Thousands of 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates have been handed a fresh opportunity to secure university and college placements after the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) reopened its online application portal on May 16, 2026.
KUCCPS announced that the portal will remain open until May 22, giving students who failed to secure placement during the first application window another opportunity to apply for available degree programmes.
The reopening follows the initial application window, which closed on May 6. Students who had already secured provisional placement into degree programmes were informed via SMS, and their KUCCPS student portals were updated accordingly.
Who qualifies for the second revision
KUCCPS has identified four categories of students eligible to participate in the revision window.
The first group comprises Form Four leavers who applied for degree, diploma, and certificate programmes between January and May 2026 but were unsuccessful. These applicants have already been notified via SMS and through the student portal.
The second group covers 2025 KCSE candidates who attained a mean grade of C+ and above but have not yet submitted any applications for degree or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses.
The third group comprises past KCSE candidates from 2000 to 2025 who have not enrolled in any tertiary institution through KUCCPS.
On TVET eligibility, KCSE candidates from the 2000 to 2025 cohorts with grades ranging from C to E qualify for TVET programmes at the Level 6 diploma, Level 5 craft certificate, and Level 4 artisan certificate levels.
Candidates with a C+ and above are additionally eligible for the Open University of Kenya degree programmes.
How to know if you have been placed
Applicants who secured provisional placement in degree courses were notified via SMS, and their KUCCPS student portals were updated accordingly.
The SMS reads in part:
“Dear Candidate, You have secured a provisional placement in one of the degree courses you selected. Details of the course and university will be communicated in July 2026. Please do not attempt to apply again.”
Students who receive this message are advised to remain patient and await further communication from KUCCPS in July 2026.
KUCCPS has specifically cautioned candidates who have already received SMS confirmation of provisional placement against submitting fresh applications during the ongoing revision window.
Oversubscribed courses withdrawn
Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Engineering were among the most applied-for courses during the first round and have been withdrawn from the portal after available slots were fully subscribed.
Nursing, Clinical Medicine, and Pharmacy are not available in the current cycle and will instead be offered during the September intake.
KUCCPS encouraged students who missed out on these programmes to consider other available courses on the portal.
TVET, KMTC and Kenya Utalii College options available
Alongside university placements, KUCCPS announced that it is conducting continuous admissions into TVET institutions, Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), and Kenya Utalii College.
READ ALSO: KUCCPS to reopen placement portal as over 61,000 students miss first deadline
TVET courses are offered on a modular basis.
By Benedict Aoya
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