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FAQs

FAQs

Is there a difference between accreditation and licensing of legal education programmes?

Accreditation and licensing are two sides of the same coin. Accreditation of legal education programmes is the formal process by which educational providers offering law degrees or legal education programs undergo evaluation to ensure they meet established standards of quality and rigor set by accrediting bodies. The accreditation process culminates to and confers the status of an education provider being recognized as licensed legal education provider. These standards typically cover various aspects of legal education, including faculty qualifications, curriculum content, student support services, facilities, and resources.  Accreditation serves several purposes:

•    Quality Assurance: It ensures that institutions providing legal education maintain high standards of academic excellence and professionalism, thereby enhancing the quality of legal education.
•    Student Protection: Accreditation provides students with assurance that the program they are enrolling in meets recognized standards and will adequately prepare them for their legal careers.
•    Professional Recognition: Graduating from an accredited law school or program may enhance graduates' credibility and acceptance within the legal profession and by employers.
•    Eligibility for Licensing Exams: In many jurisdictions, graduates of accredited law schools are eligible to sit for the bar exam, a requirement for practicing law.

Council’s accreditation process typically involves self-assessment by the institution, independent peer review by experts in legal education, and site visits to assess compliance with accreditation standards. Currently accreditation of legal education programmes is undertaken jointly by the Council of Legal Education and the Commission for University Education.

The following documents must be attached:
(i)    The curriculum for the proposed legal education programme;
(ii)    A feasibility study of the legal education programme highlighting the justifications for the programme including the programme’s “niche” area
(iii)    A strategic plan, highlighting specific strategies applicable to ensure sustainability and growth of the legal education programme
(iv)    Supporting policy documents such as staff recruitment and development policy, research policy and library policy
(v)    any other relevant documents

The process typically takes approximately one (1) year although various factors may influence the actual duration taken such as time taken by the provider to undertake required corrective actions.

Yes. However, where a provider is seeking accreditation of a post-graduate legal education programme such as Master of Laws and PhD/LLD in Law, the institution shall be assumed to have provided essential documents such as supporting policy documents and strategic plan.

Institutions are required to create an account at the CLE portal and follow the instructions as to the application and supporting documentation as well as payment of application fees.

All information relating to the process of accreditation is outlined in the Legal Education Act [Cap.16B] Laws of Kenya, the Legal Education (Accreditation and Quality Assurance) Regulations which are available for download on the CLE website downloads section Downloads. The Council has also availed Inspection Criteria which is a detailed instructive guide on the requirements and threshold that providers must satisfy in various areas.

Yes. As required by law, Council publishes the list of licensed and recognized legal education providers in Kenya in the official Kenya Gazette as well as in MyGOV supplementary. This is done towards the end of December and June each year.

Yes. Applicants must pay Ksh. 10,000 details provided in the application page/portal . No application is accepted until it is complete and application fee is paid in full.

Yes. The Council accepts detailed course reading lists or syllabi in place of the Curriculum.

Applicants with foreign high school qualifications must obtain statements/certificates of equation from the Kenya National Qualifications Authority and submit the same together with the application documentation.

How many times a year is the Advocates Training Programme (ATP) examination offered?

The ATP examination is offered TWICE A YEAR in months that council shall determine from time to time. Currently it is offered in the months of April and November. 

You can register for Bar exams through the online registration portal available on our website. Ensure that you complete the process before the registration deadline.

You will be notified through an official notice usually published on the CLE website or in other media spaces that Council shall determine from time to time. Q. What happens when I defer a paper that I have never sat. Does it b

A regular candidate who defer an examination shall register and sit as First sitting candidate and shall therefore still benefit from their Oral and Project marks in computation of the final unit score.

All eligible candidates are currently allowed to sit as many times as possible until they pass in the examination.

How much does it cost to sit examination per unit?

Candidates sitting for the first time will be required to pay Ksh. 5,000/= shillings per unit 

Candidates re-siting a paper will be required to pay Ksh. 10,000/= shillings per unit

You will be notified through an official notice usually published on the CLE website or in other media spaces that Council shall determine from time to time. Q. What happens when I defer a paper that I have never sat. Does it b

A regular candidate who defer an examination shall register and sit as First sitting candidate and shall therefore still benefit from their Oral and Project marks in computation of the final unit score.

All eligible candidates are currently allowed to sit as many times as possible until they pass in the examination.