doris
doris
Find Schools
Events
Saved schools
My account
Parent Guide Parent testimonials Community Transparency Charter About For Schools
Currency
R

Rift Valley Academy

Kenya, Kijabe

Save school
Share
Navigate

· Reviewed by · Co-founder & CEO

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
Claim your profile
The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees KES 369,000 - 1,040,250
Ages Not listed
Pupil numbers 500
Type Co-educational (boarding)
Opened 1906
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge IGCSE
Taught languages French, Spanish, Swahili
Strengths Sport, Visual and Creative Arts, Languages
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, High School
Introduction

Rift Valley Academy is a Christian boarding school in Kenya with an American foundation. The high school follows an American curricular core and offers Advanced Placement courses, while also supporting Cambridge IGCSE qualifications for a small number of missionary students. The school awards a College Prep Diploma designed to meet four-year college expectations and a General Education Diploma. The campus sits on 90 acres atop the Rift Valley escarpment and houses an elementary, a junior high, and a senior high, with nineteen dormitories, a chapel, a cafeteria, a gym, a music building, a drama hall, and multiple sports fields. RVA is accredited by the Middle States Association and serves about 400 students from various nationalities; it is affiliated with Africa Inland Mission. The program emphasizes English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Information Technology, Foreign Language, Bible, Physical Education, Fine Arts, Life Skills, plus AP for the College Prep Diploma.

Kijabe Road, Kijabe, Kenya

The Essentials

Rift Valley Academy has 500 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
The Rift Valley Academy is in Kijabe, central Kenya. It sits on 90 acres of the upper escarpment overlooking Kenya's Rift Valley. The campus is at an elevation of over 7,000 feet and is home to nineteen dormitories, a gym, a music building, a drama hall, two sports fields, tennis and basketball courts, a chapel, a cafeteria, and student health and counseling facilities.

Stages
The school comprises an elementary, a junior high, and a senior high school.

Type
Christian boarding school.

Pupil Nationality Mix
We serve about 500 students representing 30 nationalities. Kenyan nationals and expatriate students are included in the student body.

Additional learning support
Academic Support Services provide support for students with special needs in all grades (K-12). Services vary by year and staff. ESL: English is the language of instruction, and ESL support is available, especially for younger students.

Country affiliation
Kenya.

Religious affiliation
Christian.

School day structure
RVA operates on a trimester schedule, beginning in August and ending in July. Each term lasts about twelve weeks, followed by a one-month break.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school provides on-campus boarding. The Titchie elementary dorms use three to four family-style homes with dorm parents living with students; junior high dorms (four in total) have wings with bedrooms, bathrooms, a lounge, and a dorm kitchen; high school dorms (twelve in total) follow a college-style setup with living areas attached to a dorm parent apartment. All students eat in the school cafeteria, with Titchie students sharing a couple family-style meals weekly; laundry services clean clothing and bedding.

Food Options
The cafeteria provides well-balanced, nourishing meals for boarding students (and for station families as needed). It serves breakfast, chai time, lunch, dinner, and special events, offering a hot entrée with sides, fresh fruits and vegetables, beverages, and desserts. No frozen meals or processed foods are served. The menus are created exclusively for RVA by the Foodservice Supervisor and team, and there is a full-time national kitchen staff.

Governance and Ownership
The school is a branch of Africa Inland Mission.
Fees

Annual tuition at Rift Valley Academy ranges from KES 369,000 to KES 1,040,250 for 2026/27.

Application fees and enrollment deposit

- Application processing fee (non-refundable): USD 50.
- Note: some publicly posted fee lists for 2025/26 show an application processing fee of USD 75 on alternate listings.
- Enrollment deposit (credited toward school fees; paid after provisional acceptance): USD 500. This enrollment deposit must be received within 30 days of provisional acceptance and is credited toward school fees on entry.

Tuition and boarding fees (charged per term)

- Fees are charged per term. RVA operates three terms per academic year (school year begins in August; three terms of ~12 weeks each). Multiply the per-term figures by three for an annual total.

- Kindergarten: KES 123,000 per term (KES 369,000 estimated per year). These figures are published as per-term amounts that include tuition, room, boarding and capital development where applicable.

- Grades 1–3: KES 185,100 per term (KES 555,300 estimated per year). These per-term figures are listed as covering tuition plus boarding/room where applicable.

