Apply for a first-time HELB university loan and scholarship
Higher Education Loans Board · sources read 30 Sep 2026
Once you have your admission letter, apply free of charge on the HEF portal (hef.co.ke) during the open window. The government splits your funding between scholarship, loan and family contribution based on your assessed need.
- Fee
- FreeLoan application
- How long
- Money is sent at the start of the semester, once your institution confirms you.
- Where
- Online on the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal
What you need
- Your own valid email address and phone number
- KCPE and KCSE index numbers and exam years
- Passport-size photo (jpeg, jpg or png)
- National ID or Maisha Card, both sides, as a PDF (birth certificate PDF if you are under 18)
- Bank details or an M-Pesa number registered in your own name and ID
- Parents' ID numbers and phone numbers (death certificate PDF if a parent has died)
- ID and phone numbers of two guarantors (they can be your parents)
- Secondary school sponsorship letter as a PDF, if you were sponsored
Steps
- Go to hef.co.ke, open the Student Portal, register with your ID number (or KCSE index number if under 18) and activate your account from the email link.
- Fill in your profile (personal, residence, education, institution, parents) and upload your documents.
- Under the HELB menu, go to Loan Application and choose First Time Undergraduate Scholarship and Loan. Accept the consent and loan terms.
- Add your guarantors and bank details, then submit online. No printing needed.
- Check your email for the PDF copy and track your application status on the portal.
Watch out
- You need the official admission letter from your university or college before you can apply.
- Applying is free. Anyone asking you to pay to apply is a fraudster; report them.
- Unhappy with your award? You can ask for a scholarship and loan review on the HEF portal.
Who can apply
- First-time applicants joining university or TVET
- KUCCPS-placed students in public universities can get both scholarship and loan. Private university and parallel/self-sponsored students get loans only.
Official sources (4)
- Higher Education Financing (HEF) home page hef.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- HEF FAQs hef.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- Students FAQs helb.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- Scholarship and Loan Application Process Guide portal.hef.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026