Kenya University Transcript Format
The Kenyan academic transcript follows the KAG East five-column format: course code, title, credit hours, marks, and grade, with per-semester GPA and a running cumulative GPA. CUE accreditation requirements mandate the university's accreditation number, credit hours, and supplementary exam annotations on every official transcript. OpenEduCat generates this format directly from published gradebook data.
KAG East 5-Column Transcript Format
Each row in the transcript represents one course unit. Assessment components (CAT and exam) are merged into a single row per subject.
| Column | Description | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code | Course unit code (e.g., BBA 101, COMM 203) | BBA 101 | Matches the course code in the university prospectus |
| Title | Full course unit title | Principles of Management | Component assessment lines are aggregated into one row per subject |
| CR HRS | Credit hours assigned to the course unit | 3 | Used in GPA calculation: quality points = CR HRS × GPA points |
| MARKS | Final percentage mark after CAT 30% + Exam 70% weighting | 67 | Supplementary grades shown with asterisk (*); excluded grades shown with "E" |
| GRADE | Letter grade based on KE_STANDARD scale | B+ | Mapped from MARKS using the 8-band scale (A to E) |
Semester block footer (after each semester):
Semester GPA: 3.25 | Credits earned: 18 | Cumulative GPA: 3.10
Transcript Structure
Four sections that together make up a complete Kenyan academic transcript.
Header
- University name and CUE accreditation number
- Student full name and registration number
- Programme name and level (Undergraduate / Postgraduate)
- Faculty / School name
- Transcript generation date
Semester block (repeated per semester)
- Semester label (e.g., Semester 1, 2023/2024)
- Five-column course grid: Code, Title, CR HRS, MARKS, GRADE
- Semester GPA at the bottom of the block
- Credits earned this semester
Cumulative running total
- Cumulative GPA updated after each semester block
- Total credits attempted to date
- Total credits earned to date
- Year-1 exclusion flag shown if applicable
Footer
- Final honours classification at graduation (First Class / Second Upper / Second Lower / Pass)
- Registrar signature and official seal
- QR verification code (if secure bridge module is installed)
- Grade scale legend printed at bottom for receiving institution reference
Year-1 CGPA Exclusion
Some Kenyan universities treat first-year grades as foundation credits that do not count towards the final degree GPA.
What is the Year-1 CGPA exclusion?
Some Kenyan universities treat the first year as a foundation or bridging year. Grades earned in Year 1 are shown on the transcript but are not counted in the cumulative GPA that determines the final degree classification. The Daystar University model is the most commonly cited implementation of this pattern.
How it works in OpenEduCat
The exclude_year1_from_cgpa field on the op.course model controls this. When set to True, all advance.gradebook records linked to Year 1 of that programme are excluded from the CGPA accumulation. The grades still appear on the transcript with a notation indicating they are not included in the cumulative GPA.
Gradebook-level override
Individual gradebooks can also be excluded using the exclude_from_cgpa field on advance.gradebook. This allows the registrar to exclude a specific semester or course from CGPA without changing the programme-level configuration, useful for exchange semesters or remedial courses.
Marksheet vs Transcript in Kenya
Both documents are official but serve different purposes and audiences.
| Dimension | Marksheet | Transcript |
|---|---|---|
| Issued when | After each examination session (main + supplementary) | On request, typically at graduation or for transfer |
| Scope | One session's results only | Complete academic history from Year 1 to graduation |
| Cumulative GPA | Not shown; semester results only | Running CGPA updated after every semester |
| Supplementary history | May show only the latest grade | All attempts with asterisk and "E" annotations |
| Honours classification | Not shown | Printed on final transcript at graduation |
| Used for | Scholarship, fee clearance, academic progress verification | Graduate school applications, employment, overseas recognition |
CUE Recognition Requirements
Elements required on a transcript for CUE accreditation compliance.
CUE accreditation number
Every official transcript must display the university's CUE accreditation number. This allows receiving institutions and employers to verify the issuing university is CUE-accredited.
GPA on 4.0 scale
CUE expects transcripts to show GPA on the standard 4.0 scale. Both semester GPA and cumulative GPA must appear. The grade scale legend at the bottom explains the grade-to-GPA mapping.
Credit hours per course
Credit hours must be shown for every course unit so that receiving institutions can verify the CGPA calculation and assess credit transfer equivalency.
Supplementary annotations
CUE accreditation standards require transparency in academic records. Supplementary grades must be annotated to distinguish them from first-attempt grades. The asterisk (*) and "E" annotation system satisfies this requirement.
Programme duration and graduation date
The transcript must show the programme length, start date, and graduation date. This allows overseas institutions and employers to compute the duration of study and verify the qualification level.
How OpenEduCat Generates Kenya Transcripts
The Kenya module includes all transcript templates pre-built. Publish grades and the registrar runs the wizard to generate PDFs.
KAG East 5-column transcript template
The Kenya module includes the KAG East format report (kenya_transcript_report.py). The aggregate_lines_by_subject() function groups individual assessment lines (CAT, exam) into one row per subject, matching the format registrars and accreditors expect.
Per-semester GPA and running cumulative GPA
The transcript displays semester GPA at the end of each semester block and the running cumulative GPA after each semester. The registrar and student can see exactly how CGPA has moved across the degree programme.
Year-1 exclusion flag supported
The Kenya module adds the exclude_year1_from_cgpa field to op.course and the exclude_from_cgpa field to advance.gradebook. Transcripts show Year-1 grades with a clear notation that they are foundation grades not counted in the degree CGPA.
Statement of Results document
Alongside the full transcript, the Kenya module generates a one-page Statement of Results (kenya_statement_report.py) showing student details, current programme standing, cumulative GPA, and honours classification. Used for scholarship applications and employer verification before the full transcript is ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Kenya university transcript formats and CUE requirements.
Generate CUE-compliant transcripts automatically
The Kenya module includes the KAG East transcript template and Statement of Results. Publish grades, run the wizard, and CUE-compliant PDFs are ready for your graduating cohort.