Language Requirement: None
Academic Standing by Program Start: Sophomore or above
Location: Africa, Kenya
GPA: 2.75

Program Overview

Cutting-edge public health initiatives are being implemented in Kisumu, a Kenyan port city on Lake Victoria and home to the largest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention facility outside North America. The CDC’s relationship with the Kenya Medical Research Institute, which spans four decades, offers students unparalleled access to distinguished medical professionals, scholars, and scientists. Attend classes on a campus with high-speed internet and surrounded by gardens. Learn research protocol and how to gather and analyze data from experts developing improved delivery of treatments and vaccines for infectious diseases and translating findings into policy recommendations.

You’ll also study Kiswahili, the lingua franca of East Africa, and gain a range of perspectives from two homestay families, one in urban Kisumu and one in the rural hills and lakes region of Siaya County. As part of the program, you will also travel to Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi, a center for relief, health, and human rights organizations, and to Rwanda, where you will survey its significantly lower rates of HIV and malaria. 

For further information about the program, including dates and course information, please visit: SIT: Global Health and Human Rights in Kenya

Dates and Deadlines

 
TermYearDeadlineArrival DateDeparture Date
Fall Semester20254/15/2025Early SeptemberMid-December
Spring Semester202610/1/2025Early FebruaryMid-May

If you are interested in applying to an SIT program, we strongly advise you to meet with an advisor prior to applying.

SIT Study Abroad has rolling admission, which means that applications are reviewed on a rolling basis between the opening and closing dates of the review process. Applications must be complete to be reviewed for admission. Since many programs fill long before the published closing dates, you are strongly advised to apply early.

Qualified applicants are recommended by a GEO Staff. The final selection of participants is made by SIT. The SIT admissions committee strives to select students who will be the best possible match for the program. You should submit strong academic references and demonstrate a consistent academic record, clear motivation to study abroad, solid reasoning for their program choice, and an understanding of the program model.

IMPORTANT: Application for a SIT program involves two parts. Both parts of the application are due by the GEO application deadline.

  • Completion of the GEO application process. ​
  • Completion of the SIT application process.

Please note that the GEO deadline supersedes the SIT deadline. An application fee is due at the time of application and is non-refundable under any circumstances.

Hear from Our Students

Sadie's Experience Researching Abroad

Sadie standing outside of a building in Kisumu, Kenya
Sadie Creemer, who participated in the Fall 2024 SIT: Health and Human Rights in Kenya program, turned an eye-opening experience abroad into research that was presented at the 2025 Undergraduate… read more

Learning by Living: My Public Health Journey Abroad

Person smiling at the camera while standing with a bicycle on a dirt path in a natural setting, wearing a helmet and sunglasses. There's a scenic view of hills and a lake in the background.
This program fundamentally changed how I am thinking about what I want to do with my future. Having the opportunity to take courses in the field of public health then apply them to an independent… read more

Course Equivalencies

UO students: please refer to the UO Course Equivalency Process and the UO Office of the Registrar Course Equivalency Database.

Non-UO students: Actual credit awarded is determined by the relevant department at your university in consultation with the study abroad office. Check with your study abroad advisor for more information.