More than 293,000 students who sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination have secured places in universities and colleges after the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) released the 2026/27 placement results on Tuesday.
The results were released by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba at the Edge Convention Centre, College of Insurance, South C, Nairobi.
A total of 980,535 students who sat the 2025 KCSE examination were given an opportunity to apply for courses of their choice through the KUCCPS portal.
Of these, 270,508 attained the minimum university entry grade of C+ and above and were eligible to apply for degree programmes, while the rest applied for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses.
Overall, KUCCPS placed 293,869 students in degree programmes, Level 6 diploma courses, Level 5 craft certificate courses and Level 4 artisan certificate programmes across universities and other tertiary institutions.
The placement includes 202,133 students admitted to degree programmes, 28,246 to the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), 500 to the diploma in law (Paralegal Studies) programme at the Kenya School of Law, 765 to Kenya Utalii College and 875 to secondary Teacher Training College (TTC) programmes.
Ogamba said 8,915 students who qualified for degree programmes opted to pursue non-degree courses and were among those placed in tertiary institutions.
He noted that TVET institutions are increasingly offering modularised curricula through short, accessible and certifiable competency-based units that take between three and six months, providing learners with more flexible training pathways.
The Cabinet Secretary acknowledged that not all eligible candidates applied for placement, saying some had chosen alternative routes to higher education and training.
“We recognise that some eligible students did not apply for placement because they may have opted to pursue alternative pathways to higher education and training. For example, they may have joined the disciplined forces, enrolled in overseas training, or taken up self-sponsored programmes in universities and colleges that did not go through the KUCCPS portal,” Ogamba said.
He added that other students may have failed to apply because of various personal circumstances.
“I have requested KUCCPS to come up with a study programme to track those students. But if there are those who missed the opportunity to apply for any other reason, we are going to give them a chance to re-apply,” he said.
Ogamba announced that the ministry had directed KUCCPS to immediately develop a mechanism to facilitate late applications for placement and urged all eligible candidates who missed the initial application window to take advantage of the new opportunity.
He also said students who are dissatisfied with the institutions or courses to which they have been assigned will have more time to seek transfers.
“The transfer window for those who are not satisfied with the institutions where they have been placed will be extended from the usual two weeks to one month,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary directed universities and colleges to immediately begin the admission process and issue joining instructions to successful applicants.
He also urged students seeking government financial support to submit their applications without delay.
“The Higher Education Portal is now open for first-time applicants at www.hef.co.ke or www.helb.co.ke. All students interested in funding are therefore advised to apply as soon as possible,” he said.
Ogamba said all students who applied for placement are guaranteed of timely admission.
He said the Commission for University Education approved 327,157 vacancies across the country’s 43 public and 33 private universities for the 2026/27 academic year.
“We had more spaces than we had people who qualified. Another one million slots are available in public TVET institutions,” he said.
He said the latest placement figures reflect a changing mindset among learners and growing acceptance of diverse career pathways, adding that the government’s increased investment in education continues to support expanded access to higher education and skills training.
The Cabinet Secretary commended KUCCPS for its career guidance and placement efforts and wished the successful students well as they prepare to begin the next phase of their academic journey.
He noted that the placement exercise has expanded significantly since KUCCPS conducted its first placement in June 2014, when only 72,338 students were placed in universities and colleges, compared to 293,869 students placed this year.