- Grades 4–6: KES 335,100 per term (KES 1,005,300 estimated per year). The published per-term figure is shown as inclusive of tuition, boarding/room, and capital development charges.

- Grades 7–10: KES 346,750 per term (KES 1,040,250 estimated per year). These published term amounts are indicated as inclusive of room and boarding for boarders.

- Grades 11–12: KES 353,700 per term (KES 1,061,100 estimated per year). The per-term rate is published as covering tuition and boarding components where applicable.

Boarding fees

- Boarding is charged as part of the per-term tuition/boarding figures above; separate line-item boarding fees are not listed in the publicly posted per-term schedule. Boarding is therefore included in the per-term amounts for students who live in dorms.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Fees are invoiced on a per-term basis; the school year begins in August and is divided into three terms. Parents are required to submit the enrollment deposit within 30 days of provisional acceptance; that deposit is credited toward the student's fees on entry. The application processing fee is non-refundable.

Other costs and typical additional charges

- Class dues: Grades 7–8: KES 1,000 (per published listings). Grades 9–12: KES 3,000 (per published listings).
- Travel fee (routine/scheduled travel charges): KES 2,500 (per published listings).
- Environmental fee / small statutory charge: KES 350 (per published listings).
- Uniforms, textbooks, personal items, medical expenses and incidental activity costs (cocurricular trips, special camps, optional activities) are additional to the per-term amounts; published public fee schedules do not list a single all-inclusive uniform or textbook line item with fixed amounts. Specific costs for uniforms, bookpacks, medical insurance or camp trips are charged separately or billed as required.

Refund information

- The application processing fee is non-refundable. The enrollment deposit is credited toward school fees upon entrance; some published application/enrollment forms indicate the enrollment deposit is non-refundable if parents cancel after provisional acceptance. No publicly posted comprehensive tuition refund schedule for mid-term withdrawal or prorated refunds was found in publicly available fee listings.

Fee payment options and currencies

- Public admissions materials indicate application items and fees may be submitted in USD or Kenyan Shilling equivalents and that the Admissions Office provides payment instructions; an application form references payment in USD with KES equivalents. The school's admissions office arranges specific payment methods (bank transfer / wire or other options) on request. Specific, published online details naming accepted card processors or a live credit-card payment gateway are not shown in the public fee listings consulted.

Brief note about how these figures were assembled and gaps in public detail

- RVA's public admissions pages describe the timing and mechanics of application, provisional acceptance and the enrollment deposit but do not publish a full official 2026/27 fee schedule on the publicly browsable pages. The per-term amounts and one-time fees above are taken from publicly posted 2025 fee listings and admissions documents that are cited above; a small number of public listings differ on the stated application processing fee (USD 50 versus USD 75). Where an amount is given above it reflects the figures shown on the cited 2025/2026 public fee listings; annual totals are shown as the per-term figure multiplied by three terms (RVA operates three terms per year).
Academics

Rift Valley Academy teaches American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge IGCSE.

Curriculum
Rift Valley Academy uses an international curriculum with a North American foundation. The high school program is based on an American curricular foundation and supports British IGCSE qualifications for a small number of missionary students. RVA offers both a College Prep Diploma and a General Education Diploma; the College Prep Diploma is designed to meet four-year college expectations, and many students pursue it. The high school schedule is year-round, single-track from August to July, with three terms of about 12 weeks each. Core subjects include English, Social Studies, Math, Science, and Information Technology, plus a Foreign Language, Bible, Physical Education, Fine Arts, and Life Skills, with additional term-length and enrichment courses. World Language requirements for the college prep diploma call for two levels of the same language (consecutive if possible); Advanced Placement courses are available, typically including English, Calculus AB and BC, Statistics, French, Biology, and Chemistry.

Higher Education Progression
About 95% of RVA graduates directly pursue college education. Graduates in the past decade have attended Brown, Caltech, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, St Andrews, Vanderbilt, the US Air Force Academy, Wellesley, and Yale.

