Application for Research Clearance from the Government of Kenya

In addition to an application to Mpala Research Centre, all persons wishing to conduct research in Kenya must apply for a Research Clearance Permit from the Kenya Government. Applicants must submit a completed application form, (available here in PDF format: for Kenyan Nationals or for Foreigners. To read these forms, you may need to download Adobe's Acrobat Reader, available at: www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html), accompanied by the stipulated documents, proposal, and payment of the application fee ($100 to $400, depending on status, and duration of project). Submit the completed package by mail to:

Officer in Charge of Research Clearance
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
Jogoo House "B"
PO Box 30040
Nairobi
(Phone number: +254 20 334411)

In both Form A and the cover letter, applicants should nominate a national ‘affiliating agency’. It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact and seek approval from the affiliating agency. For proposals to conduct research at Mpala Research Centre the affiliating institution is usually the Kenya Wildlife Service (send a fax to: "Research Department, KWS"; fax number +254 20 501188), or National Museums of Kenya (send fax to: "NMK Representative to Mpala Research Centre"; fax number +254 20 3741424).

The review process takes up to six months (but a temporary permit pending formal approval can sometimes be arranged, at the discretion of the Ministry of Education).

Having received confirmation that the permit has been issued, enter Kenya on a tourist visa and collect the Research permit from the Ministry of Education, or, in some cases, from the affiliating institution. Researchers intending to stay in Kenya for longer than a month must also obtain a Pupils Pass from the Department of Immigration (seek advice from the Ministry of Education, or the affiliating institution). Application form for a pupil's pass can be downloaded from here.

A diplomatic visit to the Officer in Charge of Research Clearance at the start of your research is strongly recommended, and will facilitate further permit renewals (make sure he is expecting you and will be in his office; Jogoo House "B" is opposite the Treasury Building on Harambee Avenue).

All permit holders must read and comply with the regulations listed on Form A, and deposit a photocopy of their Research Clearance Permit with the Administrator upon arrival at Mpala Research Centre.

For further information on the government research permit application process, please contact MRC's Resident Scientist.