Secondary School Scholarships for Girls in Nairobi: Where to Apply
If you are looking for a secondary school scholarship for your daughter in Nairobi, there are three places to start: school-based scholarships such as the Peperuka Scholarship at Kianda School, national foundations such as Equity Group Foundation's Wings to Fly and the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation Scholarship Program, and government bursaries through your constituency office. Each works differently, opens at a different time of year, and asks for slightly different documents.
Kianda Foundation Educational Trust is a Kenyan nonprofit trust that founded Kianda School in 1977. The school now runs its own admissions and scholarships, while the Foundation continues to support girls through programs such as Faida Girls' Club and Kimlea Girls Technical Training College.
At Kianda Foundation, we believe no bright girl should miss secondary school because her family cannot pay the fees. This guide explains where to look, what each option covers, and how to prepare a strong application.
At a glance: the Peperuka Scholarship
What it is | A scholarship fund at Kianda School, an all-girls school founded by Kianda Foundation in 1977 |
Who it is for | Academically talented girls whose families cannot afford Kianda School fees |
Entry level | Grade 10 |
What it covers | Tuition, textbooks, uniform, lunch and transport in some zones |
Where | Kianda School, Kabarsiran Avenue, off Waiyaki Way, Nairobi |
When to apply | Application forms open online in June; the entrance assessment is held in September. |
Contact |
The Peperuka Scholarship at Kianda School
Peperuka is Swahili for to soar up. That is exactly what the fund exists to do: give bright girls from families with limited means the chance to rise through a quality secondary education.
Kianda School opened on 9 January 1977 with 40 Form One students, among them Margaret Kenyatta, who would later become Kenya's First Lady. Today the school has about 900 students across its primary, junior secondary and secondary sections, and it has consistently ranked among Kenya's top 10 schools in the KCSE examinations. Mrs Kenyatta is the Patron of the Peperuka fund.
Kianda School set up Peperuka in 2011 as an endowment, so that every gift keeps supporting girls year after year.
Who can apply
Peperuka is open to girls applying to join Kianda School in Grade 10. Parents or guardians need to show that their combined income is not enough to pay Kianda School fees. The scholarship goes to girls who are both academically strong and in financial need, so a good assessment result matters as much as the family's circumstances.
How to apply
Fill in the application form on the Kianda School website. Forms open online in June.
Upload an application letter, the girl's birth certificate, her latest end-of-term assessment report and a recommendation letter from her head teacher.
Sit the entrance assessment in English, Mathematics and Composition. In 2026 it will be held on 19 September.
Girls who pass are invited to an oral interview. Admission depends on both the written assessment and the interview.
For questions, email scholarship@kiandaschool.ac.ke.
Already at Kianda School?
Girls in Form 2 and above who have been at the school for at least a year can apply for a separate bursary. They need to be doing well academically and have a good conduct record. Parents write a letter requesting the bursary, then complete the bursary form with three months of bank statements and payslips.
Other places to look in Nairobi.
Many families apply to more than one program, and that is wise. Here are the main national options, with what each covers. Application windows change from year to year, so always check the official website before you apply.
Wings to Fly (Equity Group Foundation). Wings to Fly supports high-performing children from less fortunate backgrounds through all of secondary school. It covers tuition, accommodation, books, uniforms, pocket money and transport, and scholars are selected from all 47 counties by a community selection board. Apply through any Equity Bank branch, an Equity agent or the Equity Group Foundation website.
Jomo Kenyatta Foundation scholarships. The Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, established in 1968, supports bright but needy students in public secondary schools, with mentorship alongside financial help. Applications for the 2025/26 cohort have closed, and new windows are announced on the foundation's website.
KCB Foundation scholarships. KCB Foundation runs a scholarship program for needy students. Details and application calls are published on the KCB Group website and through KCB branches.
Government bursaries. Every Nairobi constituency has a bursary committee under the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). These are usually partial bursaries rather than full scholarships, but they can close the gap. Visit your constituency office, for example in Westlands, Kibra or Embakasi, to ask when applications open.
Your daughter's own school. Head teachers often hear first about local bursaries and well-wishers. Ask early, and ask often.
Get your documents ready early
Most scholarships in Kenya ask for the same core papers. Gather them before applications open, so a deadline never catches you unprepared:
Your daughter's birth certificate
Her most recent school report or national assessment results
A recommendation letter from her head teacher
Proof of financial need, such as payslips, bank statements, or a letter from your local chief or assistant chief
A short letter in your own words explaining your situation
A word on scams
Genuine scholarships do not ask you to pay someone to secure a place. Apply only through official websites, school offices, bank branches or constituency offices. If anyone promises a scholarship in exchange for money, walk away and report it.
A scholarship is not charity. It is an investment in a girl's future, and in her family's. If your daughter is ready to soar, here is where to start.
To apply: write to Kianda School at scholarship@kiandaschool.ac.ke.
To support girls' education: give through Kianda Foundation's donate page, or call the Foundation on +254 742 317 180.
Quick answers
Which Nairobi girls' schools offer scholarships? Kianda School, an all-girls school on Kabarsiran Avenue, offers the Peperuka Scholarship to academically talented girls from families who cannot afford its fees.
When do secondary scholarship applications open in Kenya? It varies. Kianda School's Peperuka forms open in June, while national programs such as Wings to Fly and the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation announce their own windows each year.
What does the Peperuka Scholarship cover? Tuition, textbooks, uniform, lunch and transport in some zones.
Is Kianda Foundation the same as Kianda School? No. Kianda Foundation Educational Trust is a Kenyan nonprofit founded on 9 January 1961 by Olga Marlin, Mary Mahoney, Margaret Curran and Teresa Temes. Kianda School, an all-girls school opened on 9 January 1977, is one of the Foundation's 15 institutions, centres and projects. Its first class of 40 Form One students included Margaret Kenyatta, later First Lady of Kenya. Others include the Fanikisha business program for women, Kimlea Girls Technical Training College, Kimlea Clinic and Faida Girls' Club.
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