The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has officially released the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education results, showing improved performance and a significant increase in the number of candidates qualifying for university admission.

Before the release of the 2025 UACE results, UNEB reminded schools to clear any outstanding invoices to avoid withheld results — read more about UNEB’s fee reminders here.

The results were released on Friday at State House Nakasero by the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataha Museveni.

According to UNEB, a total of 166,400 candidates registered for the 2025 UACE examinations, representing an increase of 17.2 percent compared to 141,996 candidates in 2024. Of those registered, 165,172 candidates sat for the examinations.

How to Check UACE Results 2025

Candidates can check their results instantly using SMS.

Steps to check results:

Open the SMS application on your phone.

Type UACE followed by a space and your full index number (example: U0028/528).

Send the message to 6600 using either MTN or Airtel.

Schools can also access detailed results through their UNEB examination centre portals.

68.6% of Candidates Qualify for University

The results show that 98.9 percent of candidates qualified for the UACE certificate, while 68.6 percent obtained at least two principal passes, the minimum requirement for admission to degree programmes at universities.

In total, 113,291 candidates qualify for university admission, compared to 92,273 candidates in 2024.

This means over 21,000 additional students are eligible for university entry this year.

According to UNEB officials, this increase may require more university spaces to accommodate the growing number of qualified students.

Students who obtained one principal pass and two subsidiary passes may also qualify for diploma programmes in technical and vocational institutions.

Female Candidates Perform Strongly

UNEB reported that female candidates performed proportionally better than males in most subjects.

Girls recorded stronger performance in Humanities subjects, Mathematics, General Paper, Subsidiary Mathematics, and ICT.

However, male candidates scored more A grades in Mathematics and Science subjects.

Despite improved performance, female participation in science subjects remains lower than that of male candidates.

Best Performing Subjects in 2025

UNEB noted significant improvements in several subjects, particularly in sciences and social sciences.

The most improved subjects include; Mathematics, Chemistry, Agriculture, Geography, Economics, Biology, Literature in English.

Education experts say the improved results indicate better academic preparation and increased focus on science education in schools.

Subjects With Declining Performance

Despite the improvements, some subjects recorded a decline in performance and they include; Entrepreneurship Education, Christian Religious Education, Fine Art, and Physics.

Officials say some students struggled with interpreting questions and applying knowledge to real-life situations, especially in humanities subjects.

Science Practical Challenges Persist

According to UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo, science performance continues to be affected by limited practical exposure in some schools.

Common challenges identified include; Misinterpretation of experimental procedures, incorrect data recording, poor graphical presentation of results, difficulty writing chemical equations, and failure to connect science concepts to real-life situations.

Odongo also noted concerns that some teachers skip certain topics, particularly in areas such as Physical Chemistry, which affects students’ performance.

Examination Malpractice Remains Low

UNEB reported that cases of examination malpractice remained relatively low.

Out of 2,452 examination centres, malpractice cases were reported in 47 centres, involving 351 candidates, representing 0.2 percent of all candidates.

The cases involved; Receiving unauthorized assistance during practical exams, possession of prohibited materials, and impersonation.

UNEB said the results of the affected candidates have been withheld pending investigations.

Increased Participation Across Uganda

The 2025 examination cycle also recorded greater participation from special groups.

A total of 540 Special Needs Education (SNE) candidates registered for the UACE examinations, compared to 437 candidates in 2024.

Additionally, 70 candidates from Uganda Upper Prison in Luzira registered, with 68 sitting for the examinations.

Growing Confidence in National Exams

According to UNEB Chairperson Celestino Obua, the increase in candidate numbers reflects growing public trust in the national examination system.

“This year, the Board assessed a total of 1,402,434 candidates for certification across the three national examinations: PLE, UCE and UACE,” Obua said.

He added that the growth in candidature indicates expanded access to post–O Level education in Uganda.

What the Results Mean for Uganda’s Education Sector

Education experts say the 2025 results highlight both progress and a few continuing challenges in the education system.

While performance has improved and more students are qualifying for higher education, there are still concerns about practical science training in schools, uneven participation in science subjects, and students’ ability to apply knowledge to real-life situations.

UNEB said detailed performance reports for each subject will be sent to schools to help teachers improve learning outcomes.