The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has announced a major overhaul of the criteria used to place students into university degree programmes, with the new system set to take effect in the 2026/2027 academic cycle.
According to KUCCPS, the revised framework has already been approved following extensive consultations with key stakeholders, including regulatory and professional bodies.
“The criteria review process began last year and, following validation by stakeholders and approval by the KUCCPS Board, will be implemented during placement to degree programmes in the 2026/2027 cycle,” the placement agency said in a statement.
The validation exercise was conducted on March 18 at Kirinyaga University and brought together top education officials, including Higher Education Secretary Carol Hunja, who represented Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala.
Also present were KUCCPS Board Chair Cyrus Gituai, CEO Mercy Wahome, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chair Jamleck Muturi, and Prof Mike Kuria, CEO of the Commission for University Education (CUE), who also chairs the Placement Criteria Review Committee. Vice chancellors and principals from both public and private universities attended the meeting.
Current Placement System
At present, KUCCPS places students into degree programmes based on merit, with a minimum requirement of a C+ grade in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). Placement also considers subject-specific cluster points and student preferences.
An affirmative action policy—targeting gender equity, persons with disabilities and learners from marginalised regions—is applied to improve access to higher education.
Cluster weighted points remain the primary determinant, calculated from performance in four relevant subjects. Students are then ranked from highest to lowest scores for each programme, with the last admitted student determining the course cut-off point.
Placement further depends on the choices made by students and the capacity declared by universities, with slots allocated competitively until all available spaces are filled.
Shift Away from C+ Minimum
The new criteria signals a significant policy shift, including plans to scrap the C+ minimum entry grade for university admission. The move is aimed at aligning higher education access with the evolving Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
Earlier, KUCCPS CEO Mercy Wahome indicated that the current threshold was no longer sustainable, particularly after the 2025 KCSE results revealed that a majority of candidates fell below the required grade.
Out of 993,226 candidates who sat the 2025 KCSE exams, only about 270,000—roughly 27.18 per cent—attained a C+ and above, leaving more than 722,000 students to seek placement in colleges and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
Expanding Access to Higher Education
The introduction of the revised placement criteria is expected to broaden access to university education while maintaining fairness and competitiveness in the allocation process.
KUCCPS says the changes are part of ongoing reforms to ensure the placement system remains responsive to the country’s education needs and labour market demands.
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