The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has urged civil servants to apply for a loan from the Training Revolving Fund to further their studies.
On Wednesday, August 12, the board stated that the loan is intended for civil servants employed by the Ministries, County Governments, the Teachers Service Commission or the National Police Service.
"This fund is set aside for the Ministry of Public Service to work in collaboration with HELB for Civil Servants in the National Government, County Governments, National Police Service, and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to pursue Certificate, Diploma, Higher National Diploma, Master's, PhD, and Professional courses," a HELB statement reads.
The loan board stated that there are no processing fees for the loan, which offers civil servants up to Ksh500,000 per year.
HELB noted that the repayment period is up to 72 months, managed through a check-off system, and that the loan carries an interest rate of 4 percent on a reducing balance.
Application Requirements for HELB Training Revolving Fund
To qualify for the HELB Training Revolving Fund, civil servants must meet a clear set of requirements. Applicants need to have an admission letter from a recognized university or training institution in Kenya.
They are also required to provide certified copies of their three latest payslips, which must show a net pay that is above one-third of their basic pay. Additionally, applicants must submit copies of their National ID and KRA PIN.
The next step is a crucial part of the application where the applicant needs to secure two guarantors who are also employed within the civil service, and provide copies of their National IDs.
According to the loan board, the application package must be completed with recent, coloured passport-size photographs.
HELB Training Revolving Fund Application Process
To apply for the HELB Training Revolving Fund, civil servants must follow a specific online application process:
1. Create an Account:
To begin the application process, a civil servant must first visit the official HELB student portal online. From there, they will need to create a new account by registering with their National ID number and a valid email address. An activation link will be sent to the provided email, which the applicant must click to successfully verify their account and proceed.
2. Complete Your Profile:
Once a new account has been created and verified, the applicant can log in to the portal and navigate to the "My Profile" section. Here, they are required to fill in all their personal details, including information about their place of residence and their educational background. As part of this step, they must also upload copies of all the necessary supporting documents that are specified in the loan requirements.
3. Fill Out the Application Form:
After completing their profile, the applicant can proceed to the "Loan Application" tab. From the options provided, they should select the "Civil Servants Training Revolving Fund." The applicant must then carefully read and accept the terms and conditions of the loan before filling out the form with details of their next of kin, employment information, and their guarantors.
4. Submit the Application:
After filling out the online form, the applicant is required to submit it and then print a hard copy. This physical copy must be signed and stamped by the relevant authorities, typically their employer. All the required supporting documents should then be attached to this signed hard copy.
For the final submission, the applicant will need to scan the complete application, along with all the attached documents, into a single PDF file.
This final PDF is then sent to the specific email address provided by HELB for the fund's application process.
