February 18, 2026

KUCCPS unveils minimum subject requirements for degree courses under various clusters

KUCCPS unveils minimum subject requirements for degree courses under various clusters

KUCCPS unveils minimum subject requirements for degree courses under various clusters

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has released an updated list of subject requirements for all degree programmes ahead of the 2026 placement cycle.

The newly published requirements outline the specific subject combinations and minimum grades needed for admission into various degree programmes.

According to KUCCPS, the requirements are organised using degree clusters, a system that groups similar programmes and assigns common subject requirements.

Nearly all degree programmes require English or Kiswahili and Mathematics as core subjects, with other requirements varying depending on the specific course.

Science-based programmes such as engineering, medicine, and applied sciences mainly require subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

For instance, engineering courses mainly require Mathematics and Physics, at a minimum grade of C+ or higher, while health-related courses, such as medicine and nursing, demand strong grades in Biology and Chemistry.

Business, humanities, communication, and social science courses are generally more flexible, allowing combinations from science and humanities, such as Geography, History, Economics and Religious Studies.

Mathematics and physics also remain critical in programmes such as Information Technology, Computer Science, Data and Applied Statistics, with knowledge of computers considered an added advantage for those seeking to pursue these courses.

Education degrees are similarly clustered, with Bachelor of Education (Arts) and Bachelor of Education (Science) programmes requiring subject combinations aligned to the teaching subjects a student intends to pursue.

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, 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

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Hospitality, Tourism & Human Resource Cluster

Courses include: Tourism, Hospitality, Hotel Management, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, Financial Engineering

Subject requirements

Mathematics

English or Kiswahili

Any Group II subject

Any Group III, IV or V subject

Education (Arts) Cluster

Courses include: Education Arts, Early Childhood Education, 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.

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