From a modest theological college in Machakos to a fully chartered university, our purpose has never changed: Scott Christian University remains committed to nurturing graduates who are intellectually competent, ethically grounded, professionally equipped, and purposefully prepared to transform the Church, the marketplace, and society through servant leadership and innovation.
Welcome to Scott Christian University, a community where faith and scholarship meet. It is my privilege to lead an institution that has, since 1962, formed generations of graduates for service in church, society and the marketplace.
Read the full message →Scott Christian University traces its rich heritage to 1962, when we were established as the national theological college of the Africa Inland Church (AIC) Kenya to provide advanced training for Christian ministry and leadership. We are named in honour of Peter Cameron Scott, founder of the African Inland Mission in Kenya in 1895, whose pioneering missionary work laid the foundation for the establishment and growth of the Africa Inland Church in Kenya.
Our journey has been marked by milestones that reflect our enduring commitment to academic excellence and institutional integrity. In December 1979, we became the first post-secondary theological institution in Africa to receive accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA). In 1986, ACTEA granted full accreditation to our Bachelor of Theology degree programme, affirming our commitment to theological scholarship and internationally recognized standards of higher education.
In 1997, we were granted a University Charter by the Government of Kenya following significant growth in our academic programmes, governance, and institutional capacity. During the same period, our Bachelor of Theology degree was accredited as a university-level qualification by the then Commission for Higher Education (CHE), now the Commission for University Education (CUE), further affirming our readiness to offer university education. On 23 March 2012, the Commission for Higher Education approved our transition from Scott Theological College to Scott Christian University, reflecting our expanded academic mandate and evolution into a comprehensive institution of higher learning.
Today, we continue to respond to the evolving educational, professional, and societal needs of Kenya and the wider region. While remaining firmly grounded in our Christian heritage, we have expanded our academic portfolio beyond theology to include Education, Business, Information and Communication Technology, Agribusiness, Counselling Psychology, Hospitality and Tourism, Leadership, Community Development, and other professional disciplines that prepare graduates for purposeful careers, ethical leadership, and lifelong service.
We offer programmes from Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) levels through our School of Education and Business Studies and our School of Theology and Social Sciences. In 2025, we further strengthened our commitment to accessible, skills-oriented education through the establishment of the Scott Christian University TVET Institute, providing competency-based technical and vocational education that equips learners with practical, industry-relevant skills while creating clear pathways for career progression, lifelong learning, and higher education.
For more than six decades, we have remained committed to developing graduates who combine academic excellence, Christian values, professional competence, and servant leadership to make a meaningful impact in their communities, the nation, and the world.
We are forming the whole person — intellect, character and spirit — to bring transformation to the society they serve.
For the sustainable change of individuals dedicated to God's service across the church, the academy and the marketplace.
Drawn from Ephesians 4. The Greek phrase that has anchored our work since the college was founded sixty-two years ago.
They show up in the chapel, the classroom and the office. Every member of the SCU community — staff, faculty and student — is asked to embody them.
We welcome applications from students of all backgrounds who share our commitment to academic excellence and Christian formation.
