Catholic University of Angola

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 8 November 2026.

About the Catholic University of Angola

The university’s history page says the project began inside the Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST) in the 1990s. Decree 38-A/92 of 7 August 1992 authorised CEAST to create the university, CEAST’s president formally created it on 29 October 1997, and the first classes began on 22 February 1999.^[1] It worked from other premises before the first buildings opened at Palanca in 2003; the main building was inaugurated in March 2007 and the university moved permanently to Palanca in January 2009.^[1]

The university statute describes UCAN as a private institution, independent of political ideologies and parties, and as a legal person of public utility with scientific, pedagogical and financial autonomy. CEAST is the promoting entity.^[6] Wikipedia, a secondary source, describes it as one of 12 recognised private universities in Angola and gives about 6,000 students in 2012; the university’s own site gives no current enrolment figure.^[7]

How is the Catholic University of Angola ranked?

QS 2027: we could not confirm a position. The QS site blocks automated access and no readable source we found lists UCAN in the 2027 edition, so we do not give a number.

unirank (November 2021): in a list of 200 African universities published by unirank, UCAN came 178th and was the lowest-placed of the five Angolan institutions named in the report.^[8] The list is over four years old. Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at the Catholic University of Angola?

The university’s homepage lists these teaching units:^[2]

• Faculties: Law; Economics and Management (including executive training through the Católica Luanda Business School); Engineering; Human Sciences; Theology.
• Institutes: Mineral Resources, Environment and Technologies (IRMAT); John Paul II Higher Institute; Dom Bosco Higher Institute; Higher Institute of Health Sciences.

The homepage also mentions programmes such as telecommunications engineering, computer engineering, Portuguese language, nutrition, philosophy and economics and management.^[2] A course directory (angolaformativa.com, undated) lists further licenciatura programmes including clinical and work and organisational psychology, theology, and accounting and administration, and master’s programmes in legal-political sciences, nutrition, energy and development economics, fundamental and human rights, and criminal law.^[9] Check the current course list with the university.

How much does the Catholic University of Angola cost?

The university pages we read publish no fee schedule. The figures below come from two surveys by the Angolan business newspaper Expansão. They are older and may be out of date. Amounts are in Kz (Angolan kwanza).

The July 2022 article does not name the academic year, and its own figures do not fully reconcile (2,800,000 Kz over five years is about 560,000 Kz a year, against the 573,000 Kz average it states).^[4] It excludes resit fees, transport and graduation costs. Confirm the current amounts with the university. The 2019 access-exam regulation says an application fee is required, set by joint ministerial order, non-refundable, with no amount stated.^[5]

How do you apply to the Catholic University of Angola?

The university’s homepage links to “Topics for the access exams” but gives no admission steps.^[2] The most detailed public text we found is the university’s access-exam regulation of 25 August 2019, which says it is valid for one year and must then be revised, so treat it as a guide only:^[5]

• Who can register: people who completed secondary education or an equivalent and meet the requirements of the chosen course. Foreign citizens may apply, but admission depends on regularising their immigration status. Holders of other degrees must still sit the exam.
• Process: online pre-application, then validation in person. Documents include an identity document, the original secondary certificate with grades for all subjects and years, a military-service certificate where relevant, a passport-style photo and proof of payment.
• Choices and exam: up to two course options; one exam of two and a half hours per chosen course, with admission by ranking within the available places and a minimum pass mark of 10.

We give no dates because they change every year. Use the university’s website and ask the admissions office for the current notice.

Which language do you need?

Portuguese. Under the 2019 access-exam regulation answers must be written in Portuguese.^[5] The university’s pages are in Portuguese. We found no language-certificate requirement for foreign applicants on the pages we read.^[2]

More about studying in Angola

• Angola: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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• Jean Piaget University of Angola
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