Thousands of students can now begin preparing for higher education after the government released the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) placement results for the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates.
The announcement, made by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on Wednesday, July 8, marks the start of admissions into universities, colleges and technical institutions for the 2025/2026 academic year.
Ogamba said 293,869 students have been successfully placed in different institutions across the country. The figure is much higher than the previous annual average of about 70,000 placements, showing a significant increase in the number of learners joining higher education through the KUCCPS system.
Among those placed, 202,133 students secured admission to degree programmes. Another 28,246 were admitted to the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC). A further 500 students were placed in Diploma in Law (Paralegal) programmes, while 765 secured places at Kenya Utalii College. In addition, 875 students were admitted to secondary Teacher Training College (TTC) programmes.
The placement exercise also marked a first for Kenya Utalii College, which has now been included in the KUCCPS central placement system. This gives students another option when applying for higher education programmes.
Ogamba also noted that 8,915 students who qualified for degree programmes chose Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses instead. The decision reflects growing interest among learners in practical and skills-based education that prepares them for different career opportunities.
Students can now log into their KUCCPS accounts to check the institutions and courses they have been allocated. The online portal provides details of each student’s placement, making it easier for applicants to confirm their admission.
To give students more flexibility, the Education CS announced that the inter-institution transfer period has been extended from two weeks to one month. This will allow those wishing to change their institutions or courses more time to submit their requests.
Ogamba also directed universities and colleges to begin issuing admission letters and joining instructions without delay so that successful applicants can prepare for reporting.
He further announced that the Higher Education Financing portal has been opened for first-time applicants. Newly placed students can now apply for government scholarships and student loans to support their studies.
According to the Ministry of Education, 980,535 candidates who sat the 2025 KCSE examination were eligible to apply for placement. Out of these, 270,508 attained the minimum C+ grade required for degree programmes.
KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Dr Agnes Mercy Wahome said the placement exercise covered 81 per cent of students who qualified for university admission. She added that demand for some courses remained much higher than the available spaces.
For example, 6,500 students applied for Bachelor of Medicine programmes, yet universities had capacity for only 702 students.
Meanwhile, the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has also opened applications for Undergraduate Subsequent Loans. First-time university students can also begin applying for government scholarships and student loans through the Higher Education Financing portal as they prepare to join their respective institutions.
