HELB Announces Applications for 2020/21 Loans

Kenyans waiting for service at Helb offices
Kenyans waiting for services at HELB offices in Nairobi County on May 4, 2019.
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HELB

The Higher Loans Education Board (HELB) on Monday, July 20, invited loan applications for the first-time 2020/21 undergraduate programs.

The board stated that those eligible to apply are students placed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Placement Services (KUCCPS) in the local public and private universities.

Another category of eligible students are self-sponsored students in public and private universities, parallel and Module II students studying for a bachelor's degree only and students in universities from East African Community (EAC) that are recognised by the Commission for University Education (CUE).

However, the board added that Certificate, Diploma, Pre-University and Postgraduate students are not eligible for this program.

HELB CEO Charles Ringera.
HELB CEO Charles Ringer addresses students at the Kenyatta University Amphitheater.
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HELB

"Please ensure that you read and understand and follow the instructions provided at the beginning of the online loan application process including reading and undertaking the HELB Financial Literacy Programme," a statement from HELB reads in part.

Loan applications through the HELB website will end on Thursday, December 21, 2020.

Helb earlier on announced that the student budget had been expanded from Ksh4.6 billion in 2012 to Ksh 11.4 billion in 2017-2018 academic year.

The board also reached out to loan defaulters, urging them to repay the loans to enable other students to be facilitated. 

Last week, Helb waived the Ksh1,000 fee previously charged to non-loanees to acquire a compliance certificate.

According to a letter signed by CEO Charles Ringera, the loans body resorted to the move after a series of stakeholder engagements where respondents termed the fee as punitive.

"HELB has been issuing compliance certificates to non-beneficiaries of student loans at a fee of Ksh1,000 to defray the cost of the certificate and other administrative expenses. 

"However, during various stakeholder engagements where HELB seeks feedback on Citizen Service Delivery, it has repeatedly come to our attention that the charges for non-loanee compliance certificate are perceived to be punitive, especially to the many unemployed youth who did not benefit from the student loans," Ringera stated. 

HELB contact centre. Applications for the second and subsequent undergraduate loans 2020-2021 financial year are open.
File image of HELB contact centre