Government Announces HELB Disbursement Date For First-Year Students

The Government, through the Ministry of Education, has announced that the first disbursement of student loans from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) for newly admitted university students will officially begin on August 15, 2025.

This date coincides with the scheduled reopening of universities across the country, signaling the government’s preparedness to support students at the very start of their academic journey.

Speaking during a press briefing held in Nairobi on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed that the loans would be disbursed in phases. This phased approach is designed to streamline the transition process for first-year students joining various institutions of higher learning under the new funding model.

According to the CS, the strategy is part of a broader effort by the Ministry to address logistical challenges and ensure that no student is left behind due to delayed funding.

In a major policy development, CS Ogamba also announced a significant increase in the total allocation for HELB in the 2025/2026 financial year. The HELB budget will be expanded from Ksh36 billion to Ksh41 billion, reflecting a renewed commitment by the government to remove financial barriers that hinder access to higher education.

The Increased funding will be divided across multiple categories to maximize its impact. Ksh13 billion has been earmarked specifically for student tuition, ensuring that learners can meet the cost of attending universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions without undue financial strain.

In addition to tuition support, Ksh16.9 billion will be channeled through the Universities Fund to support scholarships for eligible students, targeting those from disadvantaged and vulnerable backgrounds.

“The government is committed to ensuring that no deserving student is denied access to higher education due to lack of funds,” said CS Ogamba. He added that this year’s increased allocation is aligned with the government’s broader education reform agenda, which prioritizes equity, inclusivity, and access to quality education at all levels.

The Ministry further confirmed that the Universities Fund has already commenced disbursement activities. The first quarter of the 2025/2026 scholarship funds has been sent to public universities, enabling them to begin preparations for the upcoming academic year. These scholarships are expected to cushion institutions from financial shortfalls while giving students a stable foundation to pursue their studies.

Under the current funding model, which integrates student loans and scholarships, the government aims to support a total of 201,695 first-year university students and over 237,000 TVET trainees in the 2025/2026 academic year. In addition, 257,523 continuing students from previous cohorts are also set to benefit from the latest round of funding.

According to Ministry data, approximately 64 per cent of anticipated university applicants and 51 per cent of TVET trainees slated for the September 2025 intake have already submitted their financial aid applications.

This signals a strong response from prospective students, especially those who sat for the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and were placed in institutions of higher learning by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).

The application process for scholarships and loans remains ongoing, with the Ministry encouraging all eligible students to apply before the set deadlines.

This announcement comes at a critical time, just weeks after the HELB Chief Executive Officer, Geoffrey Monari, sounded the alarm over the fund’s financial constraints. In a previous statement, Monari had expressed concern that HELB had received only Ksh26 million at the beginning of the year—an amount he described as grossly insufficient compared to the Ksh48 billion that the board received in the last financial year.

The shortfall had sparked widespread anxiety among students and parents who feared that thousands of new applicants would miss out on critical financial support.

However, Thursday’s announcement appears to have quelled those concerns. With the revised budget and the Ministry’s proactive approach, it is expected that HELB will now be able to meet its obligations, including the timely disbursement of loans and scholarships

As universities and colleges prepare to reopen their doors in mid-August, thousands of students can now look forward to starting their academic journeys with the financial backing they need to succeed.

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