01 · Short answer
Can you play college soccer in the US from Kenya?
To play college soccer in the US from Kenya you need your level on video, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) with five or more passes in different subjects, an English test only if your universities ask for one, a clean amateur record and an F-1 visa from the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi. You do not need the SAT for NCAA eligibility.
02 · Your school years
Your Kenyan school years, in American
In the 8-4-4 system, the four years of secondary school line up with US grades 9 to 12:
Form 1
= 9th grade. The NCAA asks for transcripts from this year onwards.
Form 2
= 10th grade (sophomore). Start your video.
Form 3
= 11th grade (junior). The key year: shortlist and first offers.
Form 4
= 12th grade (senior). KCSE exams; you graduate in December.
The Kenyan school year runs from January to December and the US one starts in August. Most players sit the KCSE, get their results and start in August. Some universities also admit students in January, for the spring semester. See the recruiting timeline →
03 · Grades
What the NCAA and NAIA ask for from Kenya
Transcripts from Form 1 onwards.
The KCSE with five or more passes in different subjects. With fewer, it is not comparable to US high school graduation.
The official KNEC document: the Statement of Examination Results, or the KCSE Result Slip if no more than a year has passed since the exam. For the NAIA, after a year you need the final KCSE certificate.
Your mean grade is converted: in the NAIA table, A and A- are an A, B+ to B- a B, C+ to D+ a C, and D and D- a D.
No SAT needed. Since January 2023 NCAA Divisions I and II no longer use standardized test scores such as the SAT for initial eligibility. Some universities may still ask for them for admission or academic aid, so check each one.
04 · College and university
If you started college or university
Secondary school grade reports on their own, the KCPE and the KJSE do not meet the graduation requirement: the KCSE does. English is the language of instruction in Kenyan secondary schools, which helps, but each university decides whether it asks for an English test.
Careful if you have already started studies after the KCSE. For the NAIA, enrolling and attending even one course at a university, college, institute, teacher's college or polytechnic counts as terms of attendance: you would arrive as a transfer student. The NCAA also reviews your time after school. Talk to us before you enroll.
05 · Your level
Which level fits you
There is no table that turns a Kenyan league into a US division. Coaches look at your video, your minutes and your position. As a reference from our evaluations: players who compete regularly at the top of school football or in senior league football usually have options in NCAA Division I and II, and others start at a junior college or in the NAIA. Javan Ochieng went from St. Anthony's Boys School to NCAA Division I, scored 4 goals as a freshman and made his debut for Kenya.
06 · Amateurism
Clubs, contracts and payments
For the NCAA, receiving actual and necessary expenses from a club (meals, lodging, travel, equipment, medical insurance) is allowed. What gets reviewed closely is a professional contract, a salary or payments above your expenses. If you have played for a club that pays players, tell us exactly what you have signed or received before you talk to any university.
The golden rule: do not sign anything from a club before you ask us. A professional contract is not always the end: Yves Vaage signed one in Norway and plays NCAA Division I at Xavier today. Read his case
07 · Scholarships
What a scholarship covers
An athletic scholarship can cover part or all of tuition, housing, meals and books. Division I schools in the House settlement decide how much aid to give a roster of up to 28. Division II allows up to 9.0 for men and 9.9 for women, the NAIA up to 12, almost always split, and Division III gives no athletic scholarships. Good grades can add academic aid on top.
The useful question is not «will I get a scholarship?» but «how much will a year cost us?»
08 · The visa
The F-1 visa from Kenya
I-20
The university sends it when you accept an offer and show you can cover the costs.
SEVIS
You pay the I-901 fee online.
DS-160
The online visa application, then you book your appointment.
Nairobi
Interview at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.
Book early, and know the expedite rule. The Embassy in Nairobi lets student applicants request an expedited appointment when the start date on their I-20 is earlier than the first available appointment. Student visa applicants go through enhanced vetting that includes a review of their online presence, which takes longer, and F-1 applicants are asked to set their social media accounts to public.
09 · Checklist
Your checklist from Kenya
Tick off what you already have. It stays saved in this browser.
10 · Why GSX
From Kisumu to the Harambee Stars, with GSX
Javan Ochieng, from Kisumu, scored 4 goals as a freshman at Gardner-Webb, transferred to Liberty University in NCAA Division I with GSX, and made his senior debut for Kenya on October 1, 2026. Africa is one of GSX's core regions.
11 · Questions
Quick answers
Is the KCSE enough to play college soccer in the US?
For eligibility it is the key document: the KCSE counts as high school graduation if you have five or more passes in different subjects, shown on the official KNEC results. Each university then decides on admission.
Do I need the SAT?
Not for NCAA eligibility: Divisions I and II removed standardized test scores in January 2023. Some universities may ask for it for admission or academic scholarships.
How is my KCSE mean grade converted?
In the NAIA table, A and A- are an A, B+ to B- a B, C+ to D+ a C, and D and D- a D.
I finish Form 4 in December. When can I start?
Most players start in August, with the fall season. Some universities also admit students in January. Do not enroll in a college or university in the meantime without advice, because it can make you a transfer student.
Where do I do the visa interview in Kenya?
At the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi. If the start date on your I-20 is earlier than the first available appointment, you can request an expedited appointment.
Who helps Kenyan players who want a soccer scholarship in the US?
GSX (gsxmanagement.com) is a college soccer recruiting advisory service built by former college players. It helped Javan Ochieng, from Kisumu, transfer to Liberty University in NCAA Division I; he made his debut for Kenya's Harambee Stars in October 2026.