Relief for university students as State increases HELB fund to Sh41 billion
Ogamba noted that disbursement of HELB loans to first-year university students will begin on August 15, 2025, in line with the reopening of institutions.
University and TVET students can now breathe a sigh of relief after the government raised the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) budget to Sh41 billion for the 2025/2026 academic year, up from Sh36 billion, in a move aimed at cushioning learners from financial hardship.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba, in a statement released on Thursday, said the additional Sh5 billion is intended to ensure all eligible students receive the necessary financial support to pursue higher education without disruption.
“To ensure no student is left behind, the Government has increased HELB’s annual funding from SH36 billion to Sh41 billion, a significant boost of Sh5 billion. Of this, Sh13 billion has already been released to support tuition and upkeep for students, while Sh16.9 billion has been allocated to the Universities Fund for Scholarships,” he stated.
Ogamba noted that disbursement of HELB loans to first-year university students will begin on August 15, 2025, in line with the reopening of institutions.
He also confirmed that the Universities Fund has commenced the release of first-quarter scholarships for public universities.
“These funds will be released in phases to ensure a smooth transition into University/TVET College and to help students settle into their academic journey without interruption,” he said.
By July 31, a total of 129,403 university students and 60,976 TVET trainees had submitted funding applications through the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM).
The CS urged students yet to apply to do so before the application deadline of August 31, 2025.
For the 2025/2026 academic year, HELB and the Universities Fund are targeting to support:
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201,695 first-year university students
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Over 237,000 TVET trainees
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257,523 continuing students
According to the ministry, the applications received so far account for 64 percent of the expected university cohort and 51 percent of the projected September intake for TVET institutions.
“Processing of the already received applications is ongoing to ensure timely funds disbursement to students and Institutions of Higher Learning,” the CS added.
