Mekelle University is a public university in Mekelle, Tigray Region, 783 km from Addis Ababa.[1][2] According to the university, it was established in May 2000 under Council of Ministers Regulation No. 61/1999 by merging Mekelle Business College (a college since 1991) and Mekelle University College (begun in 1993 as the Arid Zone Agricultural College).[1]
Wikipedia gives 31,733 students and 2,103 academic staff for 2018.[2] The university’s postgraduate list for 2016 E.C. (2023/24) names 186 master’s programmes.[3] We found no fee schedule, and no QS World University Rankings 2027 place could be confirmed.[4] Applications for master’s and PhD programmes run through the portal at portal.mu.edu.et.[5]
Key facts
| Official name | Mekelle University (MU) |
| Location | Mekelle, Tigray Region, 783 km from Addis Ababa[1]; postal address P.O. Box 231, Mekelle[6] |
| Type | Public research university[2] |
| Founded | May 2000, by merging Mekelle Business College (a college since 1991, school of economics from 1987) and Mekelle University College (1993, as the Arid Zone Agricultural College), under Council of Ministers Regulation No. 61/1999; Wikipedia’s infobox gives 1991[1] |
| Students and staff | 31,733 students and 2,103 academic staff in 2018 (Wikipedia; no current figure found on the university’s pages)[2] |
| Colleges (Wikipedia) | 7: Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources Management; Natural and Computational Sciences; Law and Governance; Social Sciences and Languages; Business and Economics; Health Sciences; Veterinary Science[2] |
| Master’s programmes | 186 listed in the 2016 E.C. (2023/24) postgraduate list, across colleges and institutes labelled A to P; PhD programmes are listed separately[3] |
| Language of teaching | Not stated on the pages we read; English is the medium of instruction in Ethiopian higher education in general[7] |
| Tuition and application fees | No fee schedule found on the university’s pages |
| Application route (master’s and PhD) | Online portal, portal.mu.edu.et[5] |
| CWUR ranking (Wikipedia) | Ethiopia #3; world 1,783 in 2022–23[2] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed (no entry found)[4] |
| Official website | mu.edu.et |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 9 November 2026.
About Mekelle University
Mekelle University describes itself as established in May 2000 by the Government of Ethiopia (Council of Ministers Regulation No. 61/1999) as an autonomous higher education institution, through the merger of two colleges.[1]
- Mekelle Business College began as a school of economics in 1987 in Dejena, Western Tigray, was upgraded to a college in 1991 and started its diploma programme in October 1991 with an intake of 150 students.[1]
- Mekelle University College was incepted in 1993 as the Arid Zone Agricultural College, which had been set up at the University of Asmara and moved several times before settling in Mekelle. It began with three degree programmes and 42 students; a Faculty of Science and Technology followed after two years and the two faculties became Mekelle University College.[1]
Wikipedia’s infobox gives 1991 as the year of establishment, which matches the business college, not the merged university.[2]
How is Mekelle University ranked?
We found no Mekelle 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]
Wikipedia reproduces the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) results: third in Ethiopia and 1,783rd in the world in 2022–23 (1,588th in 2019–20).[2] The university calls itself a top-ranking university in Ethiopia.[8] Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Mekelle University?
The postgraduate list for 2016 E.C. (2023/24) names 186 master’s programmes, grouped by college or institute, for example Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Ethiopian Institute of Technology-Mekelle, the Mekelle Institute of Technology, Natural and Computational Sciences, Business and Economics, Veterinary Medicine, Law and Governance, Health Sciences, and institutes for climate, water, population studies, pedagogy and geoinformation. A separate list covers PhD programmes.[3] A newer overview of available programmes for 2025/26 (2018 E.C.) shows for each programme whether it runs in regular, evening or extension, or in-service mode.[9]
Wikipedia counts more than 90 undergraduate and 70 postgraduate programmes and seven colleges.[2] Because the lists differ in date and in counting, check the programme list for the intake year you plan.
How much does Mekelle University cost?
We found no tuition or application fee schedule for Ethiopian or international students on the pages we could read. Ask the Registrar and Alumni Directorate (ra.director@mu.edu.et) for the current schedule and the currency for foreign students.[6] For living costs in Ethiopia see our Ethiopia guide.
How do you apply to Mekelle University?
The university announced the opening of applications for master’s and PhD programmes for the first semester of 2025/26 and pointed to its online portal, portal.mu.edu.et, together with the list of available programmes.[5] We could not read an entry-requirements page for international applicants and give no deadlines because they change every year.
Contact points on the university’s pages: the Corporate Communication office (ccia@mu.edu.et, +251 344 40 40 05) and the International Affairs Directorate, which deals with student and staff exchange and partnerships.[6]
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.[7] Ask the college which evidence of English it expects.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Mekelle University founded?
The university was established in May 2000 by merging Mekelle Business College (1991) and Mekelle University College (1993).[1]
How many master’s programmes does Mekelle University have?
The 2016 E.C. (2023/24) postgraduate list names 186 master’s programmes.[3]
How do I apply to Mekelle University for a master’s or PhD?
Through the online portal at portal.mu.edu.et, as announced for the first semester of 2025/26.[5]
How much does Mekelle University cost for international students?
We found no published fee schedule, so no amount is given. Ask the Registrar.[6]
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] Mekelle University: About Mekelle University (history) (page without a date; read on 9 Nov 2026)
[2] Wikipedia: Mekelle University (size 2018, colleges and CWUR results; secondary source)
[3] Mekelle University: Postgraduate Programs 2016 E.C. (list for 2016 E.C. (2023/24); page without a date)
[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 Mekelle University entry found on pages 20 to 31)
[5] Mekelle University: Application for Master’s degree and Ph.D programs for first semester of 2025/26 (announcement without a date shown)
[6] Mekelle University: International Affairs Office (page without a date)
[7] Wikipedia: Education in Ethiopia (language of instruction in general; secondary source)
[8] Mekelle University: home page (news items up to 24 Sep 2026)
[9] Mekelle University: Available Academic Programs 2018 E.C. (PDF) (programme overview for 2025/26; 18 pages)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.