Last reviewed: 26 October 2026
Applying to the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) confuses many families because there is not one application route but two, and the right one depends on the course. School leavers applying for a first certificate or diploma use one portal; health workers upgrading or taking a higher diploma or short course use another. This guide explains the two KMTC intakes, which portal to use, the documents you need and what happens after you are selected. For grade requirements course by course, see our separate guide to KMTC entry requirements.
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Two Intakes a Year: March and September
KMTC admits students twice a year, in March and September, according to the KMTC frequently asked questions document (September 2025). Each intake is advertised separately, and courses on offer can differ between intakes. If a course you want is missing from the portal, KMTC says it is either full or not offered in that intake.
Recent application windows give a sense of the timing:
- March 2026 intake: KUCCPS opened applications on 7 January 2026 and set a closing date of 27 January 2026, with 21,774 vacancies in 36 programmes across 98 campuses, according to the KUCCPS media release.
- September 2026 intake: KUCCPS opened applications on 24 July 2026 for 21 days, closing on 11 August 2026, for 34 programmes (24 diplomas and 10 certificates), as announced on the KUCCPS notice for the September 2026 KMTC intake.
Applications for the March 2027 intake had not been announced when this article was written. Based on the pattern above, January is the month to watch, but rely only on official announcements from KUCCPS and KMTC.
Route 1: First Certificates and Diplomas Through KUCCPS
Pre-service courses, meaning first-time certificate and diploma programmes for KCSE holders, are applied for only through the KUCCPS Students’ Portal. KMTC does not accept direct applications for these courses. For the September 2026 intake, KUCCPS said KCSE holders from 2000 to 2025 were eligible to apply. Our step-by-step guide on how to apply on the KUCCPS Students’ Portal walks through logging in and choosing programmes.
Two points from the KUCCPS release are worth repeating. First, you do not need to hand over your physical KCSE certificate or result slip, because the system verifies results itself. Second, nobody, including cyber café attendants, should ask for those documents. KUCCPS suggests Huduma Centres, where trained staff can help.
Route 2: Upgrading, Higher Diplomas and Short Courses Through the KMTC Portal
Upgrading courses (certificate to diploma), higher national diplomas and short courses are applied for directly on the KMTC admissions portal at admissions.kmtc.ac.ke. The KMTC application instructions page provides separate user guides: the Preservice User Guide and the Inservice User Guide for upgrading and higher diploma applicants. Key instructions include:
- Read the advert first and apply only for courses you qualify for.
- If you applied before, log in with the email you registered with rather than creating a new account.
- Scan documents to less than 2 MB each.
- Choose the correct academic year and intake. For a March intake, the academic year is the one that started the previous September.
For the March 2026 upgrading and higher diploma intake, KMTC’s advert set the application fee at KSh 2,072 for upgrading and higher diploma applicants and KSh 500 for short course applicants, paid by mobile money through a prompt sent to your phone. Check the current advert, since fees can change.
Unlike KUCCPS windows, KMTC says that once its portal opens for an intake, upgrading and higher diploma applications stay open until a course fills up, so applying early matters.
Documents You Need
For upgrading and higher diploma applications, KMTC lists:
- A valid identification document: national ID card, birth certificate or passport.
- Academic certificates or result slips.
- A working phone number and email address, since selection is communicated by text.
- The application fee, paid by M-Pesa.
If you are offered a place on any route, KMTC requires you to present original academic documents and certified copies to the admissions officer for verification before you are admitted. Bring the originals in a waterproof folder on reporting day, along with anything else listed in the admission letter.
After Selection
- Admission letter and commitment fee: the KMTC portal publishes procedures for paying a commitment fee and then enrolling online. Follow them in order.
- Fees: KMTC’s FAQ gives annual tuition of KSh 82,700 for diploma and certificate programmes and KSh 123,700 for higher national diplomas, payable in two instalments. Fees are paid through the official channels KMTC lists, not to individuals.
- Campus: KMTC may place you at any campus offering the course. Requests to change campus or course are made by letter to the Chief Executive Officer and depend on vacancies.
- Deferment: deferment requests go through the student portal and are valid for one academic year.
- Not selected? KMTC notifies successful applicants by text. If you hear nothing, the course was filled. Consider less popular campuses or related courses next intake.
Avoid Fake Offers
KMTC and KUCCPS both warn about people selling “guaranteed” places. Admission happens only through the two official portals. Never pay anyone to secure a place, and check unfamiliar social media pages against kmtc.ac.ke and kuccps.ac.ke.
Still in School?
For learners now in senior school, health careers start with strong Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. Our KCSE Biology practice paper and Chemistry practice paper are a good place to begin, and a Term Pass opens every revision paper on the site, with each question checked by a teacher.