Last reviewed: 24 October 2026
Not every placement works out. A school might be far from home, offer a different pathway combination from the one hoped for, or charge boarding fees the family cannot meet. For the first cohort placed in December 2025, the Ministry of Education set out a process for transfer requests. This guide explains how it worked, based on reporting by The Star, so you know what to expect for the 2026 cohort.
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Apply Through the Junior School
Transfer requests were made through the learner’s junior school, at least two weeks before reporting. That is an important detail: you do not approach the new school directly, and you should not wait until after reporting day.
Who Gets Priority
Priority went to learners who had chosen the target school among their original 12 choices. A request to move to a school the learner never selected was less likely to succeed.
Approval Depends on Space
Approval depended on whether the target school had space in the right category and pathway. Popular C1 and C2 schools fill quickly. Day schools near home may be more realistic, and they charge no tuition fees.
Approved Transfers Are Final
Once a transfer is approved, it is final. Families cannot move back to the original school if they change their minds. Think carefully before applying.
Good Reasons to Request a Transfer
- Distance and safety for a day scholar.
- A boarding fee the family genuinely cannot meet, where a day school is available.
- A pathway or subject combination that does not match the learner’s strengths.
- Medical or special needs that the school cannot support.
A Step-by-Step Approach
- Read the admission letter and the school’s fee structure carefully.
- List two or three realistic target schools, ideally from your original choices. Check each one in the Senior School Finder.
- Meet your child’s junior school head teacher and explain the reason clearly.
- Ask what documents are needed and the deadline.
- Keep copies of everything you submit.
- Follow up before the two-week cut-off.
What to Write in the Request
Keep the request short and factual. State the learner’s name, assessment number, the school they were placed in, the school they want to move to, and the reason. Attach evidence where it helps, such as a medical letter or a note on travel distance. A clear, honest request is easier for officials to process than a long complaint, and it shows the reason is genuine.
Never Pay for a Place
Any person or school demanding money for a place is acting illegally. The Education Cabinet Secretary has told parents to report such demands to education offices or the police.
If a Transfer Is Not Approved
Ask the school how to support your child in the placed school. Many families find that a school they did not expect works well. For fee difficulties, see our bursaries and scholarships guide; the Ministry’s guidelines also allow instalment plans and prohibit sending students home for non-payment of boarding fees.
Related Reading
See Grade 10 admission letters and reporting, placement and pathways and senior school clusters C1 to C4. For younger siblings, our free CBC Challenge is a quick progress check, and the Monthly Pass costs KSh 500 by M-Pesa.