More than 50,000 students who qualified to join universities and colleges did not apply for placement through the KUCCPS online portal.

Out of these, around 42,000 students chose not to apply at all, even though they met the minimum requirement of a C+ grade.

On the other hand, about 7,000 students applied but didn’t get placed in any institution.

Government Reduces University Costs by 40%

While this is happening, the Ministry of Education has announced good news—it has cut the cost of university education by 40%.

This is part of the government’s effort to make higher education more affordable for families across the country.

Students Waiting for Admission Letters

Now, many students are waiting to receive their admission letters from various universities and colleges nationwide.

However, the ministry has expressed concern over the large number of qualified students who didn’t apply for placement, even though they had the required grades.

Why Some Students Chose Other Paths

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Dr Julius Ogambo, a top official from the ministry, explained that 7,640 students with C+ and above chose to go to TVET institutions instead of university.

Another 6,750 students decided to join KMTCs, teacher training colleges, and other post-secondary institutions.

Popular Courses Among Applicants

Most of the students who did apply through KUCCPS preferred competitive courses such as engineering and medicine. These courses remain the top choices year after year.

Interestingly, the ministry also noted a growing interest in teaching courses. For instance, 20,786 students applied for a primary school teaching diploma, although there were only 13,823 available slots. In the end, 11,636 students were successfully placed in that course.

High Demand at KMTC

Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTCs) across the country also saw a high number of applicants. A total of 52,725 students applied to join KMTC, with nursing being the most popular course. However, only 25,034 students got admission into various KMTC programs.

According to Dr Ogambo, other popular KMTC programs include:

• Clinical Medicine and Surgery
• Medical Emergency Technician
• Community Health, among others.

Out of the 25,034 students placed in KMTCs, 6,750 of them had scored a C+ or higher in the 2024 KCSE exams.

KUCCPS and Funding Portals Still Open

Even so, the KUCCPS portal is still open, meaning students who haven’t applied yet still have a chance to do so.

In addition, students can also apply for funding through the Higher Education Fund portals, which are currently accepting applications.

New Way to Determine Education Costs

To make education more affordable, the government has revised how it assesses a student’s financial needs. They now look at several factors such as:

• The amount of school fees a family has paid before
• The size of the family’s land
• Medical expenses
• Whether the family has applied for Hustler Fund, among other things.

“We are using all this information to better understand each student’s financial background,” said Dr Ogambo. “Our goal is to make higher education more affordable and accessible for every student in Kenya.”