KUCCPS explains cut off points for 2025 KCSE students placements  

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has detailed the cutoff points that will be used to place candidates who sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations into degree programmes for the 2025/2026 academic year.

The cutoff points indicate the minimum cluster points attained by the last student admitted to each programme during the 2024 KUCCPS placement cycle. These points vary annually, depending on course demand, institutional capacity, and overall performance of candidates in the national examinations.

KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Agnes Wahome noted that the placement process relies heavily on data from previous years, including student performance trends and course enrolment patterns.

She also said that cut-off points for highly competitive courses are likely to increase slightly in 2026 placements, KUCCPS will conduct early research and make informed choices crucial for every student

According to the report, highly competitive programmes such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science continue to post high cutoff points. This trend is most evident in leading universities, including the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

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At the same time, KUCCPS observed a slight reduction in cutoff points for several humanities, education, and basic science courses in some institutions. This move is intended to broaden access to university education and enable more candidates to secure degree placements.

Candidates have been advised to visit the KUCCPS student portal to review the specific cutoff points for their preferred courses and institutions and to make informed choices during the application process. However, meeting the cutoff point does not automatically guarantee placement, as competition and programme capacity are also taken into account.

The newly released cutoff points are expected to guide students, parents, and schools as preparations begin for the upcoming university placement exercise, which is scheduled to start in March.

In the 2025 KCSE examinations 270,715 candidates scored a mean grade of C+ and above, representing 27.18 per cent of all candidates. These students qualified for direct university admission, with 1,932 candidates attaining the top grade of A.

Eligible candidates have been urged to regularly monitor the KUCCPS portal for the opening of the placement application window.

By Our Reporter