The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has extended the deadline for both first-time and continuing loan applicants, providing relief to thousands of learners in universities and Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions.
In a statement released on Tuesday, September 2, HELB confirmed that the application period for first-time applicants will now close on September 14, while continuing students have until September 7 to submit their requests. Initially, the deadline for subsequent applicants had been set for August 31.
“Applications for both first-time and continuing students are open,” HELB said, noting that the extension covers those applying for the second, third, or fourth time, depending on the length of their course.
Students can submit their applications through the HELB Mobile App, M-PESA Mini App, or by dialing *642#, ensuring flexibility and accessibility.
The extension follows a directive issued on Friday, August 29, by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. The CS instructed HELB to extend the application period to ensure more students are included, particularly first-years who may have faced challenges accessing the platform.
This directive coincided with the disbursement of Ksh23.16 billion in financial support for learners. Of this, the Universities Fund allocated Ksh4.1 billion as scholarships for public university students, while HELB released Ksh19.06 billion—comprising Ksh7.6 billion for tuition and Ksh11.46 billion for student upkeep.
As of September 1, HELB reported receiving 1,117,239 loan and scholarship applications, with 741,931 from undergraduates and 375,308 from TVET students.
The extension is expected to directly benefit over 802,000 students across the country, ensuring no one is excluded due to time constraints.
