Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu on Monday, July 31 unveiled the new university funding model as directed by President William Ruto.
Machogu launched the Higher Education Financing Portal that will allow university and TVET students to access funding from the government.
"Since the presidential directive on May 3, 2023, on the roll-out of the new funding model, the government has developed and completed the Higher Education Financing portal to receive applications for scholarships, bursaries, and loans for university and TVET students," the CS stated.
It is a new way of providing financial support to students enrolled in Universities & TVET institutions to ensure every Kenyan student is assisted according to their level of need.
The CS further explained that all continuing students under the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) will not be affected by the new funding model.
“For the first time, students whose households are at the bottom of the pyramid shall enjoy equal opportunities in accessing university and TVET education. Out of the 2022 KCSE graduates, over 45,000 university students and 42,000 TVET students categorised as vulnerable and extremely needy, will be fully funded under the Government Scholarships and Loans," he added.
In May, Ruto explained that the new model does not increase university fees adding that the government shall increase the funds allocated to learning institutions.
The president added that the new model will categorise the students into three, the vulnerable, the less vulnerable, and the able to receive funding.
"Universities and TVETS will no longer receive block funding in the form of capitation based on a differentiated unit cost," Ruto added.
How to Apply
Students can access the platform through hef.co.ke to enjoy the various services offered.
"Students who require funding must make formal application through the Higher Education Financing portal, accessible at www.hef.co.ke," Machogu stated.
The platform has consolidated various services about education for students in higher institutions of learning.
Once on the platform, you will notice the various services on the dashboard and the account log-in and student registration tabs.
The platform is for applications for loans by new students who are joining the university or college in September 2023.
Users can then fill in their details including education qualifications, bio details such as ID number and secondary school index number, and addresses.
All these details will be required under the Student Registration tab.
