HELB disburses Sh9.46 billion to over 309,000 university students, easing fee confusion
First-year students who reported to campuses on Monday, August 18, 2025, expressed confusion after many were unsure how much to pay following the government’s directive to reduce university fees.
The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has released Sh9.46 billion to cover tuition fees and upkeep for more than 309,000 university students, easing days of uncertainty over fee payments.
First-year students who reported to campuses on Monday, August 18, 2025, expressed confusion after many were unsure how much to pay following the government’s directive to reduce university fees.
More To Read
- First-year university students face chaos over upfront payments after fee reductions
- 21 public universities at risk of collapse due to Sh42.5 billion debt, Auditor General warns
- 12 public universities cannot account for land, assets worth Sh19.6 billion, audit reveals
- HELB loans awarded to 136,000 first-time university students as government caps fees
- Public universities' debt hits Sh76.1 billion, raising sustainability concerns - Auditor General
- HELB rolls out loan scheme for civil servants pursuing further studies
While the Ministry of Education had announced a fee reduction across all programmes, students were left waiting as universities had not updated their fee structures and HELB had not disbursed funds.
In a statement on Tuesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed the release of the funds aimed at supporting the students.
“We are pleased to notify parents, guardians and university students that the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has, as of today, disbursed a total of Sh9.46 billion in financial support to 309,178 university students. This amount comprises Sh5.76 billion for tuition fees and Sh3.7 billion for student upkeep,” Ogamba said.
Students have now been urged to check their HELB portals to confirm receipt of the funds and to access detailed information regarding their individual loan accounts.
“The Government will continue to provide the requisite funding to ensure that higher education remains accessible and affordable and that no student is left behind on account of financial limitations,” Ogamba added.
Recently, the Ministry announced that over 136,000 first-time university students were awarded loans by HELB under the Student-Centred Funding Model for the 2025/2026 academic year.
Following the government directive to lower the cost of university programmes, semester fees will now range from Sh5,814 to Sh75,000, depending on a student’s level of need and the cost of their chosen programme.
“As of August 15, 2025, the Higher Education Loans Board [HELB] has awarded loans to 136,634 eligible university first-time applicants, who have submitted their loan applications under the Student-Centred Funding Model for the 2025/2026 academic year,” Ogamba said.
Students who submitted their loan applications were advised to confirm their upkeep loan award status via the HELB student portal on the Higher Education Financing website, www.hef.co.ke, and to liaise with their respective university administration offices for fee payment schedules.
Top Stories Today
