For Prospective Students For Government For Partners The Maman Joia Story MSAI Program Apply for Fall 2027

I am a prospective student a government or public institution a partner or funder

For prospective students

Become one of the 25 founding engineers.

The inaugural cohort of the Master of Science in Engineering Artificial Intelligence begins in Fall 2027 in Kinshasa. Everything you need to decide, prepare and apply is on this page.

Key dates

Four dates to keep.

Now

Leave your details and we will write to you the day applications open.

January 15, 2027

Applications open

The full application form becomes available on this site.

March 31, 2027

Applications close

The deadline for the inaugural cohort.

Fall 2027

The cohort begins

25 places. Two years, four semesters, 120 ECTS.

Is the MSAI for you?

Built for engineers who want to solve Congolese problems with AI.

A completed first degree. A Licence, Bachelor or equivalent — for example in engineering, computer science, mathematics or physics.
Programming and mathematics. The courses assume undergraduate-level programming and mathematics. The application asks about both, so tell us honestly where you stand.
A problem you care about. Every student's thesis addresses a real development challenge in the DRC. You will be asked to describe one.
French or English. The program is taught in French and English.

What you will study

From foundations to a thesis on a real challenge.

Each semester builds on the last. The full course list, with codes and hours, is in the curriculum matrix.

SEMESTER 1

Foundations

AI and data science, programming and data infrastructure, research methods and ethics, digital policy, data governance and cybersecurity.

SEMESTER 2

Applied AI & Inclusion

Applied machine learning, language technology for African languages, IoT and edge computing, human-centered design, and the first project lab.

SEMESTER 3

Advanced Topics & Innovation

Deep learning and data mining, big data and cloud systems, entrepreneurship, a development seminar, and building your capstone.

SEMESTER 4

Capstone & Thesis

An independent research project on a real problem, sponsored by an industry or public-sector organization.

Open the full curriculum matrix →

How you will learn

Hybrid by design, and built for real connectivity.

Campus and remote. Teaching combines time in Kinshasa with remote study.
Offline when you need it. Course content is delivered through the MoodleCloud learning platform online and through the NKOD.IA Box offline.
Hands-on hardware. Edge AI kits and sensor nodes, built around the NKOD.IA Box.
Faculty from the diaspora. Through our Brain Gain strategy, we are recruiting Congolese scholars working at leading institutions abroad to teach in the program.

The application

What you will be asked for.

The form saves your answers on your device as you type and works on slow connections, so you can finish it over several sittings.

Your details and record
Identity and contact details, your degree, and your experience with mathematics and programming.
Two short statements
Why the MSAI, and why now (150–500 words). A DRC development challenge you want to address with AI (100–300 words).
Documents and referees
Links to your CV, diploma and transcripts — or send them later by email — and one or two referees.

Tuition & funding

Ask us about cost and support.

For tuition and financial support, write to info@nkodia.ai.

The application asks how you plan to fund your studies, including whether you will need a scholarship.

DRC accreditation: pending

Recognition of the institution and the program by DRC authorities is in progress. Every applicant is asked to acknowledge this.

Other pathways

GovernmentFor public institutionsLegal status, national alignment and how to work with us. PartnersFor partners and fundersSponsor a capstone, co-research, teach, equip or fund. ResearchThe Maman Joia storyThe kind of real problem the MSAI is built around.