The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has confirmed the release of loans to 136,634 first-time university students for the 2025/2026 academic year.

In a statement issued on Saturday, August 16, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba said the beneficiaries are those who applied for funding under the government’s new Student-Centered Funding Model.

He asked students to log into the HELB portal to check the status of their upkeep loans and work with their university administration offices for fee payment schedules.

“All students who have submitted their loan applications are advised to confirm their award status from the HELB student portal and liaise with their respective universities,” the statement read. “Universities will access the tuition loan allocations through the HELB institutional portal.”

CS Ogamba explained that under the new structure, students will pay between Ksh5,814 and Ksh75,000 per semester, depending on the cost of their programme and their level of need. He noted that the government had recently directed a review of tuition charges to ease the burden on families.

“This progress reaffirms the Government’s commitment to equitable access to higher education, ensuring no qualified student is locked out of university because of financial challenges,” said Ogamba. “The Ministry remains firm in supporting higher education as a driver of national development.”

The loan release comes just days after the Ministry of Education announced a reduction in university programme fees following wide consultations with students, parents, and education stakeholders.

In a memo issued by Higher Education Principal Secretary Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, the government said the move was a direct response to concerns raised by students and their families over rising costs.

“The Government has lowered fees payable by students across all academic programmes to make higher education more affordable,” the PS stated.

The loans are expected to ease financial pressure on first-year students and their families, ensuring that more young Kenyans can pursue university education without disruption.