Students across various Kenyan universities and colleges receive different amounts of money from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) through a specific process to determine how much each student needs.
The process is part of the new Higher Education Funding (HEF) model and relies on a tool called the Means Testing Instrument (MTI). The MTI evaluates a student's financial need, ensuring that the most vulnerable students get the highest levels of support.
The process begins when a student fills out a detailed application about their family's financial situation. This information is then fed into the MTI.
The system looks at several factors such as the household's monthly income, the number of dependents, and even the family's location. These details show a family's ability to contribute to a student's education.
Based on this assessment, applicants are placed into one of five categories, or "bands." These bands directly determine the level of funding a student will receive. Students with the greatest need are placed in Band 1, and the level of government support then gradually decreases to Band 5.
In Band 1, students are considered the most financially vulnerable, with an average household monthly income of up to Ksh5,995. The government provides a scholarship covering 70 per cent of the tuition fees, and a HELB loan for 25 per cent of the tuition fee. The family is expected to contribute a minimum of 5 per cent. Students in this band also receive an upkeep loan of Ksh60,000.
Band 2 is for students from families with a monthly income of up to Ksh23,670. The government provides a scholarship of 60 per cent of the tuition fees and a HELB loan of 30 per cent, making the total government support 90 per cent. The household contributes 10 per cent and the student's annual upkeep loan is Ksh55,000, slightly less than Band 1.
Students in Band 3 come from households with a monthly income of up to Ksh70,000. For this group, the scholarship is 50 percent, with the HELB loan remaining at 30 percent. This totals 80 percent government support. The family is expected to contribute a more substantial 20 per cent of the tuition fees. The upkeep loan for these students is set at Ksh50,000.
For those in Band 4, whose families earn up to Ksh120,000 per month, the government scholarship is reduced to 40 per cent, while the loan stays at 30 percent. This gives a combined government support of 70 percent. The household contribution for this band rises to 30 percent, and the upkeep loan is Ksh 45,000 per year.
Finally, Band 5 includes students from households with a monthly income exceeding Ksh120,000. In this category, the government scholarship is 30 percent and the HELB loan is 30 percent, for a total government support of 60 percent. The family contribution for this band is the highest at 40 percent, and the student receives an upkeep loan of Ksh 40,000.
Students are required to repay the loan portion of their funding after they finish their studies. The new model ensures that those who need the most help get the highest percentage of their fees covered by money they do not have to pay back.
HELB does not send the tuition money directly to the student; it is disbursed directly to their university or TVET institution.
The upkeep money is sent to the student's personal bank account. This money is meant to cover living expenses like accommodation, food, and transport.
