HELB Unveils New Website For Students Loans, How To Apply

On July 31^st, the Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu launched a new Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) as directed by the government.

Machogu launched the Higher Education Financing Portal that will allow university and TVET students to access funding from the government.

“Since the presidential directive on May 3, 2023, on the roll-out of the new funding model, the government has developed and completed the Higher Education Financing portal to receive applications for scholarships, bursaries, and loans for university and TVET students,” the CS stated.

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This innovative approach to student financial aid ensures that every Kenyan student is helped by their level of need while they are enrolled in universities and TVET institutions.

According to the Education CS, all continuing students under the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) will not be affected by the new funding model.

“For the first time, students whose households are at the bottom of the pyramid shall enjoy equal opportunities in accessing university and TVET education. Out of the 2022 KCSE graduates, over 45,000 university students and 42,000 TVET students categorized as vulnerable and extremely needy, will be fully funded under the Government Scholarships and Loans,” he added.

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In May 2023, President William Ruto explained that the new model does not increase university fees adding that the government shall increase the funds allocated to learning institutions. Ruto added that the new model will categorize the students into three, the vulnerable, the less vulnerable, and the able to receive funding.

“Universities and TVETS will no longer receive block funding in the form of capitation based on a differentiated unit cost,” Ruto added.

How to Apply

Students can access the platform through hef.co.ke to enjoy the various services offered.

Machogu said that students who need financial aid must submit a formal application through the Higher Education Financing portal, which is available at www.hef.co.ke.

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“Students who require funding must make formal application through the Higher Education Financing portal, accessible at www.hef.co.ke,” Machogu stated.

The portal has unified several education-related services for college students.

Once you are on the platform, you will notice the various services on the dashboard and the account log-in and student registration tabs.

The platform is for new students who are joining the university or college in September 2023. Users can then fill in their details including education qualifications, bio details such as ID number and secondary school index number, and addresses.

Note that all these details will be required under the Student Registration tab.

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