This thesis deals with the home or family and out of home as well as self related factors that influence the motivation of the youth of higher educational insti~ utes in Addis Ababa to use and avoid mv - VCT services. In undertaking the study, the descriptive survey method was used. Higher education institutes, parents and counsdors were first identified using the purposive sampling method. Then, three sample higher education institutes i.e. colleges owned privately and by government were selected randomly from business and medical colleges in Addis Ababa. There were also three focus groups randomly selected from Universities and Colleges in Addis Ababa. Questionnaire, structured iiitcrv2ew forms :md focus grmlps disc3ss:ons were employed for dab!. coUectioJl~ ~he subjects of the study included a total of 505 youth (college students), 25 parents, 18 counselors, and 18 focus group member youth under three focus groups from Universities and Colleges. Percentages, frequency distributions and gender, age, family level, access to multimedia and sexual experience differencesand parity indexes were applied in analyzing and reporting the results. The major findings revealed that: the attitude of the youth themselves and the parents as well as the people in general towards mv and mv -VCT has great influence on the usage and avoidance of mv - VCT services. Because of stigmatization of mY, privacy and confidentiality are the most influential factors that the youth consider to use or avoid HIV - VCT services. HIV - VCT used female youth and youth in general found in the age group 20 - 23 years are higher in percentage or more prevalent than tested male youth and youth in general found in the age group 14 - 19 years respectively in higher educlltion institutes in Addis Ababa. Recommendations forwarded include: VCT services should be integrated into other services including on going medical care and psychological as well as material and educational supports. A referral system should be developed in consultation with NGOs, community based organizations as well as with networks of people living with HIV and AIDS. The youth themselves and the parents as well as other groups of the community also should be sensitized through IEC using different multimedia so that they can improve or promote their attitude and awareness of HIV and the advantages-of using mv - vcr services to minimize VCT barrier. The counseling service should be more qualitative, practically meaningful and youth oriented. It should also take into consideration the different alternatives to minimize the cost and other VCT barriers