdles

NAIROBI – As the number of Kenyans pursuing higher education abroad continues to climb, a new strategic partnership between education consultancy UniAbroad Education Services and global logistics giant Aramex aims to alleviate a significant challenge for students and their families: reliable and affordable logistics. Announced on Thursday, November 13, 2025, the collaboration introduces a dedicated service for sending essential items and facilitating visa applications, directly addressing the practical difficulties that often accompany the pursuit of international studies.

Through this initiative, parents and guardians can now send care packages—including foodstuffs, clothing, and documents—to students in major educational destinations such as the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia directly from UniAbroad’s offices in Nairobi, Eldoret, Kisumu, and Nakuru. Furthermore, the partnership leverages Aramex’s robust network to offer a crucial passport drop-off and collection service for students applying for US visas, streamlining a critical step in the application journey.

“Parents simply need to visit our Nairobi, Eldoret, Kisumu, or Nakuru offices, and we’ll handle the rest,” stated UniAbroad Business Development Manager Stella Kinyanjui on November 13, 2025. “We provide country-specific guidelines and ensure safe, reliable delivery through Aramex.”

The Context: A Growing Exodus of Kenyan Talent

This partnership comes at a time when a significant number of Kenyan students are seeking education overseas. According to 2023 data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, over 14,000 Kenyans were studying in foreign tertiary institutions. More recent figures from the Institute of International Education's (IIE) 2024 Open Doors report highlight the US as a top destination, with 4,507 Kenyan students enrolled in the 2023-24 academic year, an 11% increase from the previous year. This places Kenya third among sub-Saharan African nations for sending students to the US, behind only Nigeria and Ghana.

This trend is driven by a perception of better quality education, access to superior facilities, and enhanced career opportunities in the global market, as reported by Financial Fortune Media on January 19, 2025. However, the financial commitment is substantial. Tuition fees for international students in the US can range from $20,000 to $45,000 annually, with total costs including living expenses potentially reaching up to $120,000 per year, according to a Streamline News report from November 12, 2025. Logistical costs for shipping personal items and documents add to this financial strain. For instance, Aramex’s standard “Drop and Ship” rates to Kenya from the US or UK start at approximately $14.00 (KES 1,830) for the first half-kilogram, with an additional $10.00 (KES 1,308) for each subsequent half-kilogram, according to the company's 2025 rate card.

Addressing Logistical Nightmares and Ensuring Compliance

The new service aims to formalize and simplify the process of sending goods, which for many families has been a persistent challenge involving informal or unreliable channels. Common issues faced by students include financial management, securing accommodation, and homesickness, all of which can be exacerbated by logistical hurdles in receiving familiar goods from home.

UniAbroad, which states it has been operating for over a decade, provides a range of services including university selection, application support, visa assistance, and pre-departure guidance. The firm is described in a November 13, 2025, Daily Nation article as being accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE), the state agency responsible for regulating university education and licensing student recruitment agencies in Kenya.

However, a list of licensed agencies published by the CUE, dated October 2025, indicates that the license for “BRIGHTWAYS EDUCATIONAL AGENTS LIMITED” — a name under which UniAbroad Services also operates, according to the University of Technology Sydney — had expired on August 7, 2024. The CUE mandates that agencies must renew their licenses annually and meet strict criteria to ensure they partner only with accredited foreign institutions, a measure designed to protect Kenyan families from fraudulent operators and unaccredited “diploma mills.” Families are advised to verify the current status of any recruitment agency via the CUE's public registry.

The partnership between UniAbroad and Aramex represents a growing market of support services catering to Kenya's international student population. By integrating logistics directly into the educational consultancy process, the two companies are betting on a model that provides convenience and peace of mind for families investing heavily in overseas education, though prospective clients should perform due diligence on regulatory compliance. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.