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Most Preferred Courses Among Students According To KUCCPS

BY Getrude Mathayo · February 27, 2025 01:02 pm

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) Chief Executive Officer, Agnes Wahome, recently shared insights into the courses that are most sought-after by students who qualify for university placement.

Speaking on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at the 2^nd Biennial Kenya Universities Funding Conference, Wahome revealed that a significant number of students with a mean grade of C+ and above are increasingly showing a preference for certain academic disciplines.

Among the most preferred courses, Wahome highlighted nursing, clinical medicine, teaching, and law as the top choices for students seeking placement in universities.

She further noted that nursing, in particular, continues to be one of the most coveted fields of study, attracting a substantial number of applicants.

“For those students who meet the qualifications for university placement, we have observed that many of those who have attained a C+ and above are gravitating towards courses in nursing, clinical medicine, and teaching,” said Wahome during her address.

These courses, she pointed out, are considered by many to be both rewarding and in high demand in the healthcare and education sectors.

In her detailed statement, Wahome also mentioned that law is gaining popularity among students. She noted that just the previous week, the KUCCPS had placed an advertisement for a diploma course in law, and the response was overwhelming, with a significant number of students choosing to apply for the program.

“Last week, we put up an advertisement for a diploma in law, and we saw a remarkable interest, particularly from students who had attained a C+ and above,” she remarked, emphasizing the growing interest in legal studies.

However, despite the evident preference for these four courses, Wahome pointed out a shift in student trends over the past two years. There has been a notable rise in the number of students opting for diploma programs, especially in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

This trend, she said, is in line with the government’s push to diversify educational pathways and skills development to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving job market.

“Over the past two years, we have observed a general tendency for students to choose diploma or TVET courses over traditional degree programs. This is partly due to the recognition that vocational education provides practical, job-ready skills that are in high demand,” Wahome explained.

Additionally, the KUCCPS CEO provided a breakdown of gender-based preferences in course selection. She revealed that male students tend to prefer science-based courses, while female students are more inclined towards law and arts-related programs.

This gendered division in course preference reflects broader societal trends, with women increasingly making strides in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as law, while still showing strong representation in the arts and humanities.

Wahome’s insights came just days after KUCCPS had reopened its application portal for the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and TVET programs. The portal had initially closed on February 14, 2025, following the deadline for applications for diploma and certificate courses.

However, KUCCPS reopened the portal on February 26, 2025, to accommodate those students who had not secured a placement in the initial application round.

KUCCPS has announced that the online application portal will remain open until March 4, 2025, to allow interested candidates to apply for the remaining 21 slots in selected KMTC courses for the March 2025 intake. This reopening of the portal aims to ensure that all available slots are filled before the new academic term begins.

“KUCCPS has re-opened the online application portal to fill 21 KMTC courses that still have available slots for the March 2025 intake. All applicants who were unsuccessful in the previous application round, as well as those who wish to join KMTC in March 2025, are invited to apply,” the KUCCPS statement read.

The application process for these remaining courses is accessible through the KUCCPS portal at students.kuccps.net, where interested candidates have been given a one-week window to submit their applications before the final deadline.