Being a National Seminary, Katigondo receives students from all the dioceses of Uganda. The students are recruited by their respective dioceses after fulfilling all the requirements.

Major seminary training in Uganda is divided into three parts: a) Philosophical b) Pastoral Spiritual Year c) Theological. Katigondo Seminary is a philosophical. seminary where students spend three years doing mostly philosophical studies. After completing the three years the seminarians graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University Rome. The seminarians are then sent back to their respective dioceses where they are assigned to parishes for a year of apprenticeship which is called Pastoral Spiritual Year. After the Pastoral Spiritual Year, the seminarians continue their formation in a Theological seminary where they study mostly theology for a period of four years. After the third year of theology a seminarian is ordained a deacon and after one year he is ordained a priest.

Most dioceses in Uganda have a minor seminary. This is an O and A level school which admits boys who have shown interest in becoming priests. The minor seminary is the seed bed for the major seminary. In the minor seminary students follow the national curriculum and sit for the national examination.

The Uganda Episcopal Conference has four major seminaries: two for philosophical studies i.e. Katigondo National Seminary and Alokolum National Seminary; and two for theological studies i.e. Ggaba National Seminary and Kinyamasika National Seminary. Besides these, Kampala Archdiocese has a major seminary called St Mbaaga Major Seminary which combines both philosophical and theological studies.

Seminary training in Uganda follows the guidelines given by Vatican Council II in the Decree On The Training of Priests (Optatam Totius). According to this document a specific program of priestly formation shall be established by the episcopal conference, to be reviewed at suitable intervals and approved by the holy see. Accordingly seminary training all over the world is generally the same namely at least two years of philosophical studies, a year of internship and at least four years of theological studies.

At least 60% of the seminarians who join Katigondo Seminary complete their formation and are ordained priests.

The call to the priesthood can happen at any time of one’s life. Although it is highly recommended that formation to the priesthood should begin as early as possible in the minor seminary, there are many young men who get the call later in life. Such men can be admitted in the major seminary upon recommendation by the authorities in their respective dioceses.

To qualify to join Katigondo Seminary a seminarian should have obtained at least 6 credits at O-level and 2 principal passes at A-level. After three years of study in Katigondo Seminary, the seminarian is given an academic award that is commensurate with a three year programe of study. At the moment that award is a Bachelor of Philosophy degree of Pontifical Urbaniana University to which Katigondo Seminary is affiliated. Besides the degree, a seminarian who successfully completes his studies at Katigondo is also awarded a diploma in Philosophical and Social Studies.