Gifted and Talented
Advanced Placement courses are offered, typically including English, Calculus AB and BC, Statistics, French, Biology, and Chemistry, with AP testing available on campus. AP exams carry additional cost, currently about $128 per test.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Counseling provides preventative programs for students and supports them through normal transitions and crises, and it also advises staff caring for the student body. The counseling team is dedicated to helping students thrive and to supporting families. The Health Services promote spiritual, mental, and physical wellbeing, operating an on campus clinic with 24 hour coverage and collaborating with Kijabe Hospital for broader care. The Guidance Office assists with course registration, testing, transcripts, and college planning, and the College Coordinator helps seniors navigate the application process. Peer tutoring is available to support academic and social learning, and ESL accommodations can be offered to some students, especially in the younger grades.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Academic Support Services serve students with special needs in all grades, K-12. Services vary from year to year depending on staff availability. RVA philosophy is to support students in their special needs to the best of our ability. RVA does not offer a full range of special needs services.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
English is the language of instruction at RVA, but we are able to accommodate some ESL students. When possible, ESL support is offered, especially in the younger grades.

Mental Wellbeing
Counseling provides preventative programs, supports for transitions and crises, and advises RVA staff. Student Health Services aim to promote mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing. The on campus health clinic is a 20 bed facility with a nurse on duty or on call 24 hours a day. The team collaborates with Kijabe Hospital to provide broader care when needed. Staff strive to help students thrive in Africa and beyond.

Safeguarding
Rift Valley Academy has a Child Safeguarding Policy. The policy states that the safety of the child is paramount and safeguarding is a core value. The policy provides guidelines for evaluating and making decisions in situations that involve harm or possible harm to a child. If there is a safety concern, contact is via the email address childsafety@rva.org. The policy includes a commitment to respond to any abuse allegations that occurred at Rift Valley Academy and offers contact with the AIM child safety officer for confidential handling.
Parent Experience

History
Rift Valley Academy began in 1906 when Charles Hurlburt arranged for Josephine Hope to teach his children in Kenya, leading to the school that would become RVA. In August 1909, President Teddy Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Kiambogo building. RVA expanded education through the 12th grade and hosted its first graduating class in 1950. In 1967, under Roy Entwistle's leadership, RVA became the first school in Africa to receive American accreditation. Today RVA serves about 400 students from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Europe and maintains affiliation with Africa Inland Mission.

Community
RVA fosters a Christ-centered boarding community. Dorm families, discipleship, dorm devotions, Christ-centered classrooms, and a variety of worship experiences form daily life and create opportunities to learn beside and from peers. The school promotes outreach to the Kenyan community through weekly praise chapels, prayer groups, mentorship of younger students, student worship services, hospital outreach, street ministry, and orphan care. Leadership and cultural activities provide additional growth avenues, including National Honor Society, Model United Nations, Student Council, and interim field studies, where eleventh and twelfth graders tackle contemporary African issues during interim trips.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Rift Valley Academy sits on 90 acres on the upper escarpment overlooking Kenya's Rift Valley. It includes an elementary, a junior high, and a senior high school. The campus contains nineteen student dormitories, staff housing, a gymnasium, a music building, a drama hall, two sports fields, tennis courts, and basketball courts, as well as an on-site chapel, cafeteria, and administrative building. Student health, counseling, and laundry facilities support boarding students and staff families. The campus is sometimes described as the 'school in the clouds' due to its elevation above 7,000 feet and its scenic surroundings.

Sports Facilities
The campus has a gymnasium, two sports fields, tennis courts, and basketball courts to support the athletics program.

Academic Facilities
Curriculum is international, with a North American curricular foundation. It is accredited by the Middle States Association (MSA). Rift Valley Academy is a member of associations including the National Association for College and Admission Counseling and the Kenya Association of Independent International Schools, and is a testing center for AP, SAT, PSAT and ACT, as well as Cambridge exams including IGCSE.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Visual Arts: The program emphasizes creative expression; Titchie level provides hands-on experience, while junior high and high school explore ink, pencil, watercolor, acrylics, and clay; advanced students maintain a personal portfolio. Performing Arts: 6th-8th grade music introduces band (instruments available to rent); high school includes wind ensemble, jazz, and strings, plus concert choir and private lessons when staffing allows; high school bands and choirs often tour within Kenya. Theatre: Junior high offers introductory theatre; high school students participate in more complex theatre elements including set design, lighting, sound, costuming, and props. Arts Gallery: An arts gallery showcases student work.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
RVA follows a North American curriculum across Elementary, Junior High, and High School. The Junior High program includes English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Communication and Information Technology, Bible, Physical Education, Fine Arts, Music, and Life Skills. The High School program includes English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Communication and Information Technology, Foreign Language, Bible, Physical Education, Fine Arts, and Life Skills, with Advanced Placement courses and the option of a College Prep Diploma or a standard diploma. The school operates on a year‑round, single‑track schedule from August to July. Graduates have gone on to attend Brown, Caltech, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Yale, and other notable universities.

