Sit the KCSE Qualifying Test (no KCPE certificate)
Kenya National Examinations Council · sources read 4 Oct 2026
No KCPE certificate but want to sit KCSE? First get your primary school records validated at KNEC (KSh 3,480), then register at your County Headquarters and pay KSh 3,000 on eCitizen for the Qualifying Test. For 2027 KCSE candidates, registration closed on 30 July 2026 and the test was held in September 2026.
- Fee
- KSh 3,480Validation of primary school qualifications (bank deposit)KSh 3,000Qualifying Test registration (eCitizen)
- Closed
- 30 Jul 2026 QT registration for 2027 KCSE candidates closed on 30 July 2026.
- Where
- Validation at KNEC Archives Division, New Mitihani House, South C, Nairobi; registration at your County Director of Education's office; payment on eCitizen
What you need
- For validation: an application letter
- For validation: report cards or other proof you attended primary school
- For registration: a letter from your school (or from the Sub-County Director of Education if you are an adult candidate)
- For registration: the equation letter from KNEC
- A soft copy of your passport photo
- Birth certificate or ID card
Steps
- Take your application letter, primary school report cards and the KSh 3,480 bank deposit slip to the KNEC Archives Division, New Mitihani House, South C, Nairobi.
- After validation, KNEC gives you a letter clearing you to register for the Qualifying Test.
- Register at your County Headquarters (County Director of Education) with your letters, photo and birth certificate or ID, and pay KSh 3,000 on eCitizen.
- Sit the test online at the venue the County Director of Education names. Your result is used to register you for KCSE.
Watch out
- The last KCSE will be in 2027. After that, exams move to the competency-based (CBC) system, so a missed QT may not come round again.
- If you are in school, your head teacher is responsible for getting Form 3 learners without KCPE through this on time. Ask them early.
Who can apply
- Anyone without a KCPE certificate (or equivalent) who wants to sit KCSE, including learners who missed the 2023 KCPE but joined secondary school with Ministry of Education approval.
- Form 3 students with foreign primary qualifications, after KNEC equation.
Official sources (2)
- Guidelines on Administration of the 2026 KCSE Qualifying Test (KNEC/GEN/EA/EMS/QT/KCSE/REG/2026/011, 18 June 2026) knec.ac.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- School Examinations knec.ac.ke · read 4 Oct 2026