The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service has officially opened its online application system for the 2026 placement to universities, colleges, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
In a statement released on Tuesday, KUCCPS announced that the application window opened on April 7, 2026, and will run until May 6, 2026, targeting the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education candidates as well as Form Four leavers from previous years.
“The application process is now open, and we encourage all eligible candidates to submit their applications within the stipulated timelines,” KUCCPS said.
The placement body noted that candidates from the 2025 KCSE cohort are eligible to apply for both degree and TVET programmes. Successful applicants for degree programmes are expected to join universities in September, while those applying for TVET courses will begin reporting to their respective institutions as early as May, given the continuous nature of TVET placements.
According to KUCCPS, a total of 980,444 candidates sat the 2025 KCSE examinations. Of these, 268,700 attained a mean grade of C+ and above, qualifying them for placement in degree programmes across 43 public and 31 private universities. The remaining 711,744 candidates, who scored between C plain and E, are eligible for placement in TVET institutions and other public colleges.
“The minimum requirement for degree programmes remains a mean grade of C+ (plus), while TVET programmes are open to all candidates who scored between A and E from the year 2000 to 2025,” KUCCPS stated.
Additionally, KUCCPS highlighted that students who attained a C+ and above are also eligible to apply for degree programmes at the Open University of Kenya.
Placement into institutions will be conducted strictly on merit, in line with the Universities Act. KUCCPS emphasized that course selection, KCSE performance, and available capacity will all be considered.
“We urge applicants to carefully select their courses and institutions based on their interests and qualifications, as placement will be competitive and merit-based,” the agency added.
For the 2026/2027 placement cycle, universities submitted programmes approved by the Commission for University Education, while TVET institutions were accredited by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority.
CUE approved a total capacity of 322,396 slots for degree programmes, while TVET institutions have a combined capacity of 1,132,531 across diploma, certificate, and artisan courses. Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) have an additional capacity of 2,480.
To support applicants during the application period, KUCCPS announced that its officers will be deployed across universities and TVET institutions nationwide. Assistance will also be available at Huduma Centres, with further details accessible on the KUCCPS website.
“We are committed to ensuring that every eligible candidate receives the necessary support to successfully apply and secure placement,” KUCCPS said.
Meanwhile, KUCCPS confirmed that it had concluded placement for the March 2026 intake to the Kenya Medical Training College. Candidates interested in KMTC programmes will have another opportunity to apply for the September 2026 intake after the university placement process is complete.
“Applicants who repeated specific subjects to meet KMTC requirements will also be eligible to apply through the KUCCPS portal,” the agency noted.
