TCU Bachelors Degree Admission Criteria 2025/2026 Admission Cycle in Tanzania

TCU Bachelors Degree Admission Criteria
2025/2026 Admission Cycle in Tanzania

The Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) is a government agency which was established on the 1st July 2005, under the Universities Act, Cap. 346 of the Laws of Tanzania with a legal mandate to recognise, register and accredit universities in Tanzania.

It also regulates local or foreign university-level programmes, coordinates the proper functioning of universities and ensures a harmonised higher education system in the country.

FUNCTIONS OF TCU Tanzania

The TCU implements the National Education Policy through its functions which can be clustered into three major areas:

1. Regulatory Function: Ensures quality assurance by evaluating universities, programmes, and systems. Validates programmes, accredits institutions, and evaluates university awards for use in Tanzania.

2. Advisory Function: Advises the government and public on university education, policy formulation, and international higher education issues.

3. Supportive Function: Coordinates university operations, students’ admissions, and provides training in areas like quality assurance, leadership, entrepreneurship, and resource mobilization.

TCU Bachelors Degree Admission Criteria
2025/2026 Admission Cycle in Tanzania

The application and admission process require an applicant to apply directly through the respective higher education institutions of their choice. Programmes on offer and specific entry requirements for the programmes are available through the websites of individual higher education institutions. All admission procedures shall be accomplished by the higher education institution. Announcements of successful applicants shall be made by the respective institution. To view the Bachelor’s Degree Admission Procedure, click here.

If you are currently enrolled in a higher education institution or were previously admitted to a higher education institution in the previous years and wish to re-apply, please complete the procedure as indicated on the Admission Re-application Procedure before you proceed with your application to an institution of your choice. To download the Prio-Admission Clearance Form, please click here.

Who is eligible to apply?

Form Six Leavers;
Holders of Ordinary Diplomas, FTC, and their equivalences;
Holders of Foundation Certificate of the Open University of Tanzania; and
Holders of Bachelor’ Degree award.

What are the Procedures?

All applicants should:

Carefully read and understand the admission requirements provided in the 2025/2026 Admission Guidebooks;
Lodge their applications directly through respective institutions;

NB:
All applicants holding foreign qualifications must have their qualifications validated and equated by NECTA or NACTVET for certificates of secondary education and teacher education; and for Technical Education in respect of NTA Level 6 /Diploma qualifications respectively.

Minimum Admission Entry Qualifications

The minimum entry qualifications for Admission into Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for 2025/2026 Academic Year, for all Bachelor’s Degree programmes are indicated in Tables 1, 2 and 3:

Table 1: Minimum Admission Entry Qualifications for 2025/2026 Admission Cycle

Table 2: Minimum Entry Requirements for Health-Related Programmes: Direct Entrants

Table 3: Minimum Entry Requirements for Health-Related Programmes: Diploma
Entrants

TCU Bachelors Degree Admission Criteria 2025

NOTE:

1. A holder of a Bachelor Degree award shall be eligible for admission into another degree programme provided the admitting University has such provision in the student
admission guidelines;

2. As part of outreach programmes, every University shall be allowed to offer certificate and diploma programmes in its relevant academic disciplines for the purposes of contributing to professional development and life-long learning initiatives of the citizens;

3. The minimum entry requirements for admission into ordinary diploma programmes/certificate (UQF Level 6) in any University shall be:

(a). Advanced Certificate Secondary Education Examination (A-Level) with at least one Principal level pass relevant to the discipline/programme applied AND at least four passes (‘D’s and above) at O- Level excluding
religious subjects;

(b). NTA Level 5 or Professional Technician Certificate Level II AND at least four passes (‘D’s and above) at O- Level excluding religious subjects;

4. In admitting an applicant with foreign certificates every University shall vet the level of the foreign qualifications used in applying for admission with the national equivalences (NECTA and NACTVET) before processing the application.