How to apply for the Kenyan Government’s Higher Education Financing
Now open for applications, the Higher Education Financing initiative introduced by the Kenyan government extends its reach to 768,624 students joining various higher education institutions, encompassing colleges, universities, technical, and vocational education and training centers.
Students must log on to several websites- www.hef.co.ke, www.uf.go.ke and www.helb.co.ke; and then click on Student Portal.
This is the process for one to either login or create a new account. The student will then have to confirm if they have their National Identification cards and then key in the number and names as they appear on the ID. Only students above the age of 19 will be eligible to apply for the loans.
For those who do not have an identification number are allowed to use their index numbers from the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education national final examinations and their Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) program code as indicated in their College/University admission letters. They then have to validate all the information they entered onto the website.
The next step is for the student to enter a valid email address and password that will enable them to create an account successfully.
They will then receive an activation link in their emails whereby they are advised to check whether the link appears in their inbox or spam/junk folders.
The student can then log in to the financing application portal after receiving the activation link.
Students will then be expected to key in a valid telephone number and verify it after receiving a code sent to their phone messages or email address.
The long process of filling in one’s profile, updating their biodata, giving the organization consent to collect their personal data and filling in all the location details contained on one’s National ID begins.
They are also to provide current residence details, details of the schools they previously attended and information on the institution they intend to join for their higher education.
The student’s parents details will also be required as part of their submission of their scholarship and loan requests. At this point, the student will once again provide their ID number and their names as they appear on the ID, select the loan product they wish to apply for- partial scholarship or a loan- and accept the terms and conditions attached to what they want. They are to save and submit this information before proceeding.
Students will then be required to provide guarantors’ details, enter the verification code sent directly to the guarantors they selected, and finally submit their loan application.