Education

Diploma in Guidance and Counselling

The Diploma in Guidance and Counselling is a KUCCPS-listed programme (Social Sciences cluster) that trains graduates to provide structured guidance and counselling support, particularly in school and institutional settings.

Students study counselling theory, guidance programme design, career guidance, adolescent development, and ethics in counselling, building competence to support students and clients through personal, academic, and career challenges. Skills RequiredCounselling Theory and PracticeGuidance Programme DesignCareer GuidanceAdolescent DevelopmentCounselling EthicsKey SubjectsIntroduction to Guidance and CounsellingCounselling TheoriesCareer GuidanceAdolescent DevelopmentEthics in CounsellingCertificationsKenya Counselling and Psychological Association (KCPA) MembershipSpecializationsSchool Guidance and CounsellingFocus on supporting students' academic, personal, and career development in schools. Career GuidanceFocus on helping students and clients make informed education and career choices. Skills RequiredAdolescent DevelopmentCareer guidanceCounselling EthicsCounselling Theory and PracticeGuidance Programme DesignKey SubjectsIntroduction to Guidance and CounsellingCounselling TheoriesCareer GuidanceAdolescent DevelopmentEthics in CounsellingResearch MethodsCertificationsKenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) CertificationSpecializationsSchool Guidance and CounsellingFocus on supporting students' academic, personal, and career development in schools. Career GuidanceFocus on helping students and clients make informed education and career choices.

Kenya's schools and training institutions increasingly recognise the need for dedicated guidance and counselling staff to support students' wellbeing and academic and career decision-making.

Training combines classroom counselling theory with supervised practicum placements in schools or institutions, applying guidance techniques under supervision.

Graduates work as school guidance counsellors, career guidance officers, and institutional counsellors, with progression into Bachelor of Education (Guidance and Counselling) or Counselling Psychology degrees.

The programme suits students who want to support young people's personal and academic development through a structured, school-embedded guidance role.

Duration: 2-3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 74,000
Private, up to: Ksh 86,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 30 students
Award: Diploma

What you study

6 subjects

Introduction to Guidance and Counselling
Counselling Theories
Career Guidance
Adolescent Development
Ethics in Counselling
Research Methods

Modules

10 in the programme

Theories of Counselling
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Counselling theories and approaches as applied to guidance and counselling principles, practices, and professional competency requirements.
Developmental Psychology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Human development across lifespan as applied to guidance and counselling principles, practices, and professional competency requirements.
Counselling Theories
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Core theoretical approaches to counselling, including psychodynamic and for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Introduction to Guidance and Counselling
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Foundational principles of guidance and counselling practice for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Career Guidance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Career counselling and guidance as applied to guidance and counselling principles, practices, and professional competency requirements.
Career Guidance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Techniques for supporting career and academic decision-making for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Adolescent Development
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Psychosocial development during adolescence, including identity formation for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Practicum
Year 3Semester 14 creditsCore
Supervised counselling practice applying classroom theory and practical skills in real workplace environments under supervision.
Ethics in Counselling
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Professional ethics and boundaries in counselling practice for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Counselling Practicum
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Supervised counselling practice placement in a school or community for professional practice and competency development in the field.

Specialisations

School Guidance and Counselling
Focus on supporting students' academic, personal, and career development in schools, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Career Guidance
Focus on helping students and clients make informed education and career choices, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Family Counselling
Focus on family systems, parenting support, family conflict resolution, and relationship counselling within Kenyan family and community contexts.
Substance Abuse Counselling
Focus on addiction counselling, substance abuse treatment, recovery support, and relapse prevention within Kenyan health and social service systems.

A day as a student

Days combine counselling theory lectures with role-play counselling exercises and supervised practicum sessions in a school or institutional setting.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing institutional recognition of guidance and counselling as a distinct, needed school role.
Meaningful, supportive work helping young people navigate personal and academic challenges.

Against it

In many schools, guidance and counselling responsibilities are still combined with regular teaching duties rather than a dedicated role.
Emotionally demanding work requiring strong personal boundaries and resilience.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 education courses

Public67k to 74k

67k at Public TVET College (standardised rate)74k at University of Nairobi (OdeL)

Private60k to 86k

60k at Kenya Methodist University (DLM)86k at Kenya Methodist University (Day)

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 67K, UoN 74K/yr public. KEMU 60-86K/yr private (tukenya.ac.ke, fixusjobs.com).

Students can access HELB loans and county bursaries; schools occasionally sponsor serving teachers to add guidance and counselling training.

Funding options

HELB TVET/Diploma Loan
Loan
Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited diploma programmes.
County Government Bursaries
Bursary
Bursaries for needy students from their respective counties.

Scholarships

2 recorded

County Government Bursaries
BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan
Bursaries for needy students from their respective counties.
HELB TVET/Diploma Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited diploma programmes.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C-
Alternative entry: A relevant certificate from a recognised institution.

How you are assessed

3 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework30% of the mark
Tests across counselling theory and guidance units.
Counselling Practicum Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Supervised assessment of practical counselling skills.
Final Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
End-of-semester written examinations.

Accreditation

KUCCPS-listed diploma (Social Sciences cluster); examined by KNEC at most offering institutions.

Accredited by

Kenya National Qualifications Authority
Qualification recognitionRequired
Recognised under Kenya's TVET qualifications framework.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

School Counsellor
Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 65,000
Provides guidance and counselling services to students, supports psychosocial wellbeing, and assists with career guidance in Kenyan schools.
School Guidance Counsellor
Moderate demandKsh 25,000 to Ksh 40,000
Provides guidance and counselling support to students in a school.
Career Guidance Officer
Moderate demandKsh 26,000 to Ksh 42,000
Supports students or clients with career and academic pathway decisions.
Institutional Counsellor
Moderate demandKsh 26,000 to Ksh 40,000
Provides counselling support within a college, workplace, or organisation.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as school guidance counsellors, career guidance officers, and institutional counsellors.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Psychological Assessment Tools
Assessment instrumentsPrimary
Standardised assessment instruments for personality, aptitude, and career guidance evaluation in school settings.
Counselling Session Tools
Therapeutic toolsPrimary
Audio recording and case note tools for supervised counselling practicum and session documentation.
Microsoft Office
Productivity
Case documentation, guidance reports, student records, and counselling programme planning.
SPSS
Statistical software
Statistical analysis software for guidance and counselling research and data interpretation.
Career Guidance Assessment Kits
Assessment tools
Career interest inventories and aptitude test kits for student guidance and vocational counselling.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Guidance and counselling is the same as clinical psychology.
It is a structured support role, typically school-embedded, focused on personal, academic, and career guidance rather than clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Any teacher can informally do this job without training.
Effective guidance and counselling requires specific training in counselling theory, ethics, and adolescent development.