Students Get More Time as Government Reopens Higher Education Funding Applications
The Ministry of Education has moved the deadline to September 21, 2026, after some eligible applicants failed to submit their applications before the previous closing date.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba ordered the Universities Fund and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to reopen the application window.
New Deadline Set for September
The original application period ended on August 31, with the government recording 789,422 applications from students and trainees seeking financial assistance.
The ministry said the additional period would give those who missed the deadline an opportunity to apply.
First-time university students and TVET trainees affected by the initial deadline can now submit their applications before September 21.
Sh22 Billion Already Released
The government has so far released KSh22.12 billion to support continuing university students and TVET trainees. The funds cover first-semester university and first-term TVET financing.
The latest extension comes as institutions continue admitting new students amid uncertainty surrounding proposed changes to higher education financing.
New Funding Law Still Before Parliament
Parliament is currently considering the Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation could introduce a Universal Access and Funding Framework for higher education.
However, Ogamba said the government will continue using the Student-Centred Funding Model when processing applications from first-time applicants.
The ministry will only introduce transitional arrangements for the proposed framework after Parliament passes the Bill.
Universities and TVET institutions have also been directed to continue admitting first-year students as the government finalises funding arrangements.
Students who had not applied during the initial window have been urged to use the new deadline rather than wait for the proposed funding changes to take effect.
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