KUCCPS: Majority of 2024 KCSE Top Performers Yet to Apply for University Placement.
With less than two weeks remaining before the application deadline, more than half of the 2024 KCSE candidates who attained a C+ and above have yet to apply for university placement.
According to the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), only 104,514 out of 246,391 eligible students have submitted applications for degree programmes.
KUCCPS extended the application deadline from April 21 to April 30, 2025, in a move to accommodate more applicants. The Chief Executive Officer, Agnes Mercy Wahome, reported that the system had received over 104,000 degree applications so far.
Wahome urged students to consider enrolling in agricultural courses at the degree level, adding that the application platform had functioned smoothly, with improved integration through the e-Citizen system due to enhanced IT infrastructure.
To boost awareness, KUCCPS staff, including contracted personnel, are engaged in nationwide sensitisation campaigns. Wahome attributed the extension of the deadline to the increased number of applicants this year compared to previous years. Additionally, 8,130 students who qualified for degree programmes have instead opted for diploma courses.
These programmes are available in institutions such as technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Kenya School of Law (KSL), and the Morendat Institute of Oil and Gas.
System Capabilities and Placement Mechanics
The KUCCPS system evaluates student performance and aligns it with a specific cluster before placement decisions are made. The platform serves 2024 KCSE candidates for university and TVET placement, enabling them to begin their studies in the upcoming academic calendar starting between August and September.
Additionally, the system caters to candidates from previous years who had not previously secured government-sponsored placements in Diploma, Craft Certificate, and Artisan courses.
Universities have declared a total capacity of approximately 300,000 slots, sufficient to absorb all students who scored C+ and above. These declared capacities are regulated by the Commission for University Education (CUE), which evaluates institutional resources to determine how many students can be accommodated.
A significant development affecting university admissions is the High Court ruling in December, which nullified the government’s funding model introduced in May 2023.
Read Also Read: Top Degree Programs for B+, B, and B- Students in 2025 (KUCCPS)
This ruling left unclear how funding will be allocated to incoming first-year students and continuing learners in their second and third years. KUCCPS challenged the ruling, but the court rejected its request to stay the judgment, which would have allowed placement to proceed under the existing model. As a result, KUCCPS will no longer display programme costs on its portal as it had done over the previous two years.
Before the court’s decision, institutions of higher learning were required to publish actual course fees, helping students and their guardians make informed financial plans. Despite the ruling, students placed by KUCCPS will still be eligible for government support, including scholarships, loans, and bursaries.
However, centre applications—commonly known as school-based placement requests for government-sponsored slots—have been abolished and are no longer part of the process.
KUCCPS: Majority of 2024 KCSE Top Performers Yet to Apply for University Placement.
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