KUCCPS Interfaculty Transfer: How First-Year Students Can Change Their Course

If you were placed by KUCCPS and want to change your course but stay at the same university, you do not apply through KUCCPS. You apply directly to your university’s academic registrar. This process is called an interfaculty transfer (sometimes called an intra-institutional or intra-faculty transfer), and KUCCPS has confirmed it has no role in approving or processing it.

This is different from an inter-institutional transfer, which is moving to a different university or college altogether. That one does go through KUCCPS, has its own portal, deadlines and fee, and is a separate process covered later in this article.

Interfaculty Transfer vs Inter-Institutional Transfer: The Key Difference

Many first-year students placed in the 2026 intake have been confused about which body to approach when they want a different course. KUCCPS cleared this up directly, telling students that “interested students should engage their respective universities as the process is initiated internally at the universities.”

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Here’s how the two processes compare:

If you only want a different course and are happy to stay where you are, the interfaculty route is faster and does not involve KUCCPS at all.

How to Apply for an Interfaculty Transfer

Because each university sets its own process, there is no single national procedure. However, based on how Kenyan public and private universities typically run interfaculty transfers, you can generally expect the following steps:

1. Check your university’s transfer policy. Most universities publish this in the student handbook or on the academic registrar’s page. Some restrict transfers to specific windows, often within the first semester or year.
2. Confirm you meet the minimum subject and cluster requirements for the course you want to move into, similar to the KUCCPS placement requirements for that programme.
3. Write a formal application to the academic registrar or dean of the faculty you want to join, stating your reasons for the change.
4. Get sign-off from both faculties — the one you’re leaving and the one you’re joining — where the university requires this.
5. Pay any internal administrative fee the university charges for processing the change.
6. Wait for written confirmation before assuming the change has taken effect. Continue attending your original classes until you have that confirmation, so you don’t fall behind in either programme.

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Because timelines, fees and paperwork differ by institution, your academic registrar’s office is the only reliable source for your specific university’s requirements. If your university has an online student portal, check there first, as some now process these requests digitally rather than on paper.

Why This Distinction Matters Right Now

The clarification comes as thousands of students from the 2025 KCSE cohort settle into their first year at university and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. It’s common at this stage for students to realise their placed course doesn’t match their interests, their genuine academic strengths, or career plans — and to start looking for a way out.

KUCCPS receiving a flood of interfaculty queries suggests many students assumed the placement agency controls every part of their academic journey after placement. It doesn’t. Once you’re placed and enrolled, day-to-day academic administration — including changing your major or faculty — sits with the university.

The Inter-Institutional Transfer Route (For Changing Universities)

If your issue isn’t just the course but the institution itself, this is the process that runs through KUCCPS.

2026 transfer window: KUCCPS opened the 2026 inter-institutional transfer application on 17 July 2026, with a 30-day window that closed on 14 August 2026. The window was open to students from the 2023, 2024 and 2025 KCSE cohorts who had already been placed but wanted to move to a different institution.

If you missed the window, you’re not locked out. KUCCPS has confirmed that students from the 2025 KCSE cohort remain eligible to apply for an inter-institutional transfer in 2026 or 2027.

In the agency’s own words: “If they sat for KCSE in 2025, they are eligible for transfer this year, 2026, and/or next year, 2027.” KUCCPS is still processing backlogged transfer requests, and transfer letters are issued through the student portal once approved — so check your portal regularly rather than waiting for an email or SMS.

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Eligibility and Requirements

To qualify for an inter-institutional transfer, you generally need to:

• Have been officially placed by KUCCPS in the relevant admission cycle
• Meet the minimum subject cluster requirements for the programme you want to join
• Meet the current cut-off points for that specific programme and institution
• Confirm that the receiving institution has an available vacancy in that programme

If your cluster weight or grade falls below the cut-off for the programme at your target institution, the system will reject the transfer request automatically, regardless of how strong your reasons are.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply

1. Log in to the KUCCPS Student’s Portal at students.kuccps.net using your KCSE index number, KCSE examination year, and your password (your KCPE index number or birth certificate number, unless you’ve changed it).
2. Open the “Transfers” or “Transfer Application” tab on your dashboard.
3. Enter the seven-character programme code for the course you wish to join.
4. State a clear reason for the transfer (KUCCPS recommends keeping this between roughly 300 and 600 characters) — medical grounds, relocation and similar genuine circumstances are typical examples.
5. Attach any supporting document relevant to your stated reason, where applicable.
6. Pay the non-refundable KSh 1,000 transfer processing fee through the eCitizen payment link generated on the portal. Keep your eCitizen payment reference code, not just your M-Pesa code, since the portal asks for the former.
7. Submit and track your application status directly on the portal dashboard.

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What Happens After You Apply

Your application moves through three stages before it’s finalised:

Releasing institution → Receiving institution → KUCCPS final approval

Your current university must first release you, then your target university must confirm it has capacity and admits you, and KUCCPS performs the final validation before generating your updated placement or transfer letter. Processing typically takes up to 14 working days once your application is fully endorsed at each stage, though KUCCPS has noted that real timelines can vary depending on backlog and how quickly each institution responds.

What You Cannot Transfer Into or Out Of

KUCCPS inter-institutional transfers do not apply to some specialised institutions. You generally cannot use this process to move to or from:

• The Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC)
• Primary or secondary Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs)

If you want to move into KMTC or a TTC from a regular university, you’ll need to apply directly through their own independent admission cycles rather than through KUCCPS.

One Transfer, One Chance

According to KUCCPS’s own guidance, an inter-institutional transfer is generally allowed only once per applicant. If your first application is rejected outright (for example, due to a capacity issue), you may typically submit a fresh request for a different institution or programme within the same transfer window without paying the fee again — but once a transfer is approved and completed, you should not expect to apply for a second one in a later cycle. Confirm the current rule for your situation directly with KUCCPS, since this detail can be revised between admission cycles.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing the two processes. Applying to KUCCPS when you only want a different course at the same university wastes time and, in some cases, money.
• Paying before you’re prompted. KUCCPS has repeatedly warned students against paying any transfer-related fee before the portal itself generates the payment prompt, due to fraudulent messages circulating online claiming to offer transfer services.
• Assuming a request is automatic. Meeting the minimum grade for a programme does not guarantee a transfer slot. Placement — including transfers — depends on both your qualifications and the number of vacancies available.
• Missing your own university’s internal deadline. Interfaculty transfer windows are set by the institution, not KUCCPS, and are often shorter or stricter than students expect.
• Ignoring the effect on your HELB loan or scholarship. Changing your course or institution can affect loan disbursement timing. Confirm with HELB and your financial aid office before finalising any transfer.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do an interfaculty transfer through the KUCCPS portal? No. Interfaculty transfers, which change only your course while keeping you at the same university, are processed by the university itself, not KUCCPS.

I missed the August 14, 2026 deadline. Can I still apply for an inter-institutional transfer? Yes. KUCCPS has confirmed that students from the 2025 KCSE cohort remain eligible to apply in 2026 or 2027, even after the formal application window closed.

How much does an inter-institutional transfer cost? KSh 1,000, paid through the eCitizen platform once the portal generates your payment prompt.

How long does an inter-institutional transfer take to process? Up to 14 working days once your application has been fully endorsed by both the releasing and receiving institutions.

Where will I find out if my transfer was approved? Through your KUCCPS Student’s Portal. Transfer letters are issued there directly, so check regularly rather than waiting for a notification.

Can I change both my course and my university at the same time? Yes, provided you meet the subject cluster requirements and cut-off points for the new programme at your target institution.

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