KUCCPS Announces Minimum Subject Requirements for Degree Courses
The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has produced an updated list of topic requirements for all degree programs ahead of the 2026 placement cycle.
The newly published standards specify the topic combinations and minimum grades required for admission to certain degree programmes.
According to KUCCPS, the requirements are organized using degree clusters, a system that groups similar programs and assigns shared subject requirements.
Nearly all degree programs require English or Kiswahili and Mathematics as core topics, with additional prerequisites varying by course.
Science-based programs such as engineering, medicine, and applied sciences primarily require Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
For example, engineering courses require a minimum grade of C+ or better in Mathematics and Physics, but health-related degrees, such as medicine and nursing, require solid scores in Biology and Chemistry.
Business, humanities, communication, and social science courses are often more adaptable, allowing for mixes of science and humanities subjects such as geography, history, economics, and religious studies.
Mathematics and physics are still required in programs such as Information Technology, Computer Science, Data, and Applied Statistics, with computer skills considered an advantage for students interested in pursuing these courses.
Below is a list of courses under their respective clusters. Subject categorisation under group I means languages, group II are sciences, group III means humanities, group IV refers to technical subjects, while group V refers to Creative Arts and Foreign Languages.
KUCCPS Degree Courses and Subject Requirements
Law, Business & Management Cluster
Courses include: Law, Commerce, Business Administration, Procurement, Supply Chain, and Entrepreneurship.
Subject requirements
English or Kiswahili
Mathematics (Alternative A or B) or any Group II subject
Any Group III subject
Another Group II, III, IV or V subject
Hospitality, Tourism & Human Resource Cluster
Courses include: Tourism, Hospitality, Hotel Management, and Human Resource Management.
Subject requirements
English or Kiswahili
Mathematics (Alternative A or B)
Any Group II or Group III subject
Any Group II, III, IV or V subject
Arts, Communication & Social Sciences Cluster
Courses include: Journalism, Mass Communication, Sociology, Psychology, Criminology, and Political Science.
Subject requirements
English (C+ and above)
Kiswahili (C+ for some courses)
Any Group II subject
Any Group III, IV or V subject
Engineering, Geospatial & Physical Sciences Cluster
Courses include: Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Geospatial Engineering.
Subject requirements
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry or Geography
Any Group II, III, IV or V subject
Minimum grades: Mostly C+ and above in Mathematics and Physics.
ICT, Computer Science & Technology Cluster
Courses include: Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, and Informatics.
Subject requirements
Mathematics
Physics or Computer Studies
Any Group II or III subject
Any Group II, III, IV or V subject
Architecture, Quantity Survey & Built Environment Cluster
Courses include: Architecture, Quantity Surveying, Urban Planning, and Construction Management.
Subject requirements
Mathematics
Physics or Geography
Any Group II subject
Any Group III, IV or V subject
Biological & Life Sciences Cluster
Courses include: Biology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry.
Subject requirements
Mathematics
Biology
Chemistry or Physics
Any Group II, III, IV or V subject
Health Sciences & Medical Cluster
Courses include: Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Clinical Medicine, and Public Health.
Subject requirements
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics or Physics
English or Kiswahili
Agriculture & Environmental Sciences Cluster
Courses include: Agriculture, Agribusiness, Environmental Science, Forestry.
Subject requirements
Mathematics
Biology or Agriculture
Chemistry or Geography
Any Group II, III, IV or V subject
Mathematics, Economics & Statistics Cluster
Courses include: Actuarial Science, Economics, Statistics, and Financial Engineering.
Subject requirements
Mathematics
English or Kiswahili
Any Group II subject
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Any Group III, IV or V subject
Education (Arts) Cluster
Courses include: Education Arts, Early Childhood Education, and Special Needs Education.
Subject requirements
Two teaching subjects from KCSE
English or Kiswahili
Mathematics or approved alternatives
Education (Science & Technical) Cluster
Courses include: Education Science, Technical Education.
Subject requirements
Mathematics
Two science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
English or Kiswahili
Students have since been urged to carefully review the cluster requirements before applying, with learners warned that choosing courses outside one’s subject qualifications could lead to disqualification during placement.
KUCCPS Announces Minimum Subject Requirements for Degree Courses
