A day after KUCCPS opened the portal for university courses application, the agency has reminded Kenyans that those who sat for KCSE exam 25 years ago also have a chance for placement.
Candidates who scored C+ and above from 2000 to 2025 can request to join the Open University of Kenya (OUK), one of the innovative measures the government has taken to grow access to university education. It is not the first time this is happening.
University managers and education sector monitors have lately been urging the government to stop tying higher learning admissions to physical infrastructure and allocations from the Treasury.
OUK was awarded a Charter on August 3, 2023, revealing the government’s commitment to grow higher education opportunities beyond the brick-and-mortar universities.
The OUK uses teaching and learning methodologies, including online and distance education, aligning with global trends in higher education.
Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) opened the online applications for degrees and TVET programmes on April 7 to run up to May 6.
So far, the government has not explained why the KUCCPS applications are not open to earlier years than 2000, considering that Kenyans have been going back to school for new skills and qualifications irrespective of age.
“Whereas applicants for degree programmes will join universities from September, those applying for TVET programmes will be able to report to their respective colleges starting May, since TVET placement is continuous,” KUCCPS said in a statement.
KUCCPS noted that the 2025 KCSE cohort comprises 980,444 eligible candidates, of whom 268,700 attained a C+ and above, giving them eligibility for degree programmes. The remaining 711,744 candidates, who scored between C Plain and E, can join TVET institutions.
According to the placement agency, the Commission for University Education (CUE) approved 322,396 degree slots, while TVET institutions have a combined capacity of 1,132,531 training spaces.
This year’s placement cycle covers 43 public universities, 31 private universities, and 251 public TVET colleges, including 33 university-based TVET institutes. Secondary teacher training colleges also have a combined capacity of 2,480 spaces.
The placement agency also confirmed that applicants with any KCSE grade ranging from A to E who sat their examinations between 2000 and 2025 are eligible to apply for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes.
TVET placements are continuous, a strategy that KUCCPS says allows successful applicants to join institutions from May, while university admissions begin in September.
University and college programmes are vetted by the CUE and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) ahead of the applications, creating room for access to new programmes and industry updates for market-ready graduates.
KUCCPS will release a programme on how its officers will be deployed across the country to assist applicants while additional support is available at Huduma Centres nationwide.
