Over 51,000 university-qualified students skip KUCCPS application.

Shocking details now reveal that at least 51,000 students who qualified for university admission after attaining the minimum grade of C+ in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination have shunned universities and colleges after they failed to apply for placement.

In the results released yesterday, the placement results show that 202,133 candidates secured places in degree programmes.

KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Mercy Wahome said about 17,000 of them will join private universities, leaving roughly 185,000 to enroll in public universities.

Another 28,246 university-qualified candidates opted to pursue courses at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), while 500 were placed at the Kenya School of Law for the Diploma in Law (Paralegal Studies), 765 at Kenya Utalii College and 875 in secondary teacher training colleges.

A further 8,915 candidates who attained the minimum university entry grade voluntarily chose diploma and certificate programmes instead of degree courses and have also been successfully placed.

The ministry attributed the decision to students pursuing alternative pathways, including recruitment into disciplined forces, overseas studies and self-sponsored programmes in universities and colleges.

However, the government has directed KUCCPS to reopen the placement portal and develop a mechanism for late applications for the first time.

"I call upon all eligible candidates who may have missed the just concluded application cycle to take advantage of this opportunity. Our clarion call is that no student should be left behind," Ogamba said.

The ministry has also extended the university inter-institution transfer window from the traditional two weeks to one month to allow more students to change institutions after placement.

The Cabinet Secretary further urged first-time applicants to apply early for scholarships and loans through the Higher Education Fund (HEF) portal, which has already been opened.

KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Agnes Wahome said the 2025 exercise marked the 13th placement cycle since the establishment of the placement service.

She dismissed the perception that KUCCPS determines university cut-off points, saying admission thresholds are determined by students' choices and competition for available spaces rather than the placement agency itself.

"Cut-off points are set by students, not KUCCPS," she said.

KUCCPS Board Chairperson Cyrus Gitau said the National Career Conference launched last year will now be held annually to strengthen career guidance and help learners make informed choices before applying for placement.

He also noted that no student appealed against the 2024 placement results because of the higher education funding model, attributing this to confidence in the placement process.