M-PESA Foundation Academy

The Academy is located along Thika-Mang'u Road, 6 kilometres off the Thika Superhighway, Kiambu County, Kenya. It is approximately 45 minutes outside Nairobi. The campus spans 88 acres and includes student residences, classrooms, laboratories, co-curricular facilities, a resource centre and an 800-seat auditorium.

The Academy offers a three-year residential education programme.

Residential high school offering the Kenyan national curriculum.

Supplementary subjects are offered to fulfil students' other educational needs.

Kenya

The school currently offers International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. It intends to introduce the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) Senior Secondary in 2026 and is well equipped to offer all three CBC pathways namely: Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The CBC pathways are offered with an emphasis on practical skills, critical thinking and real-world problem solving. Students are assessed through continuous assessment tests, practical projects and prepared for national exams, with guidance from the careers department on pathways and career choices. Tertiary Education Support is provided through a bespoke life-skills pre-university curriculum that supports learners for life after high school and into higher education. The Academy serves talented but economically disadvantaged students with demonstrated leadership potential.

The Academy provides tertiary education support to assist graduates in transitioning to higher education and related pathways. It offers a bespoke life-skills pre-university curriculum designed to prepare learners for life after high school and for tertiary studies.

The Academy targets talented but economically disadvantaged students with demonstrated leadership potential. Admissions assess leadership potential and include evaluation of creativity, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking as part of the selection criteria.

The school has a Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development Programme that nurtures social and servant leadership, emotional intelligence, teamwork, and project-based problem solving through real-world challenges.

The Academy offers supplementary subjects to fulfil students' other educational needs.

Group I includes English and Kiswahili; Group V offers French and German; English is a core subject in the curriculum.

The wellness team oversees the overall wellness of students, staff and faculty; wellness coaches design programmes to support mental health and maintain a healthy balance of mind, body and spirit.

The school has a Child Safeguarding and Protection Policy; safeguarding procedures aim to keep learners safe and teach them to stay safe; adults in the school community follow expected behaviours when working with children; safeguarding aligns with national laws.

1. Opening Doors to Opportunity: Each year, the Academy welcomes bright, ambitious students into a three-year residential education programme, seeking Thinkers, Doers & Leaders with potential, drive, and a passion for change.
2. Who Can Apply: Applications are open to students in their final year of junior secondary education (Grade 9 or equivalent) aged 14–16 at entry; demonstrate academic excellence and leadership potential; come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds; and be committed to community service and responsible citizenship. Refugee students duly registered in Kenya are welcome.
3. Our Selection Criteria: Academic performance; leadership and entrepreneurship potential; financial need; critical thinking and problem-solving skills; community engagement.
4. Annual Application Instructions: How to Apply: Applicants must fill out the official application form themselves; incomplete forms or outdated versions will not be accepted.
5. Required Documents: Birth certificate; Parent/guardian ID; Death certificate (if applicable); Academic transcripts (Grade 7, 8—and 9 if available); Co-curricular and leadership certificates; Parent/guardian payslip (if employed); Any other relevant supporting documents.
6. Important Notes: Fill in all sections clearly using your own handwriting; write your full name at the top of each page; do not include extra pages; only shortlisted applicants will be contacted; all submitted information will be verified.
7. Admission independence: Admission to the Academy is independent of the national placement system.
8. 2026 Admissions: 2026 admissions are now open; CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE 2026 APPLICATION FORM.

Citizens of the Future (CoF) scholarship programme provides full scholarship opportunities for senior school education, funded by a partnership between Safaricom Foundation and the M-PESA Foundation. Successful applicants may be supported at the M-PESA Foundation Academy or other schools in Kenya, with inclusive access to education and a focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation; the programme aims to reach over 30,000 learners by 2035. Application forms are available online at mpesafoundationacademy.ac.ke and citizenofthefuture.org, with an application deadline of May 15, 2026 for the January 2027 cycle; selections consider Academic Excellence, Financial Need, Leadership potential, Creativity/Innovation/Entrepreneurship, and Desirable values, discipline & behaviour, with the completion of the form not guaranteeing sponsorship and only shortlisted candidates contacted.

Full scholarship opportunities are now available through the Citizens of the Future Programme, a partnership between Safaricom Foundation and the M-PESA Foundation, driving equitable access to quality education and nurturing Kenya's next generation of innovators and leaders. The Academy offers a competency-based education (CBE) curriculum to talented yet economically disadvantaged learners through CoF. The programme emphasizes leadership, entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation and aims to fund senior school education; it is a nationwide effort to expand inclusive access to education. Applications for the 2026 cycle open with deadlines and submission channels noted above.

The Higher Education Scholarship described by the Academy provides need-based, four-year post-secondary education scholarships, including tuition and living stipends, at Rise partner universities such as Davidson College (US), Imperial College London, Durham University, Northwestern University, University of Edinburgh, Vanderbilt University, among others. This opportunity has been highlighted in the Academy's announcements of scholarship recipients and related news.