Established since 1994 through the efforts of graduates of American Universities under the leadership of Mr. Dimandja Kasongo, the American University of Kinshasa is a private, nonprofit and nonsectarian institution. It is licensed to confer degrees by the Congolese Ministry of Higher Education.

The faculty is made up of graduates of American Universities, 44 full time professors and includes visiting professors and experts from the United States. Most popular majors include medicine,nursing , computer science / information technology, and social sciences. Thousands of qualified applicants are refused due to lack of critical resources facing the University, including laboratory equipment, computers, classroom spaces, and medical equipment.