The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has officially opened its 2026 university placement portal, inviting students who sat for the 2025 KCSE exams to apply for degree programmes in various institutions across the country.
The application window, which was launched on Tuesday, April 7, will remain open until May 6, giving eligible candidates four weeks to submit their course selections.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed the development after receiving a briefing from KUCCPS officials led by Chief Executive Officer Agnes Wahome and Board Chair Cyrus Gituai.
“This placement cycle has officially opened,” Ogamba said, urging students to take advantage of the opportunity.
How to apply for KUCCPS placement
Candidates who attained a minimum grade of C+ in the 2025 KCSE examinations are eligible to apply for degree programmes through the KUCCPS online portal.
Applicants are required to:
- Log in to the student portal using their KCSE index number and year
- Use their KCPE index number or birth certificate number as the password if needed
- Select preferred courses and institutions based on qualifications and interest
The portal features a wide range of programmes offered across 42 public universities and the Open University of Kenya, where students can benefit from both government scholarships and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) support.
Additionally, about 30 private universities are listed, although students placed in these institutions will only qualify for HELB loans and not government scholarships.
Courses grouped by competitiveness
KUCCPS has grouped available programmes into 20 clusters, each with varying levels of competitiveness depending on demand, available slots, and institutional capacity.
To guide applicants, the placement body has provided previous cut-off points, enabling students to make informed decisions when selecting courses.
Highly competitive courses such as medicine, engineering, and law are expected to attract higher cut-off points, while others may have more flexible entry thresholds.
Support centres available nationwide
Students experiencing difficulties during the application process have been advised to seek assistance at Huduma Centres across the country.
KUCCPS has already trained officers in all 59 Huduma Centres to support applicants and parents through the process.
“The trained Huduma officers will support students and parents seeking KUCCPS services,” the agency noted in an earlier statement.
The placement exercise is a crucial step for thousands of students transitioning to higher education, determining their academic and career pathways in the coming years.
