- Jeremy van Dyk
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HELB Rolls Out Loans Following Major Government Funding Boost
Money worries just got a little lighter for students starting university and TVET colleges across Kenya. The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) kicked off its loan disbursement for first-year students on August 15, in a move that landed right alongside the reopening of university doors. What’s making this year different? The government's decision to pump an extra Sh5 billion into HELB, growing its total pot from Sh36 billion to Sh41 billion for the 2025/2026 cycle.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba didn’t hold back when sharing the news. He pointed out that the Ministry of Education is backing both HELB and the Universities Fund to make sure cash gets to students and institutions without delay. By planning this phased release — some money upfront, more to follow — the government wants new students to settle in fast and keep their academic lives on track.
This year’s boost shines through in the numbers. The Sh13 billion for tuition and upkeep is already out the door, and Sh16.9 billion is earmarked for the Universities Fund to cover scholarships. On top of that, the Universities Fund has started releasing its own scholarship payments directly to public universities — even before the HELB disbursement got rolling.
Strong Demand for Loans and Scholarships, More Time to Apply
Kenyans aren’t wasting their shot. The Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM) has caught on quickly, with 129,403 university hopefuls and 60,976 trainees at technical and vocational colleges (TVETs) already submitting applications for a mix of loans and scholarships. To put this in perspective, that’s 64% of the university crowd and just over half of all TVET applicants expected this year.
The targets set by the government are no joke — they plan to support 201,695 new university students, more than 237,000 TVET trainees, and over 257,000 students who are continuing their studies. The application process stays open until August 31, 2025, so there's still a window for those who haven't applied yet.
Cabinet Secretary Ogamba summed things up simply: no eligible Kenyan should miss out on higher education because of money. It’s a clear message that with this fresh boost, the government wants to break down financial barriers for students heading to class this year.
