KUCCPS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on New university Funding Model

The State has established a new funding model for universities and colleges, which has changed how the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) selects courses and places students.

When and for whom was the KUCCPs portal launched?

For the first round of applications, the portal started on May 17 and will remain open through June 17, 2023.

It allows students who took the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) to be placed in universities and colleges so that they can begin their programs in September 2023.

What changes have resulted from the announcement of a new tertiary education finance model?

President William Ruto announced a new funding model that will phase away the consistent allocation of money to universities and institutions based on a Differentiated Assessment System (DAS).

The new structure is student-centered, requiring schools to declare and publicize the true cost of their programs on the KUCCPS platform.

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This is meant to give parents, guardians, and students the opportunity to choose courses that interest them and compare the prices given by other institutions.

It is hoped that this will enable the public to make educated decisions about the programs available on the platform.

Furthermore, it enables the government to account for all individuals who took the KCSE in a given year in order to provide information on the rates of transition from secondary to tertiary education; how many travelled overseas, how many enrolled for degrees, certificates, and so on.

Why is it discouraged for parents and guardians to delegate the application process to cyber attendants?

Applications for KUCCPS placement can be completed remotely on a laptop or desktop computer with internet connectivity.

In the recent past, some parents have used cyber cafes to complete applications, even allowing personnel at the stores to conduct the procedure on their behalf.

This had hazards since private data was shared with others. To avoid this danger, parents and children are encouraged to carefully consider the expenses of the programs listed on the KUCCPS webpage and to seek guidance from Huduma Centres when necessary.

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Notably, the center apps are being phased out. These were completed in schools prior to applicants taking the KCSE. KUCCPS believes it cannot continue with the trend now that the program fees are available on a public website.

What happens when you apply?

KUCCPS will open the platform two more times for inspections and a clean-up exercise.

Before making a selection, the KUCCPS system will evaluate an applicant’s performance and match it with a certain cluster group.

Once the students have been put, they will receive text messages with the results, which they will also be able to check on the portal.

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Then students will apply for admission to the institutions, and they will receive instructions from the admission letters on how to apply for government subsidies such as loans and scholarships.

Who is eligible for government employment?

Only students who took the KCSE in 2022 are eligible in this cycle. Those who received C+ or higher are eligible to apply for degree programs at both public and private universities.

Those with a C-(minus) can apply for diploma programs, while those with a D can apply for a craft certificate.

The portal allows those with D- or below grades to be placed for an artisan certificate.

If you make it to the final placement list, you will be eligible for government assistance in the form of scholarships, loans, and bursaries.

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Government-sponsored students (GSSs) will be supported by up to 82 percent in tuition scholarships and 20 percent in loans, depending on their level of feed, under the plan.

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) would allocate loans GSSs based on four categories of need: vulnerable, highly needy, needy, and less needy.

Can colleges and universities use their resources to recruit more students?

The Commission for University Education (CUE) controls the declared vacancies by the universities, which are then submitted to KUCCPS.

KUCCPS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on New university Funding Model

The CUE takes into account the amenities available in the institutions to assess how many students can be accommodated there. This means that institutions cannot modify their capacities arbitrarily to meet their needs.

What are the overall effects of the reforms?

The education industry is expected to develop as a result of placement changes.

The first cohort of competency-based curriculum (CBC) students is expected in universities in 2029, at a time when the government aims to focus on providing relevant skills rather than just theory.