The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has assured incoming university students that funding for the September 2025 intake will be available, despite a shortfall in its current budget allocation.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Implementation on Saturday, August 9, HELB Chief Executive Officer Charles Ringera Monari was tasked with clarifying the institution’s readiness to finance students under the new funding model.
“With the new funding model in place, what is the availability of these funds to the new students, knowing that some are placed in tiers that require them to pay quite a large amount of fees?” posed Kajiado East MP Elijah Memusi.
Monari confirmed that while HELB had been allocated Ksh41 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year up from Ksh36 billion in the previous year the amount was still insufficient to cover all needs. However, he expressed confidence that the National Treasury would address the deficit in the first supplementary budget.
“We do have money to finance the students. We have a small deficit, but we have met with the National Treasury and they have assured us that it will be reviewed during the 1st supplementary,” Monari told lawmakers.
His remarks follow HELB’s August 8 announcement that it had revised the loan disbursement structure for continuing students. The board clarified that while the scholarship component remains intact, it will now be processed separately from upkeep funds.
In the new structure, upkeep funds reflecting the total amount for the academic year will be disbursed in two equal instalments, one for each semester. The amount received will depend on the student’s assigned band:
- Band 1: Ksh60,000 (Ksh30,000 per semester)
- Band 2: Ksh55,000 (Ksh27,500 per semester)
- Band 3: Ksh50,000 (Ksh25,000 per semester)
- Band 4: Ksh45,000 (Ksh22,500 per semester)
- Band 5: Ksh40,000 (Ksh20,000 per semester)
Currently, only upkeep funds are reflected in students’ accounts, while scholarships are processed separately. The restructuring is part of HELB’s adjustments to the government’s new funding model, which aims to balance affordability with sustainability in higher education financing.
Monari reiterated HELB’s commitment to ensuring no eligible student misses out on funding when the new academic year begins.
