Problem: Despite the growing problems of global alcohol abuse, accurate information on the prevalence of alcohol abuse among university students in Kenya is still inadequate. Objective: The study therefore aimed to determine the prevalence and socio demographic determinants of alcohol abuse among university students Design. The study design was a cross-sectional analytical, that utilized quantitative methods. Setting: The study was conducted in Kakamega County, located in Western Kenya. Sample: Stratified random sampling was utilized to select the study group. Analysis: Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Data presentation was done using frequency tables, charts and in narratives. The alpha level for all the computations was considered significant at an α <0.05. Main outcome measures: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test questionnaire (AUDIT) was used to assess the prevalence of alcohol abuse Results. The participants included 112 students in year 1, 101 students in year 2, 80 students in year 3 and 162 students in year 4. Prevalence results showed that majority of the respondents (78.9%) claimed to have never taken a drink containing alcohol and most of the respondents (86.5%) were at low risk level of alcohol abuse with scores of between 0-7 in the AUDIT. The study found significant association between the prevalence of alcohol abuse and the year of study, marital status, family's economic status and the living arrangements (with whom). There was no significant association between the prevalence of alcohol abuse and age, course of study undertaken and place of residence. Conclusion: It was concluded that alcohol abuse is generally less prevalent among university students and is associated with year of study, marital status, family economic status and living arrangement. Recommendation: Based on the findings of this study, there is need to detect, strengthen various policies and programs and accordingly make changes to address the factors that contribute to alcohol abuse in the institutions of higher learning in Kenyan.