Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In Burundi, from 2000 to 2023, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education rose from 1.05% to 6.03%. Between 2000 and 2013, the initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita fluctuated between 751.57% and 412.54%, while the initial household funding amounted to 83.52% in 2007.
Tuition-free status
Public tertiary education in Burundi is not entirely tuition-free for all students. However, the University of Burundi, which is described as the country’s only public university, provides free tuition to all students admitted to the national university.
Governance
Higher education falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research (MENRS), which acts as the main line ministry for sector planning and oversight. Higher education and research are included within the national education sector plan (PSE 2022-2030), and MENRS is responsible for managing the corresponding budgeted programmes. Through its planning and finance structures, the ministry oversees the use of public resources for higher education, including student support schemes, performance contracts with public higher education institutions, and quality assurance arrangements in line with CAMES and CNES frameworks. MENRS also coordinates policies related to research, innovation and incubation, including the accreditation of research centres, support for university-linked incubators, and initiatives to strengthen higher education statistics and institutional financial autonomy. While overall budget ceilings are determined within the national public finance framework in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, MENRS remains responsible for the planning, implementation and monitoring of higher education and research policies.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
There is no funding mechanism for transferring higher education funds from the central government to subnational authorities, as public universities are financed directly by the State rather than through local governments. Under Article 61 of the Higher Education Law, the resources of public universities and other public higher education institutions are derived primarily from state subsidies.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
Based on the Higher Education Law, private universities can receive public support regardless of the presence of public institutions. The State may provide various forms of support to private higher education institutions, including the allocation of land for academic infrastructure, the provision of scholarships or loan-grants (prêt-bourse) to eligible students, and the granting of equipment or operating subsidies, depending on the nature of training programmes and enrolment levels. Such support is conditional on compliance with national quality assurance and accreditation requirements, and private institutions remain subject to regulatory oversight and possible sanctions under the same legal framework.
Allocation and equity
No evidence was found of defined mechanisms of how government subsidies are allocated to public higher education institutions. However, the national education sector plan (PSE 2022-2030) indicates an intention to generalise performance contracts across higher education institutions, moving from limited pilot use to a standard governance and financing tool. Under this approach, resources and oversight would be linked to institution-level objectives and performance indicators agreed with the State.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
No evidence was found of formally defined admission quotas or preferential admission criteria for specific vulnerable groups. Admission to public and private higher education institutions is primarily governed by academic requirements and is framed in law as being accessible to all without discrimination, as stipulated in Article 7 of the Higher Education Law.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
The Burundian scholarship loan (prêt-bourse) is a government-run student support scheme that provides financial assistance to students enrolled in public higher education institutions. It is designed primarily to help cover living expenses during the course of study and is granted to eligible students based on academic status and national eligibility criteria. Although commonly referred to as a scholarship, the support takes the form of a loan that must be repaid after graduation, under conditions set by the government, including repayment obligations linked to income. The scheme is centrally managed by the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research (MENRS), in coordination with public finance authorities, and operates as the main financial support mechanism.
The National Education Sector Plan (PSE 2022-2030) also provides for merit-based scholarships for both domestic and overseas study. Overseas scholarships are aligned with national priority fields and include mechanisms to ensure cost-effectiveness and return, but they do not target specific vulnerable groups.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation, accommodation and textbooks
No separate government programmes were found providing transportation, accommodation, or textbook support for tertiary students outside the national scholarship scheme. These costs are only covered under the Burundian Scholarship Loan, which includes allowances for accommodation, meals, transport, and learning materials
