Repay your HELB loan and get a clearance certificate
Higher Education Loans Board · sources read 30 Sep 2026
Start repaying one year after you finish studies. Pay through your employer's monthly check-off, or on your own with USSD *642#, the HELB Mobile App or the self-serve portal on hef.co.ke (payments go through eCitizen). Ask for your clearance certificate once the loan is fully paid. The clearance certificate is free.
- Fee
- FreeClearance certificate (after full repayment)
- How long
- Clearance certificate: 1 business day after you finish paying the loan.
- Where
- Through your employer's payroll, USSD *642#, the HELB Mobile App or the self-serve portal on hef.co.ke; the HELB portal for certificates
Steps
- Know your start date: repayment begins one year after you finish studies, unless HELB recalls the loan earlier.
- If you are employed, tell your employer so they deduct HELB repayments from your pay every month (check-off).
- Paying on your own by phone: dial *642#, log in, choose Loan Repayment, then M-Pesa, enter the amount and your M-Pesa PIN. You'll get SMS confirmations from eCitizen and HELB.
- Or use the HELB Mobile App from the Play Store: log in, choose pay loan, confirm your phone number and amount, and enter your M-Pesa PIN.
- Or pay online: go to www.hef.co.ke, open the self-serve option on the HELB menu, choose Loan Repayment, then Make Payment, and follow the prompts.
- While you keep paying on time, you can download a compliance certificate from the HELB portal.
- When the loan is fully paid, request your clearance certificate on the HELB portal, or go to a Huduma Centre or HELB's office at Anniversary Towers (ground floor).
Watch out
- If you default, you are fined at least KSh 5,000 for every month that stays unpaid.
- If your employer deducts but doesn't pay HELB, the employer is charged 5% a month. Check your HELB statement to be sure deductions arrive.
Who can apply
- Everyone who got a HELB loan. Repayment starts one year after you complete your studies, or earlier if HELB recalls the loan.
Official sources (5)
- Loan Repayment helb.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- FAQs (Help Desk) helb.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- Loanees FAQs helb.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- Repay Loan helb.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026
- Service Charter 2022 helb.co.ke · read 30 Sep 2026