The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) in Kenya has announced that the 2026/2027 loan, bursary, and scholarship application is officially open for all first-time applicants. This application process is for both undergraduate and TVET students. The loan ranges from Ksh 8,000 to Ksh 60,000 per academic year. To apply, students must be Kenyan citizens, hold a National ID or birth certificate, and be admitted or enrolled at a government-recognised university, TVET, or tertiary institution.
To qualify for a HELB loan, students must be placed through KUCCPS, be self-sponsored, parallel, or module II students studying for a bachelor's degree. Pre-university, certificate, diploma, or postgraduate students are not eligible. If applicants are 18 years or older, they will need a valid Maisha Card. If they are under 18, they can still apply without an ID by using their KCSE Index Number and birth certificate.
Before starting the application process, students need to gather several documents. These include a valid email address and telephone number, KCPE and KCSE index numbers and year of examination, a passport-size photo, a copy of their National ID or Maisha Card, valid bank details or an M-Pesa number registered under their name and ID, parents' National ID numbers and registered telephone numbers, and a copy of a parent's death certificate if deceased.
The application process for a HELB loan is fully online and does not require printing of forms. First-time applicants are required to apply through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) Student Portal on the official HEF website. The first step is to create a portal account by providing a National ID number or KCSE index number, a valid email address, and creating a password.
After creating an account, applicants need to verify their phone number using a code sent via SMS. They then need to complete their profile by providing details of their address and consenting to the collection of their data. This includes updating their biodata, attaching required documents, and filling in their residence details.
The next step is to select the loan and scholarship products. Applicants need to log in to their account, go to the HELB menu, and under the Loan Application tab, select their applicant category. They can choose both Scholarship and HELB Student Loan if they want a partial scholarship together with a loan to cover the rest of their tuition.
Finally, applicants need to fill in their financial and family details. This includes providing household financial details, such as family income sources and approximate household income, and details of their parents or guardians. They also need to read and agree to the consent form authorising the collection and processing of their personal data.
Key points
- The loan attracts an interest rate of 4% and a Ksh 1,000 ledger fee per year, with repayment beginning one year after graduation.
