The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has opened its 2026 placement cycle, marking the start of the selection process for students seeking admission to universities and colleges across the country.

KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer, Dr Agnes Wahome, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, briefed Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on the agency’s level of preparedness, affirming that all systems are in place to ensure a smooth and transparent exercise.

“This afternoon, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Migos Ogamba, received a brief on the 2026/2027 Academic Year placement cycle from the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS). The KUCCPS team, led by the Board Chair, Cyrus Gituai, and CEO, Dr. Agnes Wahome, apprised the Cabinet Secretary on the preparations for this cycle’s placement,” a statement by the Ministry of Education stated.

Application dateline

According to the ministry, the KUCCPS placement portal is now live and will remain open until May 6, 2026, giving applicants a one-month window to submit and revise their course and institution choices.

“The placement cycle has officially opened today, with the KUCCPS placement portal remaining open until 6th May, 2026,” the ministry confirmed.

2025 KCSE results

This comes months after the Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba, on Friday, released the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results, marking a key moment in Kenya’s education history as the country continues the transition away from the 8-4-4 system.

The results were announced at AIC Chebisaas Boys’ High School in Uasin Gishu County, bringing clarity to nearly one million candidates and their families on their next academic steps.

Ogamba, in a statement shared on X on Friday, January 9, 2026, provided a breakdown of the number of candidates whose results were released, highlighting gender representation among the learners who sat the national examination.

“The results of 993,226 candidates were released, comprising 492,012 male candidates and 501,214 female candidates, representing 49.54% and 50.46% of the total candidature, respectively,” the statement reads.

A key highlight of the 2025 KCSE results was the increase in the number of candidates who attained grades that qualify them for direct university entry, a trend the CS said shows gradual improvement compared to 2024.

“The number of candidates with direct university entry qualification of mean grade C+ and above was 270,715 (27.18%), an improvement from 246,391 (25.53%) in the 2024 KCSE,” he wrote.