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Hospitality & Tourism

Diploma in Catering and Accomondation

The Diploma in Catering and Accommodation Management is a KNEC-examined programme that trains professionals for Kenya's hospitality industry. The course covers food and beverage production, food and beverage service, housekeeping, front office operations, catering control, accommodation management, hospitality accounting, and sales and marketing across three modules.

Duration
3 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 67,189
Ksh 201,567 total
Private tuition
Ksh 27,050
Ksh 81,150 total
Job market
Moderate
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 67,189 a year at a public institution, Ksh 201,567 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 27,050 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of C- or above, plus 2 subject grades. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 3 years, full-time, with 3 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 50 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Pastry Chef, at 5 out of 100.The detail

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Overview

Students develop competencies in food preparation, catering premises management, diet therapy, accommodation operations, hospitality law, and human relations. The programme combines culinary skills with accommodation management and hospitality business administration.

Kenya's tourism sector, one of the country's largest foreign exchange earners, continues to grow with increasing hotel investments, conference tourism, and domestic travel. Hotels, restaurants, lodges, conference centres, and catering companies actively recruit diploma holders for supervisory and management trainee positions.

The programme combines classroom theory with extensive kitchen practicals, restaurant service exercises, housekeeping demonstrations, and front office simulations. Students prepare various cuisines, set up restaurant services, manage accommodation operations, and develop business plans. A supervised industrial attachment in a hotel or restaurant provides hands-on hospitality experience.

Graduates work as catering supervisors, food and beverage assistants, accommodation officers, front office assistants, and housekeeping supervisors. Employers include hotels, restaurants, lodges, hospitals, educational institutions, and catering companies. Many graduates also establish catering businesses or restaurants.

This programme is suitable for KCSE graduates with a mean grade of C- (minus) who are interested in hospitality, culinary arts, and tourism. It provides a direct pathway into Kenya's hospitality sector with progression options to degree programmes in hospitality and tourism management.

What you study

6 subjects
  • Research Methods
  • Communication Skills
  • Information Technology
  • Project Management
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Statistics

Modules

10 in the programme

  • Food and Beverage Service and Sales

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Restaurant service and customer care techniques for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Housekeeping, Front Office, Laundry

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Housekeeping operations and front office procedures for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Food and Beverage Production

    Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore

    Cooking principles and food preparation techniques for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Catering and Accommodation Control I

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Food costing and stock control including cleaning standards, linen management, and quality assurance for hospitality establishments.

  • Accommodation Management I

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Advanced housekeeping and lodging management for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Hospitality Accounting

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Bookkeeping and financial management for hospitality for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Diet Therapy

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Therapeutic nutrition and special diet planning for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Principles and Practices of Management

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Management theory applied to hospitality operations for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Sales and Marketing for Hospitality

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Marketing strategies for hospitality businesses for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Research Methods

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Research methodology for hospitality including research design, data collection, analysis methods, and report writing for project work.

Specialisations

  • Food and Beverage Production

    Professional food preparation, menu planning, and kitchen management for hotels, restaurants, and catering services, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

  • Accommodation Management

    Management of room operations, housekeeping, and guest services in hotels, lodges, and accommodation facilities, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

  • Front Office Operations

    Guest services, reservations, reception operations, and customer relationship management in hospitality establishments, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

  • Catering and Events Management

    Planning and managing catering services for events, conferences, and institutional feeding programmes, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

A day as a student

Students attend morning theory classes and spend afternoons in practical sessions, workshops, or laboratory work applying concepts learned in class.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's growing tourism sector provides diverse employment opportunities in hotels, restaurants, and lodges.Hospitality work involves long hours including weekends, holidays, and night shifts.
Practical culinary and hospitality skills enable self-employment through catering businesses.Entry-level positions may have modest salaries before gaining experience and advancing.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 91 hospitality & tourism courses
Public67k to 67k
67k at Public TVET institutions (standardised rate)67k at Public TVET institutions (standardised rate)
Private25k to 27k
25k at NIBS Technical College27k at NIBS Technical College

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

TVET 67,189/yr public (kenyaeducationguide). NIBS 25K-27K/yr private (eafinder.com).

Students can access HELB TVET loans, county government bursaries, and NG-CDF bursaries to support their studies.

Funding options

  • HELB loan

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • HELB TVET/Diploma Loan

    LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan

    Needy Kenyan students enrolled in KUCCPS-placed or accredited diploma programmes at recognised TVET institutions.

  • County Government Bursaries

    BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan

    Bursaries provided by county governments for needy students from their respective counties.

  • NG-CDF Bursary

    BursaryKsh 15,000Kenyan

    Constituency Development Fund bursaries for needy students from the respective constituency.

Scholarships you could apply for

10 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
C-minimum entry
Alternative entry

Craft Certificate in Catering and Accommodation or Food and Beverage from an accredited TVET institution.

Subject requirements
English or Kiswahili
Mathematics

When it next starts

Taught at 50 institutions
January 202750 institutions

Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Meru University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

May 202750 institutions

Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Meru University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

September 202750 institutions

Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Meru University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Continuous Assessment Tests

    Coursework30% of the mark

    Mid-semester and end-of-semester CATs covering theory and practical components.

  • KNEC Module Examinations

    Exam60% of the mark

    National examinations administered by KNEC at the end of each module.

  • Industrial Attachment Assessment

    Practicum10% of the mark

    Supervised industrial attachment report and employer assessment.

Accreditation

  • Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority

    Academic accreditationRequired

    Statutory accreditation for TVET institutions offering this diploma programme.

  • Kenya National Examinations Council

    Examination bodyRequired

    Administers national examinations for the diploma programme at each module level.

Programmes accredited by TVETA and examined by KNEC, NITA, or CDACC in Kenya.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

  • Catering Supervisor

    High demandKsh 28,000 to Ksh 50,000

    Supervises catering operations including food preparation, service delivery, and quality control for events and institutions.

  • Food and Beverage Assistant

    Medium demandKsh 25,000 to Ksh 45,000

    Assists in managing restaurant and bar operations including service standards, stock control, and customer satisfaction.

  • Accommodation Officer

    Medium demandKsh 28,000 to Ksh 50,000

    Manages room inventory, housekeeping operations, and guest services in hotels and lodges.

  • Front Office Assistant

    Medium demandKsh 26,000 to Ksh 48,000

    Handles guest check-in and check-out, reservations, and customer inquiries at hotel front desks.

  • Housekeeping Supervisor

    High demandKsh 28,000 to Ksh 50,000

    Supervises housekeeping staff and ensures cleanliness and maintenance standards in accommodation facilities.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates of the Catering and Accomondation programme work in relevant industries across Kenya, with opportunities in both public and private sectors.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • Micros POS

    Point of sale systemPrimary

    POS system for restaurant and catering operations

  • Recipe Costing Software

    Food service software

    Software for recipe costing and menu pricing

  • Microsoft Excel

    Data analysis

    Spreadsheet for catering cost control and budgeting

  • Property Management System

    Hospitality software

    Software for managing accommodation bookings and front office operations

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • The Catering and Accomondation diploma is just theory with no practical value.

    The programme emphasises hands-on practical training in workshops, laboratories, and industrial attachment, ensuring graduates are job-ready.

  • Graduates of this programme end up unemployed in Kenya.

    Kenya's expanding sectors create steady demand for diploma holders, with opportunities in county governments, private companies, and self-employment.

Further reading

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