First-year students reporting to public universities are facing steep financial hurdles after institutions began demanding large upfront payments before admission. The new policy, which requires learners to pay between Sh23,000 and Sh50,000 upon reporting, has left many families struggling as they await loans from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb).
At the University of Nairobi (UoN), students admitted to various programmes were asked to clear substantial registration fees before enrolment. Parents said they were shocked to learn that courses such as economics required Sh30,000, actuarial science Sh48,000, and medicine as much as Sh50,000 upfront. Hostel charges, averaging Sh10,750 per semester, have compounded the financial strain.
In previous years, government-sponsored learners were admitted first and allowed to settle fees later, once Helb disbursed funds. This arrangement cushioned households from immediate pressure. Now, parents say they are being forced to take loans to secure their children’s places in university.
“We were used to a situation where Helb catered for the main fees, and parents only paid the balance later. But now we are at a crossroads. I don’t know if my son will report to university. Life is becoming tough,” said one parent whose child was admitted to UoN.
University officials attributed the upfront demands to delays in Helb funding and reforms in higher education financing. They emphasized that the directive applies across institutions, not just at UoN.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba defended the changes, stating that semester fees would now range from Sh5,814 to Sh75,000 depending on the programme. He argued that the new structure was designed to make universities financially sustainable while ensuring fairer distribution of government subsidies.
Just two weeks earlier, Ogamba had announced that more than 200,000 first-year students, over 257,000 continuing students, and 237,000 trainees in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions would benefit from reduced fees this academic year.
Despite these assurances, the immediate demand for lump-sum payments has caught many families unprepared. For now, as learners troop to campuses across the country, the scramble to meet admission deadlines has become a new and painful reality for parents and guardians already grappling with rising living costs.
