Nikifaulu mtihani huu, nitapata fursa ya kusoma chuo kikuu.

Nikifaulu can be broken down like this:

• ni- = I
• -ki- = a marker often used for if / when
• -faulu = pass or succeed

So nikifaulu means if I pass or when I pass.

One thing English speakers often notice is that Swahili can pack a lot into one verb form. Instead of using separate words like if I pass, Swahili can express that in a single word.

In Swahili, the subject is usually built into the verb.

So in:

• nikifaulu
• nitapata

the ni- at the beginning already means I.

You only need a separate pronoun like mimi if you want emphasis, contrast, or clarity. For example, Mimi nikifaulu... would sound more like As for me, if I pass...

They are doing different jobs:

• ni-ki-faulu = if/when I pass
• ni-ta-pata = I will get

So:

• -ki- marks the conditional or time relationship in the first clause
• -ta- marks the future in the main clause

This is a very common pattern in Swahili:

• Nikifanya kazi, nitapata pesa. = If I work, I will get money.

So the sentence structure is:

Nikifaulu mtihani huu, nitapata...
= If I pass this exam, I will get...

It can suggest either, depending on context.

Most basically, nikifaulu means if I pass. But in real use, it can also feel like when I pass or once I pass, especially if the speaker is confident.

So the Swahili form is a little broader than a strict English if.

In Swahili, demonstratives like this usually come after the noun, not before it.

So:

• mtihani huu = this exam
• literally, it is more like exam this

Also, the demonstrative has to agree with the noun class.
Mtihani belongs to the class that takes huu in the singular, so huu is the correct form here.

Mtihani is a singular noun in the m-/mi- class, and that affects agreement.

That is why you get:

• mtihani huu = this exam

The word huu matches the noun class of mtihani.

This agreement system is one of the big features of Swahili grammar. Words like demonstratives, adjectives, and connectors often change form to match the noun they refer to.

This part means an opportunity to study.

Here is the structure:

• fursa = opportunity / chance
• ya = a connector meaning something like of / for
• kusoma = to study

So fursa ya kusoma literally means something like opportunity of studying or chance to study.

The ya agrees with fursa, because fursa belongs to a noun class that uses ya for this kind of connection.

It can mean both.

That is very common in Swahili:

• kusoma kitabu = to read a book
• kusoma shule / kusoma chuo kikuu = to study at school / university

So the exact meaning depends on context. In this sentence, kusoma clearly means to study.

Chuo kikuu is the normal Swahili expression for university.

Yes, literally it comes from:

• chuo = institution/college/school
• kikuu = main, great, or major

So it is not just any big school. It is a fixed expression meaning university.

Also notice the adjective agreement:

• noun: chuo
• adjective root: -kuu
• agreeing form: kikuu

So the adjective follows the noun and changes form to match it.

Yes. Swahili often does not match English prepositions one-for-one.

With kusoma, it is normal to say:

• kusoma chuo kikuu

to mean study at university or go to university.

If you want to make the location more explicit, you could also say something like:

• kusoma katika chuo kikuu

But the version in your sentence is natural and common.

Swahili does not have articles like English the and a/an.

So nouns like:

• mtihani
• fursa
• chuo kikuu

do not need extra words for that.

Whether you translate them as an exam, the exam, a chance, or the opportunity depends on the context. In this sentence, mtihani huu is already specific because huu means this.