The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has officially released the cutoff points that will be used to guide the placement of students who sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations into various degree programmes for the 2025/2026 academic year.
The newly published cutoff points reflect the minimum cluster points attained by the last student admitted to each programme during the 2024 placement cycle.
In essence, they provide a benchmark for students seeking admission, offering a clear indication of the competitiveness of different courses and institutions based on the previous year’s admissions data.
KUCCPS explained that cutoff points are not fixed and vary annually depending on several factors. Among the key determinants are the level of demand for particular courses, the available capacity within institutions, and the overall performance of candidates in the national examinations.
When performance is high and demand for certain programmes surges, cutoff points typically rise. Conversely, when fewer applicants select a given course or when institutions expand capacity, the minimum cluster points may drop.
As expected, highly competitive and market-driven programmes continue to record some of the highest cutoff points. Courses such as Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy, Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science remain top choices among candidates, driven by strong career prospects and high employability rates.
These programmes have once again posted elevated cluster requirements, particularly in leading public universities including the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). In these institutions, demand consistently outstrips available slots, pushing the required points higher.
At the same time, KUCCPS noted a modest decline in cutoff points for several humanities, education, and basic science programmes across some universities. The adjustment is seen as a strategic move to widen access and provide more students with opportunities to secure university placements.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the development, observing that it may help address imbalances in enrolment and encourage more students to consider diverse academic fields beyond traditionally competitive courses.
Candidates have been urged to carefully review the published cutoff points through the KUCCPS student portal. The placement body emphasized the importance of making informed and realistic choices when selecting programmes and institutions. Students are advised to align their course selections not only with their cluster points but also with their career interests and long-term goals.
However, KUCCPS cautioned that meeting or surpassing the indicated cutoff point does not automatically guarantee admission into a particular programme. Placement decisions are influenced by competition among applicants and the number of available slots in each course. In highly sought-after programmes, even candidates who meet the minimum threshold may miss out if spaces are filled by applicants with higher cluster points.
The release of the cutoff points comes as preparations gather pace for the upcoming university placement process, which is expected to commence in March. Schools, parents, and candidates are expected to use the information as a guide when planning and submitting applications for degree programmes.
Meanwhile, statistics from the 2025 KCSE examinations show that 270,715 candidates attained a mean grade of C+ (plus) and above, representing 27.18 per cent of the total number of candidates who sat the exam. These students qualify for direct university admission under the government-sponsored placement system. Notably, 1,932 candidates achieved the highest grade of A, marking an impressive performance at the top tier.
With a significant number of students eligible for university entry, competition for placement into preferred programmes is expected to remain intense. KUCCPS has therefore encouraged all qualified candidates to regularly monitor the official portal for updates regarding the opening of the application window and to adhere strictly to the provided guidelines and deadlines.
As the 2025/2026 placement cycle approaches, the newly released cutoff points are set to play a crucial role in shaping application decisions and guiding thousands of students toward their next academic chapter.
List of Degree Courses & Cutoff Points
- Medicine: 42.0 – 44.9
- Pharmacy: 39.9 -43.7
- Civil Engineering: 34.3 – 43.1
- Clinical Medicine: 6- 40.7
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering: 33.9 – 42.8
- Mechanical Engineering: 31.7 -41.8
- Computer Science: 23.0 – 44.4
- Actuarial Science: 25.8 – 37.0
- Architecture: 39.0 0 42.5
- Quantity Surveying: 34.0 – 38.2
- Biochemistry: 24.1 – 29.9
- Biology: 15.6 – 25.0
- Agriculture: 23.6 – 29.1
- Food Science & Technology: 23.1 – 31.2
- Bachelor of Arts: 21.8 – 25.6
- Mathematics: 21.2 – 28.7
- Journalism and Mass Communication: 21.9- 31.6
- Human Resource Management: 21.4 – 32.5
- Food Nutrition and Dietetics: 23.4- 31.9
- Medical Laboratory Sciences: 31.7-40.3
- Economics and Statistics: 8- 30.3
- Hospitality and Tourism Management: 22.6 – 30.4
- Information Technology: 9-33.6
- International Relations and Diplomacy: 6- 32.7
- Public Health: 6-35.8
- Hotel Management: 2-28.06
- Real Estate: 27.4-32.6
- Education Arts/ With Special Needs/ With IT: 22.1- 30.6
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