In 2026, Kenya’s higher education landscape shows a clear preference for healthcare, technology, and infrastructure-related courses.
According to KUCCPS, total university and college placements for the 2025/2026 intake reached 310,502 students, with approximately 194,372 enrolled in degree programmes.
Popular courses include nursing, medicine, software engineering, digital marketing, and cybersecurity—reflecting both domestic demand and global employment opportunities.
Dr. Mercy Wahome, CEO of KUCCPS, highlighted the intense competition for professional degrees. “A programme like medicine, we place less than 1,000 across all universities, yet more than 10,000 students apply, so they may not all fit,” she said.
DEMAND
She encouraged students to explore other sectors with untapped potential, including agriculture, MSMEs, housing, and healthcare, which often go under-enrolled despite strong national demand. Nursing, in particular, remains highly sought after, with Dr. Wahome noting, “We advise our students to go for nursing courses because the demand is high… The demand for nursing is international.”
Institutions such as the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) illustrate this trend: the college received 52,725 applications for the 2025 intake but could only accommodate 34,048 students, demonstrating the gap between interest and available capacity.
At the University of Nairobi, 620 new students were admitted into health sciences programmes—including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, surgery, and nursing—reflecting careful allocation to critical skills sectors.
GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES
Beyond healthcare, courses in technology and data are also highly marketable. Software engineering, data science, and cybersecurity top student searches, driven by Kenya’s growing tech hub status and remote work potential.
CS Julius Migos Ogamba, during the release of the 2025 KCSE results, emphasized the importance of equipping graduates with globally relevant skills: “Take advantage of platforms such as Digtalent to develop the right skill. The education and knowledge you have acquired here provide a robust foundation for you to adapt and thrive in any work environment internationally.”
STUDENT CHOICES
Prof. Margaret Hutchinson, Vice Chancellor at the University of Nairobi, stressed innovation and leadership as key outcomes for graduates. “Small foxes ruin the vineyard… destiny is rarely spoiled by one big failure, but more often by the ‘small compromises’ that gradually erode one’s potential,” she said, urging students to embrace creativity and practical solutions in healthcare, AI, and engineering.
As Kenya transitions from the 8-4-4 system, education leaders continue to advocate for aligning student choices with marketable skills and national priorities. With 270,715 candidates achieving C+ and above in the 2025 KCSE, the race for limited spots in competitive courses highlights the need for careful planning, while underscoring the growing significance of health, technology, and infrastructure for Kenya’s economic future
