Ministry of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has issued an update on the disbursement of tuition fees and upkeep funds by the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
CS Ogamba, in a statement, notified parents, guardians, and university students that the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has, as of Tuesday, August 19, disbursed a total of Ksh9.46 billion in financial support to 309,178 university students.
According to the CS, this amount comprises Ksh5.76 billion for tuition fees and Ksh3.7 billion for student upkeep.
Students are advised to check their HELB portals to confirm receipt of the funds and to access detailed information regarding their individual HELB loan accounts.
“The Government will continue to provide the requisite funding to ensure that higher education remains accessible and affordable and that no student is left behind on account of financial limitations,” said Ogamba.
Earlier on Tuesday morning, HELB announced that applications for first-time and continuing undergraduate and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) loans remain open.
HELB update
In a notice, the board revealed that 961,023 students have already submitted their applications for funding as of August 18, 2025. The breakdown shows 660,560 undergraduate applications and 300,463 TVET applications.
HELB emphasized that the application window remains active until August 31, 2025, urging eligible students to submit their applications promptly to secure educational funding for the upcoming academic year.
On August 16, CS Ogamba said loans had been issued to 136,634 students who applied through the Student-Centered Funding Model for the 2025/2026 academic year.
Further, Ogamba said the university fees payable by students per semester will range from a minimum student contribution per semester of Ksh5,814 to a maximum of Ksh75,000, following the government’s directive to lower the cost of university programs.
He explained that the variation is dependent on the student’s level of need and the cost of the university programme enrolled in. Ogamba said students should check their HELB portal to confirm the status of their upkeep loans.
He also advised the students to contact their respective universities to check the fee payment timelines. The CS explained that the institutions should access the student’s tuition loan allocation through the HELB portal.
Also Read: HELB Has Awarded Loans to 136,634 First-Time Applicants: How to Check
All students who have submitted their loan applications were advised to confirm their upkeep loan award status from their HELB student portal in the Higher Education Financing website, www.hef.co.ke and liaise with their respective university administration offices for fee payment schedules.
The universities are required to access the student tuition loan allocation via the HELB institutional portal.
Huduma Centres offering Higher Education Loans Board services
The update by CS Ogamba and HELB comes as the board continues to enhance accessibility to its services nationwide.
In late July, the Higher Education Loans Board published a list of Huduma Centres across the country that now offer in-person assistance for HELB-related services, making it easier for students to access loans.
The designated centres include Nairobi-GPO, Machakos, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, Kakamega, Kisii, Nyeri, Embu, Kitui, and Bungoma. Additional locations providing these services are Lodwar, Meru, Thika, Kitale, Kericho, Nandi, Murang’a, Garissa, Narok, Migori, Chuka, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, West Pokot, Bomet, and Makueni.
Also Read: 5 Smart Ways to Move Beyond HELB Without Abandoning It
To enhance service delivery, the board has also partnered with select cyber cafés near Huduma Centres to assist applicants with online submissions and document uploads.
For added convenience, HELB continues to offer its mobile application—accessible via both the Google Play Store and Apple Store—enabling users to apply for loans directly from their smartphones.
In a further effort to broaden access to financial aid, HELB announced on August 13 a new initiative launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Service. This program introduces a training loan targeted at employees in the National and County Governments, the National Police Service, and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
“A study loan of up to Ksh500,000 at just 4% per annum! Are you a Civil Servant in the Ministries, County Government, or National Police Service? Apply for the Civil Servants Training Revolving Fund (TRF) today at hef.co.ke,” the board stated.
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