HELB Opens 2026/27 Loan Applications, Offering Up To Ksh600,000

Kenyans in formal employment who want to further their education can now apply for the Higher Education Loans Board’s Jielimishe Loan for the 2026/27 academic year, with successful applicants able to borrow up to Ksh600,000.

The facility is aimed at salaried employees studying towards university degrees, postgraduate qualifications, professional certifications and other approved higher education programmes, all while holding down their jobs.

HELB says the loan comes with several borrower-friendly terms: fast processing, an interest rate of 10 per cent a year, and repayment periods stretching anywhere from 12 to 48 months.

Repayments are collected through the familiar check-off system, with monthly deductions made directly from payroll.

Borrowers also get an added safety net in the form of a credit life insurance cover bundled into the loan, offering some financial protection should anything happen during the repayment period.

The board is encouraging everyone who qualifies to apply through its online portal, now that the programme has officially opened for the new academic year.

This isn’t HELB’s only loan announcement in recent weeks. The board had earlier opened applications for first-time undergraduate students as well as those in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, again for the 2026/27 cycle.

As with that round, applicants were advised to apply early rather than wait, to avoid the usual processing bottlenecks.

What sets Jielimishe apart from the undergraduate and TVET loans is its target audience; it’s built specifically for people who are already working and want to study further or sharpen their skills without leaving their jobs.

For those who already have existing HELB loans, the repayment process remains largely the same, employers deduct instalments from salaries according to the board’s schedule.

Borrowers who keep up with their payments can request compliance certificates, while those who finish paying off their loans entirely become eligible for clearance certificates.

HELB has repeatedly reminded borrowers of the importance of meeting their repayment obligations, pointing out that the money collected feeds back into the revolving fund that finances loans for the next generation of students.

According to the board, Jielimishe forms part of a wider push to widen access to higher education across different groups of learners, including, increasingly, those who are already in the workforce.

Applications remain open on HELB’s online platform, with the board continuing to process submissions for the 2026/27 funding cycle.

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