The diploma courses are categorised into two broad categories of National Diploma and Higher Diploma. Both National Diploma and Higher Diploma Courses are offered for a duration of 2 years. However the National diploma programmes provide the basic knowledge and skills whereas higher diploma programmes are a head up as regards to education. They provide an indepth training with broader and intensive coverage equivalent to that of an associate degree. For instance, a student of Mechanical Engineering at National Diploma will study Basic Mathematics rather than Advanced Mathematics offered by a student of Higher Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
The entry schemes for National Diploma Programmes are:
- Advanced level entry scheme
- Certificate entry scheme
- Diploma entry scheme
- Graduate entry scheme
Entry requirements for Higher Diploma Programmes are; National Diploma in the related discipline, or an equivalent qualification weighted by Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board.