info@ucu.ac.ug +256312350800
info@ucu.ac.ug +256312350800
September 20, 2023

Day

UCU
September 20, 2023By

The Graduating Students, October 2023. Uganda Christian University.

Dear Sir/Madam,
The Second Part of the Twenty Fourth Congregation of Uganda Christian University for the
purpose of conferment of Degrees and awarding Diplomas will take place at the Main Campus
on Friday, 13th October 2023.
Your eligibility for graduation at this ceremony depends on the following:
(1) Clearance by Wednesday, 4th October 2023 with all the University departments using
the Clearance form from the Academics Block.
(2) Display of your name on the notice Board of the Academic Block, all UCU social media
platforms and website on Thursday, 5th October 2023. (No student’s name will be
displayed before he/she has cleared with all University departments as required in (1)
above and he/she will not be eligible to graduate)
You will be required to pay a Graduation Fee of Ug. sh. 300,000 for Masters and Bachelors
students and Ug. sh. 270,000 for Postgraduate Diplomas and Diploma students, PhD
students shall pay Ug. sh. 950,000. Payment of this fee must be done through the bank.
Your Clearance form and UCU 1D/ Passbook will be required at the faculty/School when
picking your gown and hood and when obtaining your transcript and certificate immediately
after graduation.
Students can pick Academic gowns & hoods from their respective Faculties/Schools starting
from Wednesday, 27th September 2023. For further inquiries contact the reception at the
Academic Affairs office. You are invited to attend Commissioning Service on Thursday, 12th
October 2023 in Nkoyoyo Hall at 2pm.
Students whose results are submitted to the faculty after the Senate Meeting will not be
considered for the October 2023 graduation, but can apply to graduate at the next graduation
in November or December 2023. Students writing their dissertations/field work/project
reports MUST have submitted their final copies for grading by the last day of the semester
Thursday, 17th August 2023.
Ensure that you received and submitted to the office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs a filled copy of the Transcript Information Sheet/form with your correct
names and birth date which will be used on your transcript and certificate by 22nd
September 2023. The same information can be sent directly to the Transcripts Office via mail
(transcripts@ucu.ac.ug). A penalty will be levied for transcripts and certificates returned
for correction due to incorrect names or birth dates provided.

Undergraduate students, who do not graduate due to failed/incomplete courses, must report
& register for those courses at the beginning of the semester in which they are next taught.
They will be required to pay 1/5 of tuition and 1/5 of all other fees; per course. For
Postgraduate students who do not complete their studies by the expected year, a payment of 3/4 of tuition and all other fees must be paid for every extra semester/module at registration
until the maximum time of study.
Be reminded that you have a minimum and maximum time from the year you first registered
in which you must complete your studies, see your Academic Regulations Handbook for
details. Note that you automatically discontinue your studies when the maximum period for
your study expires.

UCU Graduation: Important Dates to Remember

  1. PICKING OF CERTIFICATES AND TRANSCRIPTS ON GRADUATION DAY
    Prior to picking your certificate and transcript, requirements, please ensure that you have
    complied with the following;
     Possession of a clearance form duly completed and signed. This is available at the
    reception of Academics office
     The graduation fee receipt. Payment of graduation fee can be done at any Stanbic or
    Centenary Bank Branches.
  2. COLLECTION OF CERTIFICATES AND TRANSCRIPTS AFTERGRADUATION DAY
    Picking of documents from the faculties will begin on Friday 13th, October 2023. Please note
    the collection dates here below:
     Tuesday- 11:00am – 3:00 pm
     Wednesday- 11:00am – 3:00 pm
     Thursday 11:00am – 3:00 pm
  3. PROCEDURE APPLICABLE FOR GRADUANDS INTENDING TO APPOINT REPRESENTATIVES TO
    collect CERTIFICATE AND TRANSCRIPT ON THEIR BEHALF
    (i) Fulfill all the requirements mentioned in 1 above.
    (ii) Bring a duly signed authorization letter, and the ORIGINAL passbook and Identity Card of
    the graduand.
    (iii)Presentation of the ORIGINAL Identity Card of the appointed representative
  4. NAME(S) ON THE CERTIFICATE AND TRANSCRIPT
    The University prints on the certificate and transcript, name(s) as stated on your 0 and A
    level results slips at the time of registration, and Bachelors for the Postgraduate students.
    Any discrepancies in spelling have to be notified to the Central Academic office a month
    before graduation. Please be informed that the original certificate is printed ONCE for
    each graduand and no original replacement will be availed in the event of loss/damage
    after issuance of such document to the graduand.
  5. CERTIFICATE AND TRANSCRIPT CERTIFICATION

