Elite schools in Uganda have significantly raised their entry requirements for Senior 5 students following the release of the 2025 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results.
The move comes as the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) transitions to a new grading scale, replacing traditional distinctions and credits with a system of A to E scores.
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Top-tier traditional schools, including Gayaza High School, Mt St Mary’s Namagunga and Kiira College Butiki, are now demanding straight A grades for many subject combinations.
Students wishing to study science combinations such as Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) at these institutions were required to have scored an A in every subject.
Competition for places
Admissions remain highly competitive, with many elite schools rejecting students who achieved top marks in their chosen subjects but performed poorly in other areas.
At St Henry’s College Kitovu, deputy head teacher Brother Siliaco Turyatemba said the school had been forced to raise its cut-off scores after receiving 530 first-choice applications for just 180 places.
“The school raised its cut-off scores after receiving far more applications than it could accommodate, yet many of the applicants performed well,” he said.
While some schools like King’s College Budo and Ntare School allow science students to enter with two As and a B, others have maintained a strict “A-only” policy for their most popular tracks.
Rural schools relax rules
However, the picture is different in rural and mid-tier schools, where some administrators have actually lowered their entry requirements compared to last year.
At St Leo’s College Kyegobe in Kabarole District, deputy head teacher John Nabasa admitted that the school had been overly strict previously because staff were still struggling to interpret the new grading system.
“Last year, we were so strict on As and Bs for both the Science and Arts combinations because we were confused,” he said. “We didn’t understand the grading system, but we have now comprehended it.”
The school is now considering students with C grades for Arts subjects.
Similarly, Masinya Secondary School in Busia has lowered its Arts requirement to a D grade, though it has kept the Science requirement at a C.
The disparity highlights a growing gap between the country’s most prestigious institutions and regional schools as they adapt to the first major grading overhaul in years.
