Transfer IGCSE to CBC School: 8 Steps Kenyan Parents Follow

Last reviewed: 28 October 2026

Planning to transfer IGCSE to CBC? It is a common move for families cutting fees, returning to a county school or preferring the Kenyan system. The process has eight steps: agree the right grade, pick a school, gather records, get the child into the learner database, sit the school’s placement check, handle any KNEC requirement, start in January if you can, and plan catch-up. Here is each one.

On this page

1. Step 1: Agree the Grade Before You Transfer IGCSE to CBC
2. Step 2: Shortlist CBC Schools and Ask Four Questions
3. Step 3: Gather the Paperwork
4. Step 4: Get the Child Into the Learner Database
5. Step 5: Sit the School’s Placement Check
6. Step 6: Handle KNEC Requirements for Grade 9 and Above
7. Step 7: Start in January When You Can
8. Step 8: Plan Catch-Up for the First Term
9. Frequently Asked Questions

Step 1: Agree the Grade Before You Transfer IGCSE to CBC

Placement is mainly by age and level. A child in British Year 8 usually fits CBC Grade 7 or Grade 8, and Year 10 usually fits Grade 9 or Grade 10. Our IGCSE to CBC grade equivalent chart covers every year group. Decide your target grade before visiting schools, so you can compare their answers.

Step 2: Shortlist CBC Schools and Ask Four Questions

• Which grade would you place my child in, and how did you place your last IGCSE transfers?
• Do you run an entry or placement assessment, and in which learning areas?
• How do you support learners who are behind in Kiswahili?
• Is there space in January, and what are the fees and extra charges?

Public schools have rules on this. Under the Basic Education Act, 2013 (section 34), a public school may not set an admission test except to place a child at the right level, and no child may be denied admission to a public school. If that happens, you can notify the County Education Board. Private schools set their own entry rules. Use our fees directory and school comparison tool to compare options.

Step 3: Gather the Paperwork

• Birth certificate (the Act says no child should be refused admission for lack of proof of age, but schools still ask for it).
• The last two or three years of reports from the IGCSE school, plus any Cambridge Checkpoint or internal exam results.
• A leaving or transfer letter from the current school.
• Passport-size photos, parent ID and, for children who lived abroad, the passport.
• Immunisation card for younger children.

Our full documents for school admission in Kenya list covers each item by grade.

Step 4: Get the Child Into the Learner Database

CBC schools record every learner with a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) on the Ministry’s learner system, and school-based assessments are uploaded against it. Some international schools register learners, many do not. Ask your current school whether your child already has a UPI. If not, the new school creates one, usually from the birth certificate. Our guide to the KEMIS UPI number for school admission explains the process. Without it, your child cannot be assessed properly.

Step 5: Sit the School’s Placement Check

Expect short tests in Mathematics, English and often Kiswahili. Do not over-prepare with cramming. A realistic result helps the school place the child where they can cope. If the school suggests one grade lower than you hoped, ask what gap it saw and how long catch-up might take.

Step 6: Handle KNEC Requirements for Grade 9 and Above

This is the step parents miss. Learners entering CBC from a foreign or alternative system at Grade 9 must pass a KNEC qualifying test before they can register for KJSEA. As reported by Education News, KNEC set June for the 2025 online KJSEA qualifying test, covering Mathematics, English, Integrated Science and Kiswahili. The 2027 dates had not been published when we checked. Tell the school at admission so they can flag your child with the Sub-County Director of Education.

Older learners who already hold an IGCSE certificate may need a KNEC equation before joining an institution offering KNEC exams. KNEC’s rules say it does not equate foreign certificates awarded within Kenya, so ask KNEC directly. Our guide to school placement and certificate equation explains the online process.

Step 7: Start in January When You Can

The Kenyan school year runs January to November in three terms, so January entry gives a full year of school-based assessment and time to settle. British-curriculum schools often end in July, which leaves a gap. Use August to December for Kiswahili and CBC-style practice. Check term dates before you give notice.

Step 8: Plan Catch-Up for the First Term

Most children who transfer IGCSE to CBC settle within a term if the gaps are tackled early.

• Kiswahili: daily reading and grammar. Our methali, nahau na misemo revision is a good start.
• Integrated Science and Pre-Technical Studies: new formats for IGCSE learners.
• Projects: CBC counts performance tasks, so help your child keep a tidy portfolio.

Test your child’s level free on the CBC Challenge. For structured catch-up, a Monthly Pass (KSh 500) unlocks full revision papers with marking guides for every grade. A good tutor can help in the first term too; see how to choose a CBC tutor.

Frequently Asked Questions

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