Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu on Wednesday announced that the deadline for applications for Higher Education Loans and scholarships has been extended by a month.
Initially set to conclude on September 7, the new deadline is now October 7.
The extension aims to accommodate the 112,468 students who have yet to apply for the scholarships and loans.
In a statement, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu revealed that as of September 5, only 156,532 students had applied for both University Fund scholarships and High Education Loans Board (HELB) loans.
This figure, the Cabinet Secretary stated, represents only 60% of students placed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) based on their performance in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
"I urge all the eligible students to make formal applications for loans and scholarships through the higher education financing portal.
The Cabinet Secretary further assured Kenyans that no student would miss out on a university slot because of failure to pay school fees.
Applicants will be allowed to access the portal and make applications soon after receiving their admission letters.
According to the Universities Fund Kenya, an applicant must be a Kenyan Citizen in order to qualify for a scholarship or loan. The applicant must also be 2022 KCSE candidate.
The deadline extension also comes after the Ministry of Education's directive to rescind the mandatory ID card requirement. Now, students without IDs can simply use their birth certificates when applying.
To apply, applicants must possess a valid email address, a registered phone number under their name, as well as their KCPE and KCSE index numbers along with the respective examination year.
Additionally, prospective students must provide their College/University admission letter and, for those under secondary school sponsorship, a copy of the sponsorship letter.
Further, applicants are required to provide details about their parents and guardians. In instances where a parent has passed away, the submission of a death certificate to substantiate this circumstance is required.
Under the new government funding model, applicants are categorized into three groups.
Vulnerable and extremely needy students automatically receive 100% government funding in the form of scholarships and loans.
Needy and less needy students are eligible for 93% government funding, requiring them to cover 7% of their tuition costs.
Able students, on the other hand, are required to fully fund their education without government subsidies.
