Sports Science is for athletes and future coaches, physios and PE teachers. Every combination pairs sport with a science.
Check whether Sports Science fits your child
What the track covers
What the Sports Science Track Covers
Sports Science is the second track in the Arts & Sports Science pathway. The Ministry of Education’s guidelines, citing KICD, list one subject in it: Sports and Recreation. That single subject appears in all 26 Sports Science combinations on the Ministry’s list.
What surprises many parents is how scientific the track is. Every one of the 26 combinations includes either Biology (13) or General Science (13). The third subject then varies: Geography, History & Citizenship, Business Studies, Computer Studies, a language, Religious Education, Media Technology or Advanced Mathematics. So a learner might take Biology, Geography and Sports & Recreation, or General Science, Media Technology and Sports & Recreation.
That makes sense: modern sport is built on understanding the body, nutrition, training loads and injury. Core subjects are English, Kiswahili (or Kenyan Sign Language), Community Service Learning and Essential Mathematics, with Core Mathematics possible where junior school results show readiness.
Is it right for your child?
Sports Science suits learners who are serious about sport and curious about how the body works. Signals include competing at school, zone, county or national level, training on their own, strong results in Creative Arts & Sports and reasonable results in Integrated Science. It is not a free period. Sports and Recreation includes theory and assessment, and the science subject paired with it is a full academic subject.
Be honest about the long term: only a few athletes become full-time professionals, so the science in this track is what keeps other careers open.
Careers
Examples include professional athlete, coach and trainer, physical education teacher, physiotherapist, sports medicine and rehabilitation (with further study), fitness instruction, sports nutrition, sports management and administration, sports journalism and broadcasting (especially with Media Technology), and recreation and tourism. KUCCPS and institutions will set entry rules for the first senior school graduates in 2028.
Which schools offer it
Sports Science needs fields, courts, equipment and qualified coaches. Fewer schools offer it than most tracks. Search our senior school finder, confirm which schools offer Sports Science combinations on the Ministry’s selection portal, and ask about the sports your child plays: a school strong in athletics may not be strong in swimming or rugby.
Get ready now
Practise Creative Arts & Sports and Integrated Science, then try the CBC Challenge.
Questions parents ask
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the subject in the Sports Science track?
Sports and Recreation is the Sports Science subject listed by KICD. It is paired with other subjects to make a three-subject combination.
Do Sports Science learners study science?
Yes. Every Sports Science combination on the Ministry’s list includes Biology or General Science.
Can I become a physiotherapist from Sports Science?
Sports Science with Biology is a sensible starting point for physiotherapy and sports medicine. Check university entry requirements for the new certificate when they are published.
How many Sports Science combinations are there?
The Ministry of Education’s list has 26 Sports Science combinations.
Sources
- Ministry of Education, Guidelines for Implementation of Senior School Education (October 2025)
- Ministry of Education, Full list of senior schools’ pathways, tracks and subject combinations
Information is checked against official documents as of 18 October 2026. Where the Ministry has not yet announced something for the 2026 cohort, we say so.