HELB 2026/27 Applications Open: Apply by September 8 for Funding

First-year university and TVET students admitted under the 2026/27 KUCCPS placements have until September 8, 2026 to submit financial aid applications through the Higher Education Financing portal at hef.co.ke, following the window's opening on July 10. Education CS Julius Ogamba announced the portal launch at the July 8 KUCCPS Stakeholder Forum in Nairobi.

Background and Context

The Higher Education Financing framework replaced the Higher Education Loans Board's flat-rate student loan system in 2023. Under the new Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM), financial aid is linked to a means-tested assessment of each applicant's household income. Students in the lowest income bands can receive up to 100 percent of their tuition covered by a non-repayable government scholarship.

What Comes Next

After the September 8 deadline, HELB and the Universities Fund will process applications and release preliminary award letters. Students who receive loan components must sign digital loan agreements on the HELB portal before semester registration.