Kenya KCSE 2026 Timetable: Dates, Papers and Times
The 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination runs from Monday, Oct. 19 to Friday, Nov. 20, according to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) timetable. It starts with oral and practical tests in languages, music and home science, followed by the optional-subject papers on Oct. 28 to 30. The main written papers begin on Monday, Nov. 2 with English in the morning and Chemistry in the afternoon.
First-session papers start at 8:00 a.m. and second-session papers at 2:00 p.m. East Africa Time, and no extra time is allowed. A rehearsal day is set for Friday, Oct. 16.
KCSE 2026 key dates
- January to July: school-based projects in Art and Design, Agriculture, Woodwork, Metalwork, Building Construction and Computer Studies, each lasting seven months.
- Fri., Oct. 16: rehearsal day.
- Mon., Oct. 19: examinations begin with orals and practical tests.
- Wed., Oct. 28 to Fri., Oct. 30: optional-subject papers and practicals.
- Mon., Nov. 2: core written papers begin.
- Fri., Nov. 20: the last paper, Physics Practical.
KCSE written papers, Nov. 2 to 20
| Date | Morning, from 8:00am | Afternoon, from 2:00pm |
|---|---|---|
| Mon. Nov. 2 | English Paper 1 (Functional Skills), 8:00-10:00am | Chemistry Paper 1, 2:00-4:00pm |
| Tue. Nov. 3 | Mathematics Paper 1, 8:00-10:30am | English Paper 2 (Comprehension, Literary Appreciation and Grammar), 2:00-4:30pm |
| Wed. Nov. 4 | Chemistry Paper 2, 8:00-10:00am General Science Paper 1, 8:00-10:30am | English Paper 3 (Creative Composition and Essays on Set Texts), 2:00-4:30pm |
| Thu. Nov. 5 | Kiswahili Paper 2 (Lugha), 8:00-10:30am | Kiswahili Paper 1 (Insha), 2:00-3:45pm |
| Fri. Nov. 6 | Chemistry Paper 3 (Practical), 8:00-10:15am | No paper |
| Mon. Nov. 9 | Mathematics Paper 2, 8:00-10:30am | Kiswahili Paper 3 (Fasihi), 2:00-4:30pm |
| Tue. Nov. 10 | Religious Education Paper 1 (CRE, IRE, HRE), 8:00-10:30am | Biology Paper 1, 2:00-4:00pm |
| Wed. Nov. 11 | Religious Education Paper 2 (CRE, IRE, HRE), 8:00-10:30am | History and Government Paper 1, 2:00-4:30pm |
| Thu. Nov. 12 | Biology Paper 2, 8:00-10:00am | History and Government Paper 2, 2:00-4:30pm |
| Fri. Nov. 13 | Biology Paper 3 (Practical), 8:00-9:45am | No paper |
| Mon. Nov. 16 | Geography Paper 1, 8:00-10:45am | Physics Paper 1, 2:00-4:00pm General Science Paper 2, 2:00-4:30pm |
| Tue. Nov. 17 | Business Studies Paper 1, 8:00-10:00am | Agriculture Paper 1, 2:00-4:00pm |
| Wed. Nov. 18 | Geography Paper 2, 8:00-10:45am | Physics Paper 2, 2:00-4:00pm |
| Thu. Nov. 19 | Business Studies Paper 2, 8:00-10:30am | Agriculture Paper 2, 2:00-4:00pm |
| Fri. Nov. 20 | Physics Paper 3 (Practical), 8:00-10:30am | No paper |
Times are the start and end times printed in KNEC's timetable. Mathematics has two versions, Alternative A and Alternative B, which sit the same session. The timetable also lists large-print, Braille and hearing-impaired versions of papers, some with longer durations, and the Religious Education papers cover Christian, Islamic and Hindu Religious Education in the same session.
Optional subjects and practicals, Oct. 28 to 30
| Date | Morning, from 8:00am | Afternoon, from 2:00pm |
|---|---|---|
| Wed. Oct. 28 | French Paper 1, 8:00-10:00am German Paper 1, 8:00-10:00am Kenyan Sign Language Paper 1, 8:00-10:00am Arabic Paper 2, 8:00-10:30am Music Paper 3, 8:00-10:30am | French Paper 2, 2:00-4:15pm German Paper 2, 2:00-4:30pm Kenyan Sign Language Paper 2, 2:00-3:30pm Arabic Paper 1, 2:00-2:50pm Music Paper 2 (Aural), 2:00-2:50pm |
| Thu. Oct. 29 | Home Science Paper 1, 8:00-10:30am Art and Design Paper 1, 8:00-9:30am Woodwork, Metalwork, Building Construction, Electricity and Aviation Technology Paper 1, 8:00-10:30am | Power Mechanics, Drawing and Design and Computer Studies Paper 1, 2:00-4:30pm |
| Fri. Oct. 30 | Art and Design Paper 2 (Practical), 8:00am-12:00 noon Home Science Paper 2 (Clothing Construction, Practical), 8:00-10:30am Power Mechanics, Electricity, Drawing and Design, Aviation Technology and Computer Studies Paper 2 (Practical), 8:00-10:30am | No paper |
Candidates sit only the optional subjects they registered for. Woodwork, Metalwork and Building Construction have a written Paper 1 on Oct. 29, and their Paper 2 is the school-based project. Art and Design, Agriculture and Computer Studies also have a project component.
Oral and practical tests from Oct. 19
- Oct. 19 to 23: French oral, German oral, Kenyan Sign Language practical signing skills and Music practical, 15 minutes per candidate.
- Oct. 19 to 26: Arabic oral, also 15 minutes per candidate.
- Wed., Oct. 21: Home Science (Foods and Nutrition) practical planning session, 30 minutes.
- Oct. 26 to 28: Home Science (Foods and Nutrition) practical, 1 hour 15 minutes.
KNEC's rules for candidates
- Be searched outside the room and seated 15 minutes before each paper. A late candidate must give the supervisor a satisfactory reason, and a paper is only given to someone more than half an hour late in exceptional cases.
- Write in black or blue ink, not erasable pens, and use pencil only for diagrams. Bring mathematical and drawing instruments where needed.
- Calculators must be the specified non-programmable type, and are allowed in Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, Agriculture, Woodwork, Metalwork, Building Construction, Power Mechanics, Electricity, Drawing and Design, Aviation Technology, Computer Studies and Business Studies.
- Phones and other electronic devices are banned in exam centres, and a candidate found with one will have their results cancelled.
- An irregularity in any paper cancels the results for the whole subject. Revealing exam content to an unauthorised person can mean up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to KSh 2 million under the KNEC Act, the timetable says.
Other Kenyan exams this month
The Grade 6 KPSEA and Grade 9 KJSEA written assessments run from Oct. 26. See our page on the KPSEA and KJSEA timetables. KNEC lists every 2026 timetable on its timetables page.
Dates and times are from KNEC's official 2026 KCSE timetable (document KNEC/TD/SE/KCSE/TT/26/005) as checked on its website on Oct. 7, 2026. Check with your school and KNEC for any change.
