Law, Nursing Among 10 Most Sought-After Degree Courses in Kenya

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) CEO Agnes Wahome identified Nursing, Clinical Medicine, Teaching, and Law as the most sought-after degree programmes among students qualifying for university admission.

Speaking at the 2025 2nd Biennial Universities Funding Conference, KUCCPS CEO Agnes Wahome further noted that nursing, in particular, remains one of the most coveted fields of study, attracting a substantial number of applicants.

“For those who qualify for university placement, we have seen students who have attained a C+ and above opting for nursing, clinical medicine, and teaching,” she said.

She noted that these courses are widely regarded as both rewarding and in high demand within the healthcare and education sectors

Wahome also pointed out that law is increasingly attracting interest among students, noting that diploma in law received a notable number of applications from eligible candidates.

KUCCPS CEO also stated that there has been a notable rise in the number of students opting for diploma programs, especially in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

KUCCPS Names Most Applied KMTC Courses

On his part, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba disclosed the top four Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) courses that attracted the most applicants during the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) application process last year.

He noted that Nursing diploma and certificate programmes attracted the highest number of applications, with over 27,000 students competing for 2,986 available slots.

Other highly sought-after KMTC courses included Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Medical Emergency Technician, and Community Health programmes.

Also Read: KUCCPS Cut Off Points for Bachelor of Commerce Across Kenyan Universities 

Kenyan University Courses With the Highest Student Enrolment

Data released by the Commission for University Education (CUE) in the 2024/2025 placement showed that Education Arts recorded the highest number of students at 104,747, followed by Business Studies with 94,491 and Education Science with 53,797.

Engineering, Social Sciences, ICT, Arts, and Humanities also featured prominently, each attracting more than 20,000 students.

Arts recorded 28,402 students, while Information and Communication Technology had 26,544 and Humanities had 26,281.

Other fields surpassing the 20,000-student mark included Education (Other) with 24,945 students and Mathematics and Statistics with 20,827.

Agriculture followed with 19,164 students, Administration and Management Studies with 19,028, Medical Studies with 15,939, Computer Science with 15,577, and Mass Communication and Journalism with 14,012.

Also Read: KUCCPS Cut-Off Points for Engineering Degree Courses Across Universities

Courses With Low Enrolment

Programmes with fewer than 10,000 students included Allied Health and Clinical Sciences (9,436), Architecture and Built Environment (8,644), and Public Health (5,474).

Others listed by CUE included Environment (4,673), Security Services (2,478), Veterinary Studies (2,238), and Manufacturing and Production (1,797).

The lowest enrolments, each below 1,000 students, were recorded in Fisheries, Dental Studies, Complementary Therapies, and Transport Services.