Universities Fund Allocates Ksh4.2 Billion to Continuing Students

The Universities Fund announced that it will disburse Ksh4.2 billion to public universities for continuing students in the 2025/2026 financial year.
On Friday 26 June, the Fund clarified that the tranche is earmarked for tuition fees of continuing students attending public universities nationwide.
“Ksh4.2 billion has been allocated to public universities for the 2025/2026 scholarship programme, covering tuition for continuing students,” the agency said.
The announcement arrives while thousands of students await the new academic calendar, which will start in September 2026 for most institutions.
The Fund also confirmed that first‑year entrants in the coming two months can apply for government scholarships via the Higher Education Financing (HEF) Portal.
The portal should launch soon, and the agency urges applicants to monitor official channels for timelines and eligibility details.
For first‑year students, the HEF Portal will open shortly, the Universities Fund said.
Its opening will permit students enrolling in 2025/2026 to submit applications for government scholarships under the programme.
No official launch date has been released, though the Fund assured that more information would follow on its official platforms.
Applicants are advised to follow the standard application process for consideration.
The disbursement is meant to relieve financial strain on public universities and cover tuition costs for continuing students as institutions prepare for the upcoming calendar.
It also aligns with the ongoing process for continuing students, which is projected to finish by the end of August 2026.
Data from KUCCPS shows 42 public universities and the Open University of Kenya are eligible for both government scholarships and HELB loans.
Conversely, 30 private universities are eligible solely for HELB loans, so their students cannot receive government scholarships.
Meanwhile, 272 public colleges under the Ministry of Education that provide TVET programmes can receive both government scholarships and HELB loans.