Prospective varsity, college students told to review applications online

Candidates wait to be taken through the process of applying for selection to universities and colleges at University of Nairobi Ngong Road campus yesterday. [PHOTO: BEVERLYNE MUSILI/STANDARD]

By RAWLINGS OTIENO

Kenya: The body charged with university admissions has asked students who have qualified to study degree and diploma courses to review their applications online.

Kenya University and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS) Chief Executive John Muraguri said 58,000 students would be admitted study degree courses. An additional 39,000 would be enrolled for diploma courses.

Yesterday, KUCCPS launched its online application system, which will close at midnight on May 31. Through the online platform, candidates can review their choice of courses and validate their applications.

The body has set the cut-off point for admission to bachelor’s degree programmes at B (60 points) for male candidates and B- (58 points) for female candidates.

This is based on the total declared capacity for programmes under Government sponsorship, and the performance analysis of the 2013 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination results released this year.

Muraguri said that candidates must apply online to be admitted and those who had applied, should check, and if need be, revise their cluster subjects.

“All applicants including those who may have submitted their applications earlier, either directly to universities and colleges or through their respective schools, and would wish to revise their choices can do so,” said Muraguri. Speaking to The Standard yesterday at the Placement Headquarters at the Kenya Science College, Muraguri said that all candidates with a minimum overall grade of C- and above are eligible to apply for diploma programmes in various government institutions.

Such candidates can apply to Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs) and Technical, Industrial and Vocational Training Colleges (TIVET).

Muraguri said that candidates who meet the cut-off point set by the Placement Service for admission to bachelor’s degree programmes may in addition apply for diploma programmes of their choice.

Those below the bachelor’s degree cut-off point but with a minimum of overall grade of C- can only apply for diploma programmes.

According to the rules and guidelines, the minimum placement requirement for bachelor’s degree for candidates who schooled for both their primary and secondary education in counties classified as marginalised areas by CRA 2012 policy is B- (55 points).

Overall grade

Those with an overall grade of grade B (60 points) for male candidates and grade B- (58 points) for Female candidates will be allowed to make a total of eight choices of both degree and diploma programmes.

Candidates with an overall grade of C- and above but below grade B (60 points) for male and grade B- (58 points) for female students will be allowed to make a maximum of six diploma programme choices.

Candidates’ choices 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c) clusters must be similar programmes while choices 2, 3 and, 4 can be any other programmes for both degree and diploma programmes.

If a candidate qualifies to apply for a bachelor’s degree, they may choose diploma choices as choice 5 and 6.

According to Muraguri, candidates with disabilities will download and fill the Disability Application Form and return the dully filled form to the Placement Service.

But to apply, all applicants will have their KCSE index number, birth certificate number and a valid email account.  Candidates wishing to revise their applications—those who had applied in school—will be charged Sh1,000 while those who had not applied in school will pay Sh1,500.

Applicants who will have problems with their application have been advised to seek assistance from any of the listed universities and colleges close to them.