KUCCPS 2021/2022 Course Selection and Application Deadline; KUCCPS Extends 2021/2022 School/centre Application Deadline

New KUCCPS 2021/2022 Course Selection and Application Deadline; KUCCPS Extends 2021/2022 School/centre Application Deadline

KUCCPS Extends 2021/2022 School/centre Application Deadline

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) is a body mandated by the government to align careers for students who have satisfactorily completed their four year secondary school course.

The central placement service relies on the  Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE Knec Results to effectively place candidates in various courses and tertiary learning institutions.

This year, Newspro is pleased to inform you that KUCCPS has lengthened the school/centre application period to April 16, 2021 to give schools that have not submitted KCSE candidates’ choices of courses and universities/colleges ample time to do so.

KUCCPS portal for Course Selection 2021

KUCCPS opened its online application system on January 6, 2021 up to March 31, 2021 for the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates to apply for placement to degree, diploma, craft certificate and artisan courses under Government sponsorship into universities and other training institutions.

In a statement from the KUCCPS CEO, the placement body indicated that the extension was meant to allow schools whose students had not submitted their application to apply for their preferred courses.

“KUCCPS wishes to extend the application period to allow the schools that did not meet the deadline submit applications for their KCSE candidates indicating the institutions that they wish to join and the courses they would like to pursue,” read a statement from CEO.

School Principals are therefore required to ensure that all their KCSE examination candidates participate in this exercise by submitting their course of study choices and contact information to KUCCPS through their school’s portal.

All Principals are reminded to ensure that they download a PDF copy of the application sheet, sign, stamp the completed applications, scan and send the documents to KUCCPS via info@kuccps.ac.ke immediately

KUCCPS Centre/School Application is the first opportunity given to KCSE examination candidates to select, list and submit the courses that they wish to pursue after their secondary education at degree, diploma, craft and artisan level. The application is done in secondary schools/examination centres that have registered KCSE candidates.

It is important to note that all candidates qualify for placement to universities or colleges irrespective of their KCSE examination results (grades A to E). Candidates have an opportunity to choose their preferred courses as shown below:

Degree courses choices: 1(a), 1(b), 1(C), 2,3 and 4

Diploma course choices: 1,2,3 and 4

Craft course choices: 1,2,3 and 4

Artisan course choices: 1,2,3 and 4

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR YOUR KUCCPS 2021 COURSE CHOICES (IMPORTANT FACTORS)

1. CLUSTER POINTS
Unlike in the past whereby KCSE candidates who had attained the minimum entry requirements to universities and colleges were forced to calculate their cluster points manually, the KUCCPS system is automated to calculate every KCSE candidate’s cluster points for all available programmes/ courses.

Cluster points definition

What is a cluster point?

The term cluster points refer to a tabulated figure usually acquired by calculating the number of points for four basic subjects that have to be considered for every course choice. The four subjects are considered to be the most relevant to your preferred course/ programme.

For example, a student wishing to pursue a degree in Nursing must attain certain points in Mathematics, Biology, English and Chemistry. These four are also referred to as core cluster subjects.

During the revision of KUCCPS choices, KUCCPS provides cluster subjects for every course/ choice which differs from one university to the other.

HOW to calculate your weighted cluster points

To successfully calculate your weighted cluster points, you need the following: Aggregate points as provided in your KNEC result slip or certificate and your raw cluster points.

What are the raw cluster points?
The term raw cluster points for your KUCCPS course selection refers to the total number of points obtained by adding the points for the four core subjects. The maximum number of raw cluster points for any candidate is 48, assuming that the candidate scored straight As in all the four core subjects i.e. (12x 4)

Aggregate points, on the other hand, refers to the total number of points attained by the student as indicated in the KNEC result slip or certificate.
The next step is for you to use the formula provided by KUCCPS to obtain your weighted mean for every KUCCPS course choice.

Therefore, it is advisable that you select a KUCCPS course/ programme in a university whose cut off cluster weight/ point is equivalent or slightly lower than yours.

The cluster weight for all 2021 KUCCPS choices/ programmes have been calculated already by KUCCPS. You can, therefore, access them especially now that the KUCCPS portal is open for the first revision of courses by logging onto the official KUCCPS portal using the link provided below

https://students.kuccps.net/login/

2. Subject Requirements
The second factor that you should take into consideration before applying for KUCCPS placement is whether you have attained the minimum subject requirements for your preferred KUCCPS choice.
Students wishing to pursue KUCCPS programmes in Education, for instance, have to specialize in two main subjects. Such students are expected to score at least a C+ plus and above in the two areas of specialization, for example, Mathematics and Chemistry or Kiswahili and CRE.

3. Available KUCCPS slots
Do not go for a KUCCPS course that is already overpopulated. If you select a programme which is likely to attract many students, you are likely to miss a slot either in your university of choice or the course itself since KUCCPS will select candidates with the highest cluster points.
The saddest part of it all is that if you miss out on your preferred KUCCPS 2021 programme then KUCCPS will be at liberty to place you in any other available programme even if you are overqualified for it.

4. Preferred university or college and competitiveness

There is a saying that does rounds on social media about “The University of Nairobi” versus other universities.

It insinuates that not all universities are equal. In other words, universities are equal but others like The University of Nairobi are more equal than others. This is because they are located in the Capital City. Anyway, which student would like to go for “bush” universities leave alone “bush” schools?

Therefore, picking a KUCCPS programme being offered by the University of Nairobi and other more equal universities such as Kenyatta University and JKUAT may put you at risk of losing out on a chance to undertake the programme at all especially if your weighted cluster point equivalent to the university’s cut off.

It is therefore advisable that you critically analyze the general performance of all KCSE candidates that particular year before applying for highly competitive choices and universities.

All the best in your pursuits