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Career advice · Updated October 2026

NYS Recruitment Guide: How to Join the National Youth Service as a Volunteer

The National Youth Service (NYS) is often the first rung for young Kenyans who later want a career in the disciplined services. Its intake is open to school leavers with modest grades, it gives paramilitary and vocational training, and both the KDF and the police have said in their own adverts that NYS graduates are welcome or have an added advantage. This guide explains how NYS recruits volunteer servicemen and women, using its February 2025 national recruitment notice as the reference.

What NYS is and who it takes

NYS is a state agency that trains young people in discipline, national service and practical skills. It recruits two broad groups:

  • Volunteer servicemen and women (recruits): young people aged 18 to 24 recruited in their home sub-county. This is the main intake and the focus of this guide.
  • Officers and specialists: posts such as cadets, chaplains and technical staff, advertised individually. For example, NYS re-advertised 10 Cadet-Chaplain posts in MyGov in September 2026; see our NYS Cadet-Chaplain page for its details.

When NYS recruits

NYS announces its intakes through a notice in MyGov and on nys.go.ke. The last national volunteer intake we can verify was announced on 28 January 2025 and ran from Monday 10 February to Saturday 15 February 2025, at several hundred centres across the sub-counties, with an addendum notice published on the Government Advertising Agency site on 4 February 2025. We have not seen an official notice for a 2026 volunteer intake as of 19 October 2026, and NYS has not published a fixed annual schedule.

Who qualifies

The 2025 notice required candidates to:

  • Be Kenyan citizens and residents of the sub-county where they present themselves.
  • Be aged 18 to 24 years.
  • Hold a KCSE mean grade of D (plain) or above.
  • Have a valid certificate of good conduct.
  • Be ready for medical check-ups during and after recruitment.
  • Be prepared for rigorous physical training and to serve anywhere in Kenya.

The residency rule is the one people overlook. You cannot travel to a neighbouring sub-county because you hear the competition is lighter; you go to the centre for the sub-county you live in.

Who gets preference

NYS said it would give special preference to orphans who meet the requirements, provided they bring documentary proof such as their parents’ death certificates or burial permits. Applicants with proven talent in sports and other skills were also to be considered. Persons with disabilities were encouraged to attend in their sub-counties, provided they could withstand the physical training.

Documents for the recruitment centre

  1. Original national ID card.
  2. Original academic certificates (KCSE certificate, and any others you hold).
  3. One set of photocopies of the ID and certificates.
  4. Certificate of good conduct.
  5. Death certificates or burial permits, if you are claiming orphan preference.
  6. Evidence of sports or other talent, such as certificates or letters, if you have them.

The certificate of good conduct is issued by the DCI and is applied for through eCitizen. It can take some days, so request it as soon as you think you will apply. Our documents guide explains the process.

How recruitment day works

There is no online application for volunteer recruits. You simply report to your sub-county’s centre on the scheduled day, which is listed in the notice’s table of dates and venues. NYS officials check documents, grades and residency, and assess physical and medical fitness. Successful candidates do not start immediately: they later receive calling letters giving the date and place to report.

Training

According to the 2025 notice as reported from MyGov, successful candidates report for the NYS paramilitary course at the NYS Paramilitary Academy in Gilgil and the NYS training institute in Naivasha, for six months of non-combat paramilitary training. After that, NYS offers further skills training. NYS officer posts can carry longer training: the 2026 Cadet-Chaplain advert, for instance, required nine months of paramilitary training at the NYS Training College.

Is there pay?

Recruits join as volunteers, which is the term NYS itself uses. We have not found an official current figure for any allowance paid to recruits during training, so we do not quote one. Officer and staff posts, by contrast, are advertised with terms of service such as permanent and pensionable.

NYS as a stepping stone

This is the practical reason many school leavers choose NYS. The 2025 KDF advert said candidates who have completed NYS training have an added advantage as general duty recruits. The 2025 police constable advert encouraged NYS graduates to apply and asked them to bring their discharge certificate rated at least “Good” in conduct, and KWS has also encouraged NYS graduates to apply for ranger posts. Your conduct during NYS therefore follows you, because that discharge rating is what later recruiters look at.

Corruption warning

NYS states that it does not condone corruption in any form. Canvassing, or giving money or other favours to secure admission, is an offence that can lead to disqualification and prosecution. The 2025 notice asked the public to report such cases to the Commandant General on 020 2400129. Nobody can “sell” you an NYS slot, and genuine NYS notices never ask for payment. Learn the warning signs in our fake job adverts guide.

How to hear about the next intake

Set up job alerts, check the government jobs tracker and the parastatal jobs list, and read our general guide to government job applications.

Other government recruitment guides

Planning a path after NYS? These guides cover where graduates often go next:

Frequently asked questions

What is the age limit for NYS recruitment?

The 2025 notice required volunteers to be aged 18 to 24.

Do I apply for NYS online?

No. Volunteer recruits report in person to the centre for the sub-county they live in, on the date in the NYS notice.

Who gets preference in NYS recruitment?

Orphans with documentary proof, and applicants with proven sports or other talents, according to the 2025 notice. Persons with disabilities were also encouraged to attend.

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