Certification of the mentioned documents is done at a fee of Ug. Shs. 5,000/= per copy
payable in the bank as shown in l(ii). Original copies MUST always be presented at the time of
request for certification. Also Note that you are NOT SUPPOSED TO RESIZE the certificate
issued to you.

  1. ASSISTANCE AND ENQUIRIES
    Any further inquiries can be referred to the following: The Deputy Vice Chancellor’s Office
    Uganda Christian University Tel: +256(0)312350883 Email: registrar@ucu.ac.ug
    transcripts@ucu.ac.ug
UCU
September 20, 2023By

Accident shattered Okoth’s leg, but not his dreams

By Pauline Luba
When Joshua Okoth was asked about his favorite swimming style, he stared into the sky and, without any hesitation, said: “Freestyle.” He explained further, his choice: “It’s for yourself.” 

Okoth was ushered into swimming first as a pastime. He was 12 years old when he went swimming with some of his childhood friends in Entebbe, central Uganda. Initially, Okoth had no intention of getting into the water. However, his friends encouraged him to do so. Once he gave it a try, he did not look back.

This 3.5-minute video, produced by UCU alum, Chris Mutch, shows Okoth in the pool.

For many who know about Okoth’s life history, seeing him as a swimmer is nothing short of a miracle. At eight years of age, one leg was amputated. Okoth was involved in an accident and the only way for his life to continue was to have the leg removed. When that was done, to many, they thought his life would be confined to a wheelchair. But Okoth had other thoughts. With the help of an artificial limb today, he goes about most of his duties.

When he learned how to swim in 2012, it took Okoth another eight years for him to consider taking it up as a competitive sport. He was a student at Nabumali High School in eastern Uganda, when the school opened its swimming pool. 

The 23-year-old remembers being part of the congregation at Nabumali High School when one of the coaches recognized him and asked if he would like to join the swimming team. As expected, he was at first hesitant about the invitation. It took a lot of convincing before he decided to give it a shot. When he did, it took him three weeks to overcome the phobia. Okoth was assigned a special coach who guided him through the basics of swimming in a competition.

And now he is a proud swimmer.

 “I don’t think of anything when I get into the water,” Okoth said, adding: “It’s a game I enjoy.” 

UCU Okoth Aims to Inspire Others Through His Journey

He is constantly inspired by his parents whom he says he wants to make proud, as well as his friends, especially USA acquaintances who keep encouraging him in his pursuit. Okoth says he is who he is because of God’s love. 

Okoth learned how to swim in 2012.
UCU Okoth learned how to swim in 2012.

“I want someone in my condition to know that everything is possible. I dream about a world where the underprivileged are not discriminated against,” says Okoth, a year-one student of Uganda Christian University (UCU), where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance. 

He had initially wanted to study to become a pilot, but Okoth says the high fees for the course turned him away from his earlier dream. He now hopes to qualify as an accountant, so he can practice accountancy in the airlines sector. 

Okoth’s life goal is to see more support offered for people, and, indeed, athletes with disabilities. While growing up, Okoth says he faced many challenges, given his physical disability. Getting to school was hard, he said, because he had to use a wheelchair, yet his family was also in a state of financial instability. Okoth now is an advocate for schools to provide facilitation for students with physical challenges like his, who can bring glory to the institution through sports.

Okoth is the third born of six children of Emmanuel Onyango, a commercial driver, and Aidah Nabulo, a housewife. He attended Vision Nursery and Primary School, Manjasi High School for O’level and Nabumali High School for A’level. All the three schools are in eastern Uganda.