Hawassa University is a national (public) university in Hawassa, Sidama Region, about 278 km south of Addis Ababa.[1] Its journals site says it began in 1976 as the Awassa College of Agriculture and that the name Hawassa University was coined in 2000, after a merger with two other colleges.[2] Wikipedia dates the predecessor, Debub University, to 22 December 1998.[1]
The university’s website lists 9 colleges, 3 institutes and 7 campuses.[3] Student numbers differ: 43,638 on the journals page and 48,558 in March 2018 according to Wikipedia.[2][1] We found no published fee schedule or international admission rules, and no QS World University Rankings 2027 place could be confirmed.[4]
Key facts
| Official name | Hawassa University (HU); also spelled Awassa |
| Location | Hawassa, Sidama Region, about 278 km south of Addis Ababa[1]; postal address P.O. Box 05, Hawassa[5] |
| Type | National (public) residential university[1] |
| Founded | Awassa College of Agriculture opened in 1976; the name Hawassa University dates from 2000 according to the university’s journals page (Wikipedia: Debub University 22 Dec 1998, renamed Hawassa University 17 Feb 2006)[2] |
| Students | 43,638 (journals page, no date) · 48,558 in March 2018 (Wikipedia)[2] |
| Staff | 7,037, of which 1,630 academic and 5,443 administrative (journals page, no date)[2] |
| Units (current site) | 9 colleges, 3 institutes and 7 campuses in and near Hawassa[3] |
| Programmes | More than 90 undergraduate and around 120 graduate programmes (journals page); Wikipedia counts 81 undergraduate, 108 master’s and 16 PhD programmes[2] |
| Graduates | 110,000 (website key figure)[3] |
| Language of teaching | Not stated on the pages we read; English is the medium of instruction in Ethiopian higher education in general[6] |
| Tuition and application fees | No fee schedule found on the university’s pages |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed (no entry found)[4] |
| Official website | hu.edu.et |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 9 November 2026.
About Hawassa University
The university’s website says it was “founded as a junior college of agriculture half a century ago” in Hawassa.[3] Its journals page gives the details: the Awassa College of Agriculture opened in 1976, the Wondo Genet College of Forestry followed in 1978 and the Dilla College of Teacher Education and Health Sciences in 1996. The three colleges were together known as Debub University for less than a decade, and the name Hawassa University was coined in 2000.[2]
Wikipedia gives other dates: Debub University was established by proclamation on 22 December 1998 and renamed Hawassa University on 17 February 2006.[1] The sources disagree, so we show 2000 as the year of the university name and 1976 as the oldest root.
How is Hawassa University ranked?
We found no Hawassa University entry in the QS World University Rankings 2027 table of the aggregator xuanxiao.org (pages 20 to 31, covering ranks from 951 to 1,504), so no QS position is given. QS’s own pages block automated access, so this is not proof that the university is absent.[4] The university states the aim of becoming one of the top ten East African research universities by 2030.[3] How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Hawassa University?
The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, medical specialty and sub-specialty programmes on seven campuses.[3] The campus page describes them:[7]
- Main Campus: the Colleges of Education, Law and Governance, Natural and Computational Sciences, and Social Sciences and Humanities, plus the Institute of Policy and Development Research, and the central administration.
- Agriculture Campus: near Lake Hawassa; founded in 1976 with the original College of Agriculture.
- Awada Campus: established in 2012, about 40 km south of Hawassa near Yirgalem; College of Business and Economics.
- Daye Campus: the youngest campus, about 125 km south of Hawassa.
- IoT Campus (Institute of Technology): next to the main campus; programmes include Biomedical Engineering, Garment Technology and Textile Engineering.
- Medicine and Health Campus: the College of Health Sciences and Medicine and the Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.
Wikipedia also lists the Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources and a School of Graduate Studies.[1]
How much does Hawassa University cost?
We found no tuition or application fee schedule, for Ethiopian or for international students, on the pages of the university we could read. Ask the Registrar and Alumni Affairs Directorate or the postgraduate directorate for the current schedule and the currency in which international students pay.[8] For living costs in Ethiopia see our Ethiopia guide.
How do you apply to Hawassa University?
The Registrar and Alumni Affairs Directorate is responsible for student admission, selection and placement, registration and academic records.[8] A university announcement of 31 October 2025 (in Amharic) tells master’s and PhD applicants that an acceptance letter and an admission letter are needed at registration, and that they can be collected from the postgraduate directorate and the main registrar’s office.[9]
We found no page with entry requirements for international applicants, and we give no deadlines. Contact the Registrar before you apply; the university lists a contact page.
Which language do you need?
The pages we read do not name a language of instruction or an English test. English is the medium of instruction in Ethiopian higher education in general.[6] Ask the college which evidence of English it expects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Hawassa University and Debub University?
How many students does Hawassa University have?
How much does Hawassa University cost for international students?
We found no published fee schedule on the university’s pages, so no amount is given. Ask the Registrar.[8]
How is Hawassa University ranked?
We could not confirm a place in the QS World University Rankings 2027.[4]
Where is Hawassa University?
In Hawassa, the capital of the Sidama Region, about 278 km south of Addis Ababa.[1]
More about studying in Ethiopia
- Ethiopia: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Ethiopia
Sources
[1] Wikipedia: Hawassa University (history, location and size; secondary source)
[2] Hawassa University Journals: The university (page without a date; the vision text still reads “by 2022”, so the figures may be older)
[3] Hawassa University: About HU (page without a date; read on 9 Nov 2026)
[4] xuanxiao.org: QS World University Rankings 2027 (QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (edition released 18 Jun 2026; aggregator; no Hawassa University entry found on pages 20 to 31)
[5] Hawassa University: President Office (contact details) (page without a date)
[6] Wikipedia: Education in Ethiopia (language of instruction in general; secondary source)
[7] Hawassa University: All campuses (page without a date)
[8] Hawassa University: Registrar (page without a date)
[9] Hawassa University: Announcements (registration notice for second and third degrees, 31 Oct 2025) (notice dated 31 Oct 2025, in Amharic)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.