Kabul Polytechnic University is a public engineering university in Kabul. The Afghan government established it on 13 October 1963 as Kabul Polytechnic Institute; it has carried its present name since 2002.[1] Its website lists eight faculties, including Geology and Mines, Construction, Electromechanics and Computer Science, and master’s and doctoral programmes.[2]
uniRank’s 2026 ranking of Afghan universities puts it 6th in the country.[3] We could not confirm a placement in the QS World University Rankings 2027, and the pages we read publish no tuition fee, admission rules or language of instruction.[4][2][5]
Key facts
| Official name | Kabul Polytechnic University (KPU)[2] |
| Location | Kart-e-Mamorin, District 5, Kabul, Afghanistan (Wikipedia)[6] |
| Type | Public university, recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan[5] |
| Founded | 13 October 1963 as Kabul Polytechnic Institute; renamed Kabul Polytechnic University in 2002[1] |
| Earlier origin | uniRank says the origins go back to 1951 as Kabul Polytechnic College[5] |
| Teaching start | Classrooms and laboratories were completed in 1967; the first graduates finished in 1972[1] |
| Faculties | 8: Geology and Mines; Construction; Electromechanics; Computer Science; Chemical Industry; Water and Environmental Engineering; Transportation Building Engineering; Geomatics Engineering[2] |
| Graduate programmes | Master’s and doctoral programmes (listed on the website)[2] |
| Students | 2,000 to 2,999 (uniRank band); Wikipedia lists 547 new and 900 continuing students without a year[5] |
| uniRank 2026 | National rank 6; world rank 11,203[5] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed[4] |
| Times Higher Education | “401+” in Affordable and Clean Energy (2022 announcement, as reported on the university’s website)[2] |
| Tuition | Not published on the pages read (uniRank: “not reported”)[5] |
| Official website | kpu.edu.af |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 9 November 2026.
About Kabul Polytechnic University
The university’s history page says the Afghan government established it on 13 October 1963. Classrooms and laboratories were completed in 1967 and teaching began; the first graduates finished in 1972. It was called Kabul Polytechnic Institute until 2002, when it became Kabul Polytechnic University. Bachelor’s programmes ran until 1980 and engineering master’s programmes until 1992; the page also says people were educated to PhD level during that period.[1]
Wikipedia adds that some buildings were built by Afghan and Soviet engineers and that the university reopened in 2002.[6] uniRank dates the origins to 1951, as Kabul Polytechnic College, and describes the institution as small, with 2,000 to 2,999 students and 100 to 199 academic staff.[5] Wikipedia gives 547 new and 900 continuing students and 125 teachers, without saying for which year, so treat all size figures as approximate.[6]
How is Kabul Polytechnic University ranked?
QS 2027: we could not confirm a placement in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026). The 1,001–1,200 band page of the aggregator xuanxiao.org lists no Afghan institution and its country filter does not list Afghanistan. QS itself blocks automated access, so we could not check the full table.[4]
Times Higher Education: the university’s website says THE ranked it “401+” in Affordable and Clean Energy, a subject-specific impact ranking, in a 2022 announcement.[2] THE’s Afghanistan country page says no Afghan university is in the overall World University Rankings.[7]
uniRank: 6th among Afghan universities in the 2026 edition, with a world rank of 11,203.[3][5] uniRank is a web-based directory ranking, not a research ranking. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Kabul Polytechnic University?
The university has eight faculties:[2]
- Geology and Mines
- Construction (including Architecture)
- Electromechanics
- Computer Science
- Chemical Industry
- Water and Environmental Engineering (including Hydraulic and Hydraulic Structures)
- Transportation Building Engineering
- Geomatics Engineering
Master’s and doctoral programmes are offered according to the website. Wikipedia counts 8 faculties and 20 departments (12 professional, 8 general).[6] uniRank lists bachelor’s degrees and recommends contacting the university for current offerings.[5]
What is the current situation for students?
The Wikipedia article and the university’s pages we read say nothing about the university’s status after 2021. UN News reported on 19 January 2023 that a ban on young women attending universities, announced in December 2022, affects more than 100,000 students nationwide.[8] We found no source describing how this applies at Kabul Polytechnic University specifically, so check directly with the university.
How much does Kabul Polytechnic University cost?
We could not confirm any tuition fee. The pages we read contain no fee information, and uniRank marks tuition as “not reported” for local and international students at undergraduate and postgraduate level.[2][5] Ask the university for current fees.
How do you apply to Kabul Polytechnic University?
The university’s website pages we read do not describe admission requirements or an application procedure. They list a general contact e-mail (info@kpu.edu.af) and a telephone number.[2] We give no deadlines because we found none published.
Which language do you need?
No source we read states the language of instruction or a language test requirement. The university’s name is given in Pashto and Dari on Wikipedia, and its website has an English section.[6][2]
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Kabul Polytechnic University founded?
The university’s history page says 13 October 1963, as Kabul Polytechnic Institute. It became Kabul Polytechnic University in 2002.[1]
What faculties does Kabul Polytechnic University have?
Eight: Geology and Mines, Construction, Electromechanics, Computer Science, Chemical Industry, Water and Environmental Engineering, Transportation Building Engineering and Geomatics Engineering.[2]
Is Kabul Polytechnic University in the QS rankings?
How much is tuition at Kabul Polytechnic University?
We found no published figure; uniRank lists tuition as “not reported”.[5]
How is Kabul Polytechnic University ranked nationally?
6th among Afghan universities in the 2026 uniRank ranking.[3]
More about studying in Afghanistan
- Afghanistan: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Afghanistan
Sources
[1] Kabul Polytechnic University: History (page without a date)
[2] Kabul Polytechnic University: official website (page without a date; refers to a 2022 THE announcement)
[3] uniRank: Afghan University Ranking 2026 (2026 edition; no publication date given)
[4] xuanxiao.org: QS World University Rankings 2027, page 22 (QS itself blocks automated access) (QS 2027 edition, published 18 Jun 2026; only the 1,001–1,200 band page was read)
[5] uniRank: Kabul Polytechnic University (page without a date; third-party directory)
[6] Wikipedia: Kabul Polytechnic University (secondary source; edit date not visible in the version read)
[7] Times Higher Education: Study in Afghanistan (page without a date)
[8] UN News: Afghan girls and women made focus of International Education Day: UNESCO (published 19 Jan 2023)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.