The Ministry of Education has extended the deadline for students to apply for loans and scholarships for a period of one month.
In a press statement on Wednesday, September 6, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said that the extension will allow those who are eligible and are yet to apply, to do so.
The previous deadline was set for September 7, 2023.
“The application period for loans and scholarships that was initially scheduled to lapse on September 7 has now been extended to October 7, to ensure all eligible students have adequate time to apply, and to guarantee that none of them is left behind,” said Machogu.
As of Tuesday, September 5, a total of 156,532 students had applied for both the Universities Fund scholarships and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans.
This translates to 60 per cent of the students placed in universities and colleges by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Some 106,000 students are yet to apply.
Further, Machogu has also instructed the Universities Fund and HELB to station their staff at all Huduma centres countrywide to assist students in need regarding the application process.
The institutions have aslo been directed to speed up the process, for all students who have already applied for the loans.
Following a recent Cabinet meeting, HELB has also been urged to review its portal to ensure that the students who are below 18years can apply for the loan, without the national ID requirement.
Machogu assured that no student will miss put on university due to a lack of school fees.
“Out of the 2022 KCSE graduates placed by KUCCPS, students categorized as vulnerable and extremely needy will get full government funding through loans and scholarships,” he added.
