The Uganda National Examinations Board-UNEB has extended the deadline for normal registration of candidates for the 2026 national examinations to June 30, 2026, to accommodate newly accredited examination centres.
In a press release issued by UNEB, registration for candidates sitting the 2026 national examinations is currently underway for the Primary Leaving Examination-PLE, Uganda Certificate of Education-UCE, and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education-UACE.
For privately sponsored candidates, registration fees remain unchanged at UGX 34,000 for PLE, UGX 164,000 for UCE, and UGX 186,000 for UACE.
According to a letter dated May 28, 2026, signed by UNEB Executive Director Dan N. Odongo, late registration will commence on July 1 and close on July 31, 2026. Candidates registering late will incur a surcharge of 100 percent for PLE and 50 percent for UCE and UACE candidates. UNEB warned that there will be no registration after July 31, 2026.
Odongo urged examination centres to complete the registration process early to avoid congestion, which often occurs close to the deadline. He noted that the government will continue to cover registration fees for all candidates sponsored under the Universal Primary Education-UPE, Universal Secondary Education-USE, and Universal Post O-Level Education and Training-UPOLET programmes.
Odongo also emphasized the importance of accuracy in candidates’ personal details, advising head teachers and parents to agree on the correct spelling and order of names before registration. He said candidates’ names should match official records, including birth certificates or National Identification and Registration Authority-NIRA documents submitted by parents.
For UCE candidates, UNEB stated that only learners whose Continuous Assessment-CA scores for all subjects, including Senior Three project scores, have been submitted to UNEB qualify for registration in 2026. Candidates are also advised against changing names or optional subjects during Senior Four registration after submission of CA scores.
Odongo further noted that this year’s UACE candidates are the pioneer cohort under the Competency-Based Assessment-CBA system at the lower secondary level. They will therefore be assessed under the aligned UACE curriculum, which incorporates modified scenario-based assessment formats.
He added that candidates with foreign academic results must first have their marks equated by UNEB before registration. Upon approval, they will receive a unique code to enable electronic registration. The same procedure applies to adult candidates and those who have legally changed their names.
UNEB also cautioned heads of centres and their representatives to ensure all registration fees are properly remitted and candidates duly registered for examinations. Failure to do so constitutes an offence punishable, upon conviction, by a fine of up to UGX 40 million or imprisonment of up to 10 years or both.
