The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has issued fresh guidance to students who applied for higher education funding as minors, explaining how they can update their National ID details after turning 18 without creating a new account.
The guidance targets students who registered for the Higher Education Fund (HEF) portal using their KCSE index numbers because they had not yet attained the age required to obtain a National ID at the time of application.
HELB has advised such students to log into the existing HEF account they created using their KCSE index number, where a pop-up window prompting them to update their National ID details will appear.
Students are required to enter their National ID number and first name exactly as they appear on the National ID card before clicking the “Validate” button.
Once the information has been verified, another pop-up will confirm that the National ID has been successfully updated.
Students should then click the “Register” tab to complete the process.
HELB has cautioned students against creating new HEF accounts after obtaining their National IDs, emphasizing that they should only update the accounts they initially opened using their KCSE index numbers.
Many students complete secondary school before turning 18 and therefore apply for higher education funding as minors using their KCSE index numbers before later acquiring National ID cards.
The update is expected to help ensure students’ records remain accurate and allow them to continue accessing funding services without interruptions.
The advisory comes as the government seeks to streamline higher education financing through the proposed Tertiary Placement and Funding Bill, 2026, which is currently before Parliament.
If enacted, the Bill will establish the Tertiary Education Funding Authority (TEFA), bringing together the functions of HELB, the Universities Fund and the TVET Fund under one institution responsible for financing students in universities, colleges and TVET institutions.
The proposed reforms are intended to create a more unified and sustainable higher education funding system while making tertiary education more affordable and accessible to learners across the country.
Students who registered as minors are therefore encouraged to update their National ID details through their existing HEF accounts as soon as they receive their National IDs to ensure their information remains up to date.
