ICDL Colleges in Nairobi: Check the Test Centre Before You Check the Fees

Here’s a question worth asking before you compare prices between ICDL colleges in Nairobi: can this college actually test and certify me, or does it only teach the material?

Those are two different things. A college can run a course built around the ICDL syllabus and hand you its own certificate at the end. An authorised ICDL test centre can put you through the official ICDL tests, which lead to ICDL certification. Only the second gives you the internationally recognised credential most people are paying for.

This guide shows you how to tell them apart in about two minutes.

Training provider vs authorised test centre

You’ll also see ICDL expanded two ways, “International Computer Driving Licence” and “International Certificate of Digital Literacy”. Same family of certification. Don’t let the name trip you up. Let the test centre listing settle it.

How to verify any ICDL college in Nairobi

1. Open the official ICDL test centre finder for Kenya.
2. Look for the college by name.
3. Check that the name and location match the place you’re about to pay.
4. If the college isn’t listed, ask them directly why, and which test centre their students sit at.

Some colleges partner with a separate test centre. That can work, but you should know upfront where you’ll be tested, when, and whether the test fee is included.

Questions to ask any ICDL college

Once you know a college is genuine, these questions separate a good experience from a frustrating one:

• Which modules does the fee cover? Base is 4 modules, Standard is 7. Don’t assume.
• Do I get official practice materials? At Excel Global College you get ICDL Skillsbox and official learning resources.
• Are trainers certified in ICDL delivery? Ours are.
• How big are classes? We keep them small so trainers can give personal attention.
• What are the retake terms if I don’t pass a module? Get this in writing.
• Can I pay in parts? We accept M-Pesa, bank transfer and cash, and ICDL is priced per level or per module.

ICDL at Excel Global College

We’re an authorised ICDL test centre in Parklands, opposite CITAM Church on Second Parklands Avenue. You train and sit your tests in one building.

From our ICDL page, October 2026.

Classes run in four weekday slots (7:00 to 9:00 am, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, 2:00 to 5:00 pm and 5:30 to 8:00 pm) plus weekends, online or in person. We’re also a Certiport exam centre and Microsoft IT Academy, so if you later want Microsoft Office Specialist certification, that’s in the same building too.

We’ve been training in Nairobi for over 10 years. Our Google rating is based on 189 reviews, and a few mention ICT courses by name, including cybersecurity, which is one of our ICDL Professional modules.

Red flags to watch for

• “ICDL-equivalent” or “ICDL-based” certificates with no mention of official ICDL tests.
• A college that won’t say where you’ll sit the tests.
• A full ICDL Standard course promised in a week or two.
• Fees that change each time you ask.

If any of these come up, use the test centre finder before you hand over a shilling.

Want to understand the full journey from enrolment to certificate? Read How ICDL Courses in Kenya Work, Step by Step. Comparing colleges more broadly? Use our 12-point visit checklist.

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