Govt Extends Scholarship, HELB Application Deadline For First-Year Students

The Ministry of Education has extended the deadline for first-year university and TVET students to apply for government scholarships and loans.

In a circular dated August 29, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba directed the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the Universities Fund to push the deadline to Sunday, September 14, 2025.

CS Ogamba said the move is meant to ensure no student misses out on financial support.

“We are pleased to notify parents, guardians, university and TVET students that the Universities Fund and HELB have so far disbursed Ksh23.16 billion in financial support to 802,159 students across the country,” Ogamba said.

He added that the extension will give more first-year students time to complete their applications.

The Universities Fund has so far released Ksh4.1 billion in scholarships to public universities, while HELB has disbursed Ksh19.06 billion, including Ksh7.6 billion for tuition fees and Ksh11.46 billion for student upkeep. Upkeep money is sent directly to students’ designated payment channels once they report to school.

Students have been advised to check their Higher Education Funding portals to confirm the status of their disbursements.

“The government will continue to provide the requisite funding to ensure higher education remains accessible and affordable, and that no student is left behind on account of financial limitations,” Ogamba said.

As of August 18, a total of 961,023 applications had been received from both first-time and continuing students in universities and TVET institutions. HELB alone has disbursed Ksh9.46 billion to 309,178 university students this year.

First-time applicants can apply for scholarships and loans through the Higher Education Funding (HEF) portal at portal.hef.co.ke, while continuing students can apply via the HELB mobile app or by dialing *642#.

HELB recently scrapped the banding system, which grouped students into categories for funding. Under the new model, allocations will depend on each student’s financial need and the cost of their program.