The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has officially opened applications for first-time undergraduate and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) loans and scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year, providing thousands of students with an opportunity to secure financial support ahead of their admission to higher learning institutions.
The announcement by HELB, made on Friday, July 10, marks the beginning of the funding application process for students who will be joining universities and TVET institutions for the first time during the upcoming academic year.
The opening of the application portal comes after weeks of anticipation from students and parents awaiting guidance on how to access government funding. In a public notice, HELB invited all eligible first-time applicants to begin submitting their applications through its online portal.
“Eligible first-time applicants can now submit their applications for the HELB 2026/2027 Undergraduate and TVET loans and scholarships,” the board said in the notice.
The board encouraged students not to wait until the last minute, urging them to submit their applications as early as possible to ensure timely processing before they report to their respective institutions.
According to HELB, applicants should ideally complete the process at least one month before their reporting date. Early submission, the board noted, will give sufficient time for verification and processing of applications, reducing the likelihood of delays in receiving funding once studies begin.
The funding programme is specifically intended for students enrolling in universities and TVET institutions for the first time under the 2026/2027 academic year. Successful applicants may qualify for a government loan, a scholarship, or a combination of both, depending on the outcome of the assessment carried out through the Higher Education Financing model.
Despite opening the application window, HELB has not announced a deadline for submitting applications. However, students have been advised to complete the process as soon as possible instead of waiting for a closing date to be communicated.
The board also reminded prospective beneficiaries to prepare all the required documents before beginning the application process to avoid interruptions while filling out the online forms.
To submit an application, students are required to log into the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal using their existing account credentials. Applicants who initially registered using their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) index number but have since obtained a National Identity Card have been instructed to update their account details instead of creating a new account.
Once logged in, applicants can complete the online application by selecting whether they are applying for a loan, a scholarship, or both. HELB clarified that the entire process is digital, meaning there is no requirement to print or submit physical application forms.
After successfully submitting the application, first-time applicants will receive a confirmation in PDF format through their registered email address. The board has advised students to download and save the document as proof that their application was successfully received.
HELB further warned applicants against fraudsters who may attempt to exploit the application period by demanding payment or promising to fast-track applications. The board stressed that applying for government funding is completely free and urged students to report any suspicious individuals or activities.
The opening of the application portal comes just two days after the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) released the 2026/2027 placement results.
KUCCPS confirmed that 293,869 students had secured placements into degree, diploma, certificate and artisan programmes in universities, national polytechnics, technical and vocational institutions, teacher training colleges and other tertiary institutions ahead of the September intake.
With placement results already out, the launch of the HELB application process is expected to enable successful applicants to complete the final stage of preparing for college and university admission by securing financial assistance for tuition and upkeep.
The loans and scholarships remain a critical source of funding for thousands of Kenyan students every year, helping many from financially constrained backgrounds access higher education and technical training.
Students who have received placement are therefore encouraged to complete their funding applications early to improve their chances of having their financing processed before the commencement of the new academic year.
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