Ethiopia: A Hot Education Destination For International Students

Are you looking towards Ethiopia as Study Abroad Destination? Well, perhaps you might be interested in knowing Ethiopia as a country, visa requirements, courses and colleges etc. Here is brief discussion about Ethiopia as I know it from different sources like Internet Databases, Books and Periodicals etc to help students looking for admission in Ethiopia.

About Ethiopia

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a country situated in the Horn of Africa. The countries that border Ethiopia are Eritrea to the north, Kenya to the South, Sudan to the west, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Ethiopia has second largest population in the world. It is the 10th largest country in terms of land area in Africa. Ethiopia is important in studying human evolution. It’s the only country that escaped from Colonialism and escaped the Scramble for Africa, although, there was a five-year military occupation by fascist Italy from 1936 to 1941. Ethiopia is the second oldest country after Armenia that has officially adopted Christianity, although it has been secular since 1974.


The present day Ethiopia is divided into nine administrative states, and sub divided onto sixty-eight zones and two chartered cities. It is further subdivided into 550 woredas and six special woredas. The nine regions and two chartered cities are:


1. Addis Ababa,

2. Afar,

3. Amhara,

4. Benishangul-Gumuz,

5. Dire Dawa,

6. Gambela,

7. Harari,

8. Oromia,

9. Somali,

10. Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region, and

11. Tigray



Ethiopia is divided into three climatic zones-



a) the cool zone above 7900 ft, the temperature at this zone stays around near freezing to 16 degree Celsius;

b) the temperate zone at height of 4900 – 7900 ft, the temperature at this zone stays around 16 to 30 degree Celsius; and

c) the hot zone, the day temperature at this zone stays around 16 to 30 degree Celsius.


The topography of Ethiopia ranges from several very high mountain ranges to one of the lowest areas of land in Africa, the Danakil depression. The normal rainy season is from mid-June to mid-September (longer in the southern highlands) preceded by intermittent showers from February or March; the remainder of the year is generally dry. Ethiopia is one of the seven fundamental and independent centers of origin of cultivated plants of the world.


Ethiopia is a Federal Parliamentary Republic; the head of the government is prime minister. The government of Ethiopia exercises executive power; the federal legislative power is vested on both the government and the two chambers of parliament. The judiciary system is much or less free from the executive and the legislature. The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia started working in August 1995. The first President was Negasso Gidada.


Agriculture employed 80% work force. The main crops are coffee, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, potatoes, vegetables and sugarcane. The economy of Ethiopia depends on agriculture, marketing, processing, and export of agricultural products. Production is overwhelmingly of a subsistence nature, and a large part of commodity exports are provided by the small agricultural cash-crop sector. According to a report of 1987, Ethiopia’s livestock population is believed to be the largest in Africa, which accounts for 15 percent of GDP. The principal foreign exchange earner for Ethiopia is Coffee crop. Ethiopia is also the 10th largest producer of livestock in the world. Ethiopia has large number of minerals and petroleum resources.


Ethiopia has become a member of the League of Nations in 1923, signed the Declaration by United Nations in 1942; was one of the fifty-one original members of the United Nations (UN); founded the UN headquarters in Africa; and currently hosts the headquarters of the African Union (formerly the Organization of African Unity) of which it was the principal founder.

Visa Requirements To Study In Ethiopia

International Students require to apply for a Visa to study in Ethiopia. The common minimum requirements to apply for a Ethiopian student visa are:

• Accepted by a college / university in Ethiopia to pursue a Full Time Course.
• Possess required eligibility certificates to take admission in one such.
• Hold a valid Passport for the intended period of stay.
• Proof of income or sufficient means to support studies in Ethiopia
• Health Certificate issued by a competent hospital from the home country.
• Candididates holding above documents may apply for Visa with nearest Foreign Mission Office of Ethiopia in the home country.

Ethiopia also welcomes candidates for part time sudies, log term studies like research programs and training programs etc. For detailed visa requirements for different level of studies you are advised to check with Official Website of Ethiopia Government.



List of Universities in Ethiopia

Ethiopia @ A Glance

Official Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

National Anthem: Wodefit Gesgeshi, Widd Innat Ityopp'ya

"March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia"


Capital: Adidis Ababa


Largest City: Adidis Ababa


Official Languages: Amharic


Government: Federal Republic


Establishment: 10th Century BC

- Traditional date c.980 BC

- Kingdom of Dʿmt 8th century BC

Kingdom of Aksum 1st centuary BC


Total Area: 426 371 sq mi


Population: 75 067 000 (According to 2006 estimates)


Currency: Birr (ETB)


Time Zone: EAT (UTC+3)

Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+3)


Internet TLD: .et


Calling Code: +251