Thousands of students placed in universities, colleges and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions for the 2026/2027 academic year can now apply for government scholarships and student loans after the Ministry of Education officially opened the Higher Education Financing (HEF) application portal.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced the opening of the portal while releasing the 2026/2027 Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) placement results, urging all eligible students to submit their applications without delay.
“Following the conclusion of the placement process, the Higher Education Financing portal is now open for application by first-time applicants,” Ogamba said.
He added that successful applicants can submit their funding applications through the official Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal or the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) portal.
HEF Portal Opens After KUCCPS Placement Results
The opening of the funding portal comes shortly after KUCCPS successfully placed 293,869 students into degree, diploma, certificate and artisan programmes in universities, TVET institutions and other tertiary colleges across the country for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The Ministry of Education is now encouraging all placed students to apply for financial support as early as possible to ensure their applications are processed before they report to their respective institutions.
How to Apply for Higher Education Financing
Students who have been successfully placed by KUCCPS should follow these steps when applying for government funding:
- Log in to the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal using your existing account.
- Update your profile if you initially registered using your KCSE Index Number and now have a National ID. Do not create a new account.
- Complete and submit your online application for a government scholarship, a HELB loan, or both. No printed application forms are required.
- Save your confirmation details. First-time applicants will receive a PDF confirmation via email, while continuing applicants will receive an SMS containing their application serial number.
Beware of fraudsters. The Ministry has emphasized that applying for HEF or HELB funding is completely free, and students should report anyone demanding payment to facilitate the application process.
Funding Covers Scholarships, Tuition and Upkeep
Through the Higher Education Financing programme, eligible students will be considered for:
- Government scholarships
- Tuition loans
- Upkeep loans to help meet living expenses while studying
Students are encouraged to complete their applications immediately after confirming their KUCCPS placements to avoid delays in receiving financial support before the academic year begins.
Universities to Issue Admission Letters
Following the release of the placement results, universities, colleges and TVET institutions are expected to begin issuing admission letters and joining instructions to successful applicants.
KUCCPS Transfer Window Extended
During the announcement, Ogamba also directed KUCCPS to develop a special mechanism that will allow students who qualified for placement but missed the initial application window to submit late applications.
In addition, he announced that the KUCCPS inter-institution transfer window has been extended from two weeks to one month, giving students more time to change their institutions or academic programmes where necessary.
The Ministry has advised all eligible students to complete their Higher Education Financing applications as soon as possible to ensure they secure government funding before reporting to their institutions.
