Students who wish to change their university and college placement results will now have one month to apply for transfers after the Ministry of Education extended the inter-university transfer window from the usual two weeks.
Speaking during the release of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) results on Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the extension would give students adequate time and opportunity to apply for transfers to institutions and programmes that better align with their career goals.
“As part of career alignment, some students who have been placed today may wish to transfer from one university to another. To allow adequate time and opportunity for such transfers this year, we will be extending the transfer window from two weeks to one month,” Ogamba said.
The CS urged students seeking transfers to ensure they meet the required admission qualifications for their preferred programmes.
Under the KUCCPS inter-institution transfer process, applicants are required to meet the minimum subject requirements and cut-off points for the courses they wish to join.
Both the institution where the student was initially placed and the institution they wish to transfer to must approve the request before the transfer is processed.
The application is submitted through the KUCCPS Student Portal and attracts a processing fee of Sh1,000.
Ogamba assured students who successfully transfer to other institutions that they will continue to benefit from government support under the Higher Education Funding model.
He said this will apply where the transfer has been validated through KUCCPS and the relevant funding agencies have been notified to update the student’s records.
The CS encouraged students to make informed choices and follow official KUCCPS procedures throughout the transfer process.
A total of 293,869 students who sat the 2025 KCSE examinations secured placements in universities, TVET institutions and other tertiary colleges.
Ogamba said 202,133 candidates were placed in degree programmes out of the 270,508 who attained the minimum university entry grade of C+ and above.
Another 28,246 joined KMTC, 500 secured Diploma in Law and Paralegal Studies at the Kenya School of Law, 765 were placed at Kenya Utalii College, while 875 joined secondary Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs).
Ogamba added that 8,915 students who qualified for degree programmes opted for TVET and other non-degree courses.
He, however, noted that some eligible candidates did not apply for placement because they chose alternative education pathways, including self-sponsored programmes and other options outside the KUCCPS portal.
“For example, they might have joined the disciplined forces for training or enrolled in self-sponsored programmes in universities and colleges that did not go through the KUCCPS portal. Still, some of them may have missed the opportunity to apply because of other circumstances,” Ogamba said.
The CS said KUCCPS would conduct a study to establish the whereabouts of students who did not apply for placement and create an opportunity for those who missed the process to submit applications.
“I’ve requested KUCCPS to come up with a study programme to track and find out where these students are. But if some missed the opportunity to apply for any other reason, we are going to give them a chance to reapply. We have directed KUCCPS to immediately devise a mechanism to allow late applications for placement,” he said.
He urged eligible candidates who missed the application window to take advantage of the opportunity once the mechanism is in place.
“I call upon all eligible candidates across the country who may not have applied, and those who may have missed the opportunity to apply during this concluded cycle, to take advantage of this opportunity and apply. The clarion call, ladies and gentlemen, is that no student should be left behind as part of career alignment,” Ogamba said.
University leaders who attended the event said they were prepared to receive the new students ahead of the September intake.
Chairperson of the Vice Chancellors of Public Universities, Prof. Daniel Mugendi, said public universities were ready to begin the admission process once the placement portal is opened.
He, however, raised concerns over funding challenges facing universities under the new higher education financing model.
Mugendi said some institutions remained uncertain about meeting operational costs, including staff salaries, as they waited for government funding.
Despite the challenges, he assured students and parents that universities would be ready to admit learners in September.
Private universities also said they were prepared to receive students while facing similar funding pressures.
Dr Halima Abdullahi, a representative of private universities, said institutions in the sector remained committed to supporting the country’s education agenda despite financial challenges affecting higher education.
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