The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has announced that applications for student loans are expected to open in the second week of July for students joining universities and colleges across Kenya.
According to HELB Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Monari, the opening of the loan application portal will depend on the completion of the ongoing placement process being conducted by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Monari assured students, parents and stakeholders that the board is fully prepared to begin processing applications once the placement exercise is concluded.
“I want to assure all students, parents and stakeholders that they should be able to apply for their loans online when we open. We are just waiting for KUCCPS to complete their placement so that we can open, most probably by the second week of July,” he said.
The HELB boss explained that the online application portal for first-time applicants will only be activated after KUCCPS finalises the placement of students into universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
He added that the board will also communicate timelines for continuing students who are expected to apply for subsequent loans.
The announcement comes at a time when KUCCPS is still overseeing placement activities across institutions of higher learning following several extensions of application deadlines.
According to KUCCPS, the university application portal will remain open until June 1, while the TVET application window has been extended until June 8 ahead of the September intake.
The delays in placement have heightened anxiety among many students and parents who rely heavily on HELB loans and scholarships to finance higher education.
For thousands of learners across the country, HELB support remains a critical source of funding for tuition fees, accommodation, upkeep and other educational expenses.
Monari, however, reassured Kenyans that the government remains committed to supporting students through the new university funding model. He noted that unlike the previous funding structure, the current model seeks to ensure that all eligible students receive financial assistance.
“In the old funding model, not all students used to get loans. Now all the students are getting loans. I want to give the commitment that this shall continue,” Monari stated.
Under the current system, students are assessed based on their level of financial need, with funding packages comprising scholarships, loans and household contributions. The model was introduced to improve access to higher education and ensure students from disadvantaged backgrounds are not locked out due to financial constraints.
Once the application portal opens, first-time applicants will be required to register through the HELB student portal available on the board’s official website. Applicants will need to submit various personal and academic details during the process.
Among the required documents and information are KCPE and KCSE index numbers, a valid email address, a telephone number, passport-size photographs, a National Identification Card, and a birth certificate for minors.
Students will also be required to provide their parents’ or guardians’ ID numbers, guarantor details, and copies of any sponsorship letters received during secondary school education.
For students applying for second and subsequent loans, HELB stated that the process has been simplified through digital platforms. Continuing applicants will be able to submit their requests via the student portal, the HELB mobile application or through the USSD service.
The board further revealed that the government has allocated Ksh56.7 billion to HELB in the 2026/27 national budget estimates to support higher education financing across the country. The allocation is expected to facilitate the issuance of loans and scholarships to thousands of universities and TVET students.
Despite the allocation, Monari acknowledged that the demand for student funding continues to grow every year due to increasing enrolment in institutions of higher learning. As a result, HELB is exploring alternative sources of financing to sustain its operations and ensure continued support for learners.
He noted that the board is looking beyond Treasury allocations and loan recoveries in order to strengthen the sustainability of student financing programmes in the future.
On matters relating to loan repayment, Monari clarified that repayment obligations are not limited to graduates employed by the government. He said all graduates who secure gainful employment, whether in the public or private sector, are expected to begin servicing their loans as required by law.
At the same time, he acknowledged the economic challenges facing some graduates and encouraged unemployed or low-income borrowers to engage with HELB for possible relief measures.
According to Monari, such individuals may apply for penalty waivers, subject to verification of their employment status and financial circumstances.
The latest announcement is expected to provide relief to thousands of students preparing to join universities and colleges later this year, many of whom have been anxiously waiting for communication regarding financial aid applications.
With the anticipated opening of the HELB portal in July, students and parents are now being encouraged to prepare the necessary documents early to avoid delays during the application process.
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