Kisii University admits more students than other top universities in Kenya. Kenyans have been wondering why this is the reason.
There are a few reasons why Kisii University admits more KUCCPS students than even top-tier institutions like JKUAT:
- JKUAT is a tech and engineering-heavy university, meaning most of its programs require expensive infrastructure—labs, workshops, qualified instructors, and strict student-to-equipment ratios. Kisii, on the other hand, leans more towards arts, education, and business courses, which generally require fewer resources per student. That naturally limits how many students JKUAT can admit.
- Kisii University has gone big on marketing, especially online. In recent years, they’ve been very aggressive on social media and education platforms—something even older universities haven’t done as actively. That visibility is pulling in more applicants.
- More vacancies = lower cut-off points. With Kisii declaring more spaces in its courses, many students with mid-range and lower cluster points get placed there automatically.
- Also worth noting — Parliament once raised eyebrows when Kisii declared more capacity than even UoN. The probe didn’t go far, but it left people wondering whether the Commission for University Education (CUE) might have some internal bias or external influence in approving capacities. The top leadership of CUE is largely from the Kisii Community, heavily influenced by the fact that most recent CS Education came from the Kisii Community
So yes, Kisii is growing fast — maybe too fast — and that’s both an opportunity and a concern.