Arts & Creative
Visual Arts are offered from Titchie (Little Learner) through Junior High and High School; students work with ink, pencil, watercolor, acrylics, and clay, maintaining a portfolio as they progress. The Performing Arts include Sixth to Eighth Grade band, High School wind ensemble, jazz band and strings, concert choir, and private lessons, with annual tours within Kenya. The Theatre program introduces acting, movement, voice, and technical theatre elements at junior high, expanding to set design, lighting, and costumes in high school.

Cultural & Language
RVA serves about 500 students representing 30 nationalities. Leadership and cultural activities include National Honor Society, Model United Nations, Student Council and Interim field studies. During interim trips, eleventh and twelfth grade students tackle contemporary African issues while engaging with diverse communities.

Social & Hobbies
Junior High offers drama, a concert band, and an athletic program (football/soccer, rugby, volleyball, and basketball), with Seventh and Eighth graders also attending chapel and participating in Junior High Rock. High School features wind ensemble, jazz band, strings, concert choir, and private vocal/instrumental lessons, with annual tours within Kenya. In addition, RVA offers interscholastic athletics for both women's and men's teams, including soccer, basketball, rugby, volleyball, and tennis.

Community & Service
RVA conducts weekly community outreach activities, including praise chapels, prayer groups, mentorship of younger students, student worship services, outreach to local hospitals, street ministry, and orphan care.

Leadership & Professional
RVA provides leadership and cultural opportunities such as National Honor Society, Model United Nations, Student Council, and Interim field studies.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Athletics includes women's sports (soccer, basketball, field hockey, volleyball, tennis) and men's sports (soccer, basketball, rugby, volleyball, tennis). Physical Education is provided each term as part of the high school program. The campus features facilities including a gymnasium, a music building, a drama hall, multiple sports fields, and tennis courts to support physical and recreational activities.
Languages

Language Provision
English is the language of instruction at RVA, with ESL support available for students who need it. The high school program includes a Foreign Language, and AP courses typically include French.
Reputation

Accreditations
Middle States Association (MSA)
Admissions

Admissions
1. Fill out the Request More Information form. The Admissions office will send you the appropriate application information and forms. 2. Complete and submit the application form along with all supporting documentation. 3. Submit the non-refundable application processing fee. 4. Once RVA receives all required application items, we begin reviewing your child's application for admission. Students are placed on the appropriate waiting list based on the date of the completed application (all items received). Note: Applicants whose parents serve with Africa Inland Mission are given priority until April 1st. After that date, applicants whose parents serve with other mission organizations are considered. If space remains, Kenyan nationals and expatriate applicants may be invited to come for an interview and testing. These applications are reviewed in mid-June. 5. If space is available, RVA will grant provisional acceptance. Please send all enrollment forms at this time, along with the enrollment deposit. The enrollment forms and deposit must be received within 30 days of provisional acceptance for final acceptance to be granted. 6. Once all enrollment forms are received and reviewed, and the enrollment deposit is paid in full, the Admissions office will confirm the final acceptance of the applicant. The school motto is “We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God.” –John Stott. Please note: -We desire to provide a quality education for children whose parents live in remote areas of Africa, serving the Lord as missionaries, and who have no other schooling options. For these reasons, we are unable to accept children whose families reside on other continents. -All applicants must submit results of a standardized achievement test from within the last two years. -Students whose first language is not English, and who have not attended a school where the curriculum is delivered in English for at least two years, are required to submit the results of an English Proficiency test. -Math and foreign language screening tests are given to new high school students during their first day or two at RVA to ensure placement at the proper level. -New high school students who want to enroll in band and/or choir are required to audition.

Waitlist
The waitlist operates by placing applicants on the appropriate waiting list based on the date the completed application (all items received) is submitted. If space becomes available, provisional acceptance is granted. Enrollment forms and the enrollment deposit must be submitted within 30 days of provisional acceptance for final acceptance.
School Events
The school has not added events
Search for more schools
Search schools in Kenya View all schools in Kijabe View all schools in Kenya British curriculum schools in Kenya Open days & tours in Kijabe What is the British curriculum? View all schools Search all schools