As of January 2026, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has finalized the placement for the 2025/2026 cycle. For students who sat for their KCSE in 2025, these 2025/2026 cut-offs serve as the essential benchmark for the upcoming 2026/2027 placement applications.
Understanding these cut-offs is the difference between securing your dream course and being “left out” during the first revision.
1. Understanding the “Cut-Off” Mechanism
A “cut-off point” is the weighted cluster point of the last student to be placed in a specific course at a specific university. It is determined by:
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The number of available slots in that university.
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The performance of students who applied for that course.
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Your Cluster Points: Calculated based on four key subjects relevant to the degree.
2. Competitive Degree Cut-Off Trends (2025/2026)
In the 2025/2026 cycle, competitive courses continued to see a “points creep,” where the required clusters stayed high due to the limited capacity in top-tier universities.
Medicine and Health Sciences
Degrees like Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery remained the most difficult to join. At the University of Nairobi (UoN) and JKUAT, the cut-offs hovered between 44 and 45 points. Nursing and Pharmacy followed closely, with cut-offs typically above 38 points.
Engineering and Architecture
Architecture remains a high-stakes choice. For the 2025/2026 intake, the cut-off for Bachelor of Architecture at UoN was approximately 42.99, while JKUAT stood at 41.80. Mechanical and Electrical Engineering degrees generally required cluster points between 39 and 43 at major public universities.
Law and Social Sciences
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) remains popular. At UoN and Kenyatta University (KU), the cut-offs stayed competitive at 40+ points. However, for Bachelor of Arts (BA), the cut-offs are significantly more accessible, often ranging between 22 and 26 points depending on the institution.