How to Apply for a HELB Loan for the First Time in Kenya

Applying for your first HELB loan? You don't apply to HELB directly any more. First-year university and TVET students now apply through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal at portal.hef.co.ke, which handles loans, scholarships and bursaries together.

It's free to apply. You'll need your ID (or KCSE index number), your admission letter and two guarantors. Here's how to fill it in, step by step.

Quick facts

Who applies through HEF, and who's eligible

Kenya's university and TVET funding changed in 2023. The old "band" system of pure HELB loans was replaced by the Student Centred Funding Model (SCFM), unveiled by the President on 3 May 2023, which blends a government scholarship, a loan and a household contribution for every student, sized to their assessed financial need and the actual cost of their programme (hef.co.ke).

Whether you get a scholarship on top of your loan depends on how you were placed:

• Placed by KUCCPS in a public university, or admitted to a TVET institution under the Ministry of Education: you can apply for both a government scholarship and a loan.
• At a private university, or a parallel/module two/self-sponsored student at a public university: you can get a loan only, with no scholarship (HELB/UF/KUCCPS/SDTVET Joint FAQ, "New Funding Model," June 2024).

Either way, you have to apply. Being placed doesn't get you any money automatically. HELB says clearly that funding is "not mandatory" and only goes to students who apply each year they want it (same FAQ, Q13–Q14).

What you need before you start

Get these ready before you open the portal. HEF lists them as the requirements for both undergraduate and TVET applicants:

If you're under 18 and don't have a national ID yet, you register and apply with your KCSE index number instead. You'll still need your own bank account for upkeep payments once you qualify, opened and run by you, not a parent (NFM FAQ, Q15).

How to apply, step by step

1. Get your admission letter first. HEF needs it before you can start an application. If KUCCPS placed you, confirm your placement and download the letter before you log in (hef.co.ke).
2. Go to portal.hef.co.ke and register. Use your National ID number, or your KCSE index number if you don't have an ID.
3. Activate your account through the link sent to your email (check spam if it doesn't show up), then verify your phone number with the code sent to it.
4. Complete your profile with your personal, academic and family details, and upload the documents from the checklist above.
5. Add your two guarantors' details: their ID numbers and phone numbers. Both can be your parents.
6. Choose how you want to be paid: a bank account or an M-Pesa number registered in your own name.
7. Read and accept the loan terms and conditions, then submit. Keep your login details private: this is the step fraudsters try to intercept by posing as "HELB agents" who'll "help" you for a fee.
8. Track your application on the same portal. It shows your status, your award once assessed, and when the money is paid out (NFM FAQ, Q9).

How much you'll get

There's no flat loan amount. Your funding is split between a scholarship (if you qualify), a loan and a contribution from your household. The split is decided by the Means Testing Instrument (MTI), which scores your household income, your parents' jobs, the number of dependants, disability and similar factors to judge how much help you need (NFM FAQ, Q3). Two students on the same course can get very different splits.

The official sources don't publish a fixed table of percentages, and the split has changed since the model started. So check your own band and amount on the HEF portal once your application is assessed. That figure is specific to you.

If KUCCPS placed you in a public university or TVET institution, your award can include upkeep money on top of fees, paid to you directly rather than to your institution (NFM FAQ, Q7).

When and how the money arrives

Money is paid at the start of each semester, once your university or TVET institution confirms you've registered. Fees go straight to your institution, and upkeep goes to the bank account or M-Pesa number you registered on the portal (NFM FAQ, Q8).

That upkeep money has to last the whole semester, so it's worth deciding upfront how much goes to rent and food versus savings. A digital savings app that locks away part of each disbursement is easier than relying on willpower once the money's in your account. If you'll be withdrawing it through an M-Pesa agent rather than paying straight from your wallet, run the amount through our M-Pesa charges calculator first so the agent fee doesn't surprise you.

While you're setting yourself up as an adult, sort out health cover too. Campus clinics will ask for your SHIF/SHA registration, and it takes five minutes on your phone once you have your ID.

Scams and mistakes to avoid

• Fraudsters charging for a "free" service. HELB and HEF are blunt about this on their own site: applying is free, and anyone asking for money to "process" or "fast-track" your application is scamming you (hef.co.ke).
• Giving your login details to a "helper". Cyber café attendants and self-styled agents sometimes offer to log in "for you". Don't hand over your password. Fill in the form yourself.
• Registering someone else's M-Pesa number. The portal requires a number registered in your own name and ID; using a parent's or friend's number to "make it easier" can delay or block your disbursement.
• Missing the admission-letter step. You can't meaningfully progress without it, so chase KUCCPS or your institution for the letter the moment you're placed, rather than waiting until the portal reminds you.
• Assuming you're funded automatically because you were placed. You're not. If you don't apply, you get nothing, however strong your case (NFM FAQ, Q13–Q14).

If you miss this year's window, or your circumstances change

Application windows open and close on dates set jointly by HELB, UF, KUCCPS and SDTVET. The 2026/2027 window for first-time applicants opened in July 2026 (The Star, 10 July 2026). If you miss a window, you can still apply when the next one opens. Applying late doesn't make you ineligible (NFM FAQ, Q16).

If your family's financial situation changes during the year (a parent loses a job, for example) you can file an online Funds Appeal through the same portal and ask for your allocation to be reviewed, though any increase depends on funds being available (NFM FAQ, Q10–Q11).

Once you're funded, you have to apply again every year of your course. One application doesn't carry you through to graduation.

Repayment starts one year after you finish your course. To see how long your balance will take to clear at what you can afford each month, use our HELB loan repayment calculator.

If your upkeep disbursement is tight once rent and food are covered, pair it with one of these side hustles for university students that fit around lectures rather than clash with them. And for everything else new students in Kenya have to figure out in year one, browse our personal finance guides.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a National ID to apply for HELB as a first-time student?

No. If you're under 18 and don't have a National ID yet, you register and apply using your KCSE index number instead. Update your account with your ID details once you get one.

Is applying for a HELB loan really free?

Yes. HELB and HEF say so on their own website, and they warn students about people who ask for money to "help" with an application. There's no real fee at any stage.

Can private university students get a HELB loan?

Yes, but loan only, not a government scholarship. Scholarships through this model go to students placed by KUCCPS in public universities or admitted to TVET institutions under the Ministry of Education; private university and self-sponsored students can still apply for the loan portion.

What happens if I'm placed but don't apply?

Nothing. Being placed by KUCCPS or admitted to a TVET institution doesn't get you any funding automatically. You only get a loan or scholarship if you apply through the HEF portal.

How do I know if I've been approved, and when the money comes?

Check your status on the HEF portal. It shows your application status, your award once assessed, and when the money is released. Fees go to your institution directly, and upkeep goes to your own bank account or M-Pesa.

What if I miss this year's application window?

You haven't lost your chance. You can apply the next time HELB, UF, KUCCPS and SDTVET open the window, so watch the HEF portal and your institution's notices for the dates.