A total of 136,634 first-time university students have been awarded Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funding for the 2025/2026 academic year.
In a statement on Friday, August 15, 2025, Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba confirmed that the beneficiaries were approved under the government’s new student-centered funding model.
The CS advised all students who applied for loans to log in to the HELB portal and confirm their loan award status.
“As of August 15, 2025, HELB has awarded loans to 136,634 eligible first-time university applicants who successfully submitted their applications,” the statement read.
According to Ogamba, students will now pay between Sh5,814 and Sh75,000 per semester, depending on their programme and level of financial need — following government adjustments to university fees.
“All students who have submitted their loan applications are advised to confirm their upkeep loan status via the HELB student portal at www.hef.co.ke, and coordinate with their respective university finance offices for fee payment schedules,” the statement added.
Universities are expected to access the tuition allocations for each student through the HELB Institution Portal.
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