Whether you received an admission letter from a university or not, securing a spot in a higher learning institution and pursuing your desired course can be achieved as long as you meet the minimum requirements. Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has made it easier for students to apply to a variety of universities, polytechnics, technical training institutions and other higher learning institutions for government-sponsored programmes through their portal.
KUCCPS is a state organization that coordinates the placement of government-sponsored students in higher learning institutions. It also provides guidance on the appropriate course to undertake based on the student’s qualifications.
The portal can be used by secondary school principals to submit applications on behalf of KCSE candidates, vice-chancellors and principals of higher learning institutions to update or declare their institution’s programme status and students to view institutions and available courses. Students can also carry out the following activities on the KUCCPS portal:
- Apply for placement in higher learning institutions
- Revise their course selection
- Apply for courses in other institutions
The organization uses an automated placement system to determine which courses the applicant has qualified for. This makes it easier for students to make informed decisions about their careers. It also helps students who have scored below the minimum grade requirement for university admission to find suitable alternatives.
The minimum grade requirement for different courses available in the portal are as follows:
- Degree course – C plus and above
- Diploma course – C minus and above
- Certificate course – D plain and above
- Artisan course – E
Note: the requirement may vary depending on the course. For instance, the minimum grade requirement for a diploma in education is a C plus.
Here’s a guide on how to apply for university courses through the KUCCPS portal.
Requirements to apply for university courses through KUCCPS
- KCSE Index number
- Birth certificate
- Application fee
Process to apply for university courses
- Visit the KUCCPS website and click Student’s portal
- Enter your KCSE Index number, KCSE year and password (use your birth certificate number or KCPE index number as your initial password) then click Log In
- Provide your contact information then click Submit
- On the next page, a summary of programmes and institutions, your Weighted Cluster Points (WCP) and your KCSE performance details will appear
- Select the Institutions menu to view the available institutions for application. You can also select the institution’s name to view the programmes offered
- Select the Programmes menu to view the available programmes. The programmes are grouped into different qualification levels. You can also search for specific programmes on the search bar.
- Tap on each programme to view its details e.g. cost, minimum requirements and institution.
- Each institution has a unique code for each course. Note down the codes for the courses you want to take. You can make up to 4 choices in either categories ie degree, diploma, certificate, artisan. For degrees, your first choice should be a course in three different universities unless it’s not available
- To apply, click Application/Revision menu
- Read the instructions carefully then select Apply Now
- Enter the programme code for the programmes you prefer then click Submit. If you’re making applications for courses in different levels e.g degree and diploma, you must select Yes in the Multiple Categories Consideration above the programme codes section
- Click Proceed to Pay then select your preferred payment method. For MPESA, go to Paybill option, enter business number 2222222 and the reference code sent by e-citizen as the account number. The application fee for first time applicants is Kah 1,500 and Ksh 1,000 for those revising their courses
- After paying and submitting your application, you will receive a prompt informing your application was successful
- You can also confirm your application status by selecting Application/Revision and selecting Application History