HEF, HELB or Universities Fund? Who Actually Gives You the Money?

Thousands of Kenyan students seeking financial support for higher education often come across three names: Higher Education Financing (HEF), Universities Fund and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).

Although the three are closely connected under Kenya’s Student-Centred Funding Model, they do not perform the same function.

Understanding the difference can help students know where to apply, what type of support they can receive and whether the money is a scholarship or a loan.

What is HEF?

HEF stands for Higher Education Financing.

HEF is the government platform through which students apply for higher-education funding. It brings together applications for scholarships, loans and bursaries for eligible university and TVET students.

The government introduced the Student-Centred Funding Model to allocate financial support according to a student’s assessed level of need and the cost of their programme. The model combines government scholarships, loans and household contributions.

Students do not therefore apply to a separate organisation called “HEF” for a scholarship or loan. Instead, they use the HEF portal to submit their applications for the relevant government funding.

The official portal is currently open for 2026/2027 first-time loan, bursary and scholarship applications for undergraduate and TVET students.

HEF in simple terms

HEF = The application platform.

Students can create an account, complete their profiles, upload the required documents and submit their funding applications through the portal. The application process is paperless.

Photo illustrating how students can apply for a government higher-education funding through HEF portal
PHOTO/Grok

What is the Universities Fund?

The Universities Fund (UF) is a government agency responsible for providing government scholarships to eligible students in public universities under the Student-Centred Funding Model.

This scholarship is based on the student’s assessed level of financial need and is intended to help meet tuition costs.

Students who qualify for the Universities Fund scholarship generally need to have been placed in a public university by KUCCPS and meet the applicable eligibility requirements.

The Universities Fund says eligible students apply for the scholarship through the HEF portal.

It can cover between 30 and 70%, depending on the student’s assessed financial need. Any remaining amount can be met through loans and household contributions.

In simple terms:

Universities Fund = Provides the government university scholarship

What Does HELB Do?

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) is the government agency responsible for providing education loans, as well as certain bursaries and scholarship programmes.

Under the Student-Centred Funding Model, HELB provides loans to students in public and private universities, as well as students in TVET institutions.

For undergraduate students, HELB’s loan programme covers eligible students in public and chartered private universities within the East African Community, subject to the applicable requirements.

Unlike a scholarship, a HELB loan is repayable under the applicable loan terms.

In simple terms:

HELB = Provides government education loans and other student-financing programmes.

So, How Do the Three Work Together?

Think of the system this way:

HEF → Application portal

Universities Fund → Government scholarship

HELB → Government loan

A student placed in a public university can potentially receive both a Universities Fund scholarship and a HELB loan, depending on their assessed need and eligibility.

Students in private universities, meanwhile, are generally eligible for government loans but not the Universities Fund government scholarship under the Student-Centred Funding Model.

Example

• Suppose a student has been placed by KUCCPS in a public university.
• The student goes to the HEF portal and applies for funding.
• The application is assessed based on the student’s financial need.

If eligible, the student may receive:

• Universities Fund scholarship – to help meet tuition costs.
• HELB loan – to cover part of the remaining education costs, including applicable tuition and upkeep support.
• Household contribution – the portion expected from the student’s family or household.

The exact combination and amount depends on the student’s circumstances and assessment.

Also Read:HELB Opens Loan Applications For KMTC Students

Photo of students at the HELB Office Headquarters in Nairobi
PHOTO/Nairobi Leo

What About KUCCPS?

There is another important player: Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).

KUCCPS is responsible for placing eligible students into universities and TVET institutions. It is not the organisation that gives students their HELB loans or Universities Fund scholarships.

Under the current system, placement and financing are separate processes.

For students seeking the Universities Fund government scholarship, however, placement in a public university through KUCCPS is an important eligibility requirement.

So the process can broadly be understood as:

KCSE → KUCCPS placement → HEF funding application → assessment → scholarship/loan award

Public and Private University Students

The type of institution a student attends also matters. Students placed in public universities through KUCCPS can be considered for government scholarships and loans under the Student-Centred Funding Model, subject to eligibility and assessment.

Students attending private universities and students pursuing parallel, Module Two or self-sponsored programmes in public universities are eligible for government loans but not the Universities Fund government scholarship under this model.

This distinction is important because students should not assume that admission to any university automatically qualifies them for the same government funding package.

Also Read:TUK Releases Fresh HELB Funding Update, Gives Students New Deadline

Is the Scholarship Automatic?

No.

Being placed in a public university does not by itself mean a student has received a Universities Fund scholarship.

Eligible students must apply for funding through the HEF portal. The Universities Fund has repeatedly reminded students to submit their applications, including students joining public universities in the 2026/2027 academic year.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, Universities Fund said students placed in public universities were required to apply through the HEF portal for consideration for government scholarships.

How is Funding Determined?

The Student-Centred Funding Model uses a Means Testing Instrument (MTI) to assess a student’s level of financial need.

The government then determines the level of scholarship and/or loan support based on the applicable assessment and programme costs.

This means two students may not necessarily receive exactly the same amount of government support.

One Important Distinction

Students should not confuse a scholarship with a loan. A Universities Fund scholarship is government financial support and is not a normal student loan that the beneficiary is expected to repay.

A HELB loan is borrowed money and is repayable under HELB’s applicable terms. The HEF portal simply brings the application process together.

The easiest way to remember:

• HEF is the door.
• Universities Fund provides the scholarship.
• HELB provides the loan.
• KUCCPS handles placement.

The official HEF portal also lists the key players in the Student-Centred Funding Model and identifies their respective roles.

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Photo of University students at the school premises
PHOTO/UoNbi