Universities Fund releases Sh4.2 billion

The Universities Fund acting chief executive Dr Edwin Wanyonyi. [File, Standard]

The Universities Fund has announced the disbursement of Sh4.2 billion to public universities to support continuing students enrolled under the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM).

The fund’s acting chief executive Dr Edwin Wanyonyi said that the disbursement is set to benefit students pursuing various programmes in public universities under the model and the money is part of budget allocations under the 2025/2026 financial year.

“In the 2025/2026 financial year, the Universities Fund has already disbursed Sh8.4 billion in scholarship support,” he said.

The model which was introduced in 2021 has been hailed by government as one of its most significant reforms to higher education financing system.

In the SCFM resources are allocated to students depending on the level of financial need, unlike before where funds would be allocated to institutions.

Over Sh37 billion has been disbursed under the Universities Fund scholarships to support undergraduate education benefitting 437,648 students, with the first cohort of students under the SCFM expected to graduate in 2027.

Kenya’s higher education sector has experienced significant growth in recent years with the country now boasting of 83 universities countrywide.

The number of admissions has also risen by a whooping 332 per cent from 62,581 students in 2017 to 270,715 students in 2025.

With the increase in the demand for university education resulting in growth in admission numbers it has also created a funding gap.

For one to qualify for government scholarships, a student must be placed in a public university by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), having sat their KCSE examination in 2022 or later.

They would also need to formally apply through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) Portal with the application window opening after KUCCPS releases university placement results.

“A new cohort of students who sat the 2025 KCSE examination and attained the minimum university entry grade will be expected to apply for scholarships through the HEF Portal,” said Dr Wanyonyi.