- KUCCPS-placed students could access funding across a wider range of tertiary institutions under proposed reforms.
- The Bill also proposes prioritising public institutions before students are placed in private universities.
- Scholarships and loans would finance eligible students under the proposed tertiary education funding framework.
Students placed through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) could benefit from a broader funding framework under proposals contained in the Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026.
The proposed law seeks to establish a unified system for placement and financing of students pursuing tertiary education, with KUCCPS-placed learners expected to be eligible for funding across a wider range of institutions.
Under the proposals, students placed in universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs), the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), university TVET programmes and other eligible tertiary institutions would qualify for financing.
The Bill also proposes giving public institutions priority in student placement. Students would only be placed in private universities where there are no available spaces in public universities, a move that could significantly influence future university admissions.
The proposed funding framework would provide scholarships to eligible students, although loans would constitute the larger share of student financing. This represents a significant shift in how higher education funding could be structured if Parliament approves the Bill.
The interest rate applicable to student loans would also be determined by the proposed funding authority rather than being fixed universally in the legislation.
KUCCPS course revision changes proposed
The proposals further seek to regulate KUCCPS course revision.
The first revision of a student’s course choices would be free, while subsequent revisions would attract a fee.
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The Bill is currently under consideration as Parliament reviews proposed reforms to Kenya’s tertiary education placement and financing system. Recent reports indicate that the proposed framework is intended to bring together functions currently handled by different agencies and broaden access to government-supported tertiary education.
By Kithinji Njeru
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