Every combination on the Ministry of Education’s list, in one place. Tap a track, or pick a subject your child must keep.
Don’t know where to start?
How to read a combination
How to Read a Subject Combination
A subject combination is the three subjects a learner chooses for Grades 10 to 12, on top of the four core subjects (English, Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language, Mathematics and Community Service Learning). The Ministry of Education groups every combination under a pathway and a track. A combination such as Biology + Chemistry + Physics sits in STEM, Pure Sciences. Business Studies + Geography + History & Citizenship sits in Social Sciences, Humanities & Business Studies.
Notice that many combinations borrow one subject from another pathway. That follows the Ministry’s rule that at least two of the three should come from the chosen pathway, with the third free to come from elsewhere. KICD lists “complementary” subjects for each pathway: Geography and Business Studies for STEM; Mathematics, Computer Studies and General Science for Social Sciences; and any Social Sciences subject plus Computer Studies, General Science, Mathematics, Business Studies and Media Technology for Arts & Sports Science.
What the numbers tell you
The list has 179 Technical Studies combinations, 92 Applied Sciences, 83 Pure Sciences, 74 Languages & Literature, 60 Humanities & Business Studies, 46 Arts and 26 Sports Science (counted after removing a handful of exact duplicates in the Ministry’s table). A large number does not mean a track is easier to get into. Technical Studies has many combinations because it has eight specialist subjects, but each one, such as Aviation or Marine and Fisheries Technology, needs workshops and trained teachers that few schools have.
The question that matters is not “how many combinations exist” but “which schools near us offer the one we want”. Use the explorer to shortlist two or three combinations, then check which schools offer them on the selection portal, and use our senior school finder to see schools by county and cluster.
A note on the list and its versions
We use the Ministry of Education’s published table of senior school pathways, tracks and subject combinations (June 2025 edition). We have only tidied spelling, for example writing Woodwork the same way each time. The selection portal now shows each combination with a code, such as ST1048 for Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and the portal is always the authoritative version. If a combination you need does not appear, ask your junior school’s career guidance teacher before you rule it out.
Questions parents ask
Frequently Asked Questions
How many subject combinations are there for senior school?
The Ministry of Education’s published table lists 571 rows, which is 560 unique combinations once exact duplicates are removed. They cover seven tracks across the three pathways.
Does every school offer every combination?
No. A senior school must offer at least two pathways, and each offers only the combinations it has teachers and facilities for. Check a school’s combinations on the selection portal before choosing it.
What does Advanced Mathematics mean in a combination?
Some combinations list Advanced Mathematics as one of the three chosen subjects. That is separate from the core Mathematics every learner takes. It suits learners heading for careers that use a lot of mathematics.
Can I make up my own combination?
Learners choose from combinations a school offers. The Ministry’s guidelines allow one subject from each pathway where a career really needs it, so talk to the school if your child has an unusual career goal.
Sources
- Ministry of Education, Full list of senior schools’ pathways, tracks and subject combinations
- Ministry of Education, Guidelines for Implementation of Senior School Education (October 2025)
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.