Source: The Kenya Times, 2026
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Source: The Star, 2026
Source: Opportunities for Young Kenyans, 2025
The main routes we could verify are HELB loans, NG-CDF bursaries, county bursaries, and a government scholarship for eligible first-year students. This guide was checked on 26 October 2026. Where a date or provider could not be confirmed, we say so and point you to the official site.
Source: The Kenya Times, 2026
Where can I get money to fund my education?
Table 1 compares the four routes. Use it to decide which office or portal to check first.
| Route | Who it is for | How you apply | Status for 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HELB loan, first-time applicants | First-time applicants | Online through the HEF Student Portal at www.hef.co.ke, with no printed forms | K24 reported a close on 8 September 2026, which has passed. The official notice was not read. |
| NG-CDF bursary | Students who live in the constituency that issues the bursary | Through the constituency office, issued in cycles, normally twice a year | Timing not confirmed. Sources disagree. |
| County bursary | Learners from low-income households, orphans, and students from single-parent families | Collect the form from the nearest county office, or download it online where available | A High Court case is pending. Unconfirmed. |
| Government scholarship or HELB loan | Eligible first-year students, after receiving admission letters | Not described in the sources we read | Not confirmed for 2026/27 |
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Source: Opportunities for Young Kenyans, 2025
Source: Huduma Global, 2026
Source: Capital FM via AllAfrica, 2026
How do I qualify for a bursary?
County bursaries usually target learners from low-income households, orphans, and students from single-parent families. NG-CDF bursaries go to students who live in the constituency that issues them. Your bursary form must also be stamped by a chief, assistant chief or religious leader, which verifies your background.
Source: Opportunities for Young Kenyans, 2025
Missing documents are the most common reason applications are rejected. Check the full list for your route before you submit.
Source: Opportunities for Young Kenyans, 2025
Lying on an application can get you disqualified and blacklisted from future bursary programmes, so declare your details honestly. You can find your county's bursary office on our counties page.
Source: Huduma Global, 2026
Can I apply for a county bursary and an NG-CDF bursary at the same time?
Yes, provided you declare both truthfully. You may apply to both a county bursary and an NG-CDF bursary.
Source: Opportunities for Young Kenyans, 2025
Timing is harder to pin down. Huduma says most constituencies accept NG-CDF applications between January and March, though timelines vary. The Opportunities for Young Kenyans guide says NG-CDF forms usually come out from December to February. The two sources conflict, and we could not read the NG-CDF site for 2026/27 notices, so check www.ngcdf.go.ke and your constituency office directly.
Source: Huduma Global, 2026
Source: Opportunities for Young Kenyans, 2025
Does the court case stop county bursaries in 2026/27?
A High Court case asks whether old orders restricting bursaries also cover county bursaries for 2026/27. The court certified the case as urgent but did not issue immediate orders. The Controller of Budget says counties have already started sending bursary requests for 2026/27. The June 2025 orders restrained fresh bursaries and new beneficiaries beyond the 2025/26 financial year. We found no ruling, so whether the orders block county bursaries for 2026/27 is still unconfirmed as of 26 October 2026. Ask your county office before you plan around a county bursary.
Source: Capital FM via AllAfrica, 2026
How to apply for a HELB first-time loan
Follow these steps if you are a first-time applicant. The application is paperless, so you do not need to print any form.
- Visit www.hef.co.ke and open the Student Portal. Register and activate your account.
- Enter your National ID number. If you do not have one yet, enter your KCSE index number.
- Have your KCPE and KCSE index numbers ready, with the year each exam was taken.
- Have a passport-size photo in JPEG, JPG or PNG format.
- Have a copy of your National ID or Maisha Card, showing both sides.
- If a parent has died, have the death certificate ready in PDF format.
- Have valid bank account details or an M-Pesa number registered under your National ID, so the loan can be paid to you.
- Submit before the window closes. K24 reported 8 September 2026 for the 2026 first-time window. That date has passed, and we did not read the official HEF notice, so check the HEF portal for the next window.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Source: The Kenya Times, 2026
Source: People Daily, 2026
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
HELB says early applicants are more likely to get their funds sooner, because loans are processed in phases.
Source: The Star, 2026
Which HELB application is for you?
HELB runs different applications for different students. Table 2 shows which one fits your case.
| Your situation | Application | How you apply | What is confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-time applicant | First-time HELB loan | Online through the HEF Student Portal at www.hef.co.ke | K24 reported a close on 8 September 2026, which has passed. The official notice was not read. |
| Continuing degree or diploma student placed by KUCCPS | 2026/27 subsequent loan | USSD code *642# | The window is open. The Star gives no closing date. |
| KMTC certificate or diploma student | KMTC HELB loan | Higher Education Financing portal, selecting the KMTC loan | The window was scheduled for 21 August to 30 September 2026 |
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Source: The Star, 2026
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
The USSD route needs a Safaricom line registered in your name and a national ID. Register, create a four-digit PIN, then choose the subsequent application and request a loan. A successful application shows a confirmation pop-up, and HELB says you should keep it.
Source: The Star, 2026
Students who applied with a KCSE index number before getting an ID must update their details on the HEF portal. KMTC students had mostly relied on a revolving fund before the move to HELB loans.
Source: The Star, 2026
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
For more on loan rules, read our HELB loans guide.
Which NGOs sponsor education in Kenya?
HELB works with partner organisations through its Partner Funds to help needy students continue their studies. Start there if you want an organisation-backed option.
Source: HELB, 2026
No source we read ranks NGOs, so we cannot name the best or most successful one. Blogs mention the Mastercard Foundation, Equity Wings to Fly and the KCB Foundation, but we did not read their pages. Their eligibility and deadlines are unconfirmed, so check each provider's official site before you apply.
Are fully funded scholarships open in Kenya for 2026?
Checked on 26 October 2026, we could not confirm any open fully funded scholarship for Kenyans in 2026. We read no provider page and no confirmed list, so the eligibility and deadlines for fully funded and master's scholarships are unconfirmed. Diploma and TVET scholarships are also unconfirmed beyond HELB's TVET loans. A blog mentions a presidential scholarship and a Ministry of Education scholarship, but we could not confirm the details on the Ministry of Education site.
Key figures to cite
K24 reported that HELB's 2026 first-time application window would close on 8 September 2026. That date has passed and we did not read the official HEF notice, so check the HEF portal for the next window.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
The 2026/27 HELB loan window for KMTC certificate and diploma students was scheduled for 21 August to 30 September 2026.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
Continuing degree and diploma students apply for funding by dialling *642#.
Source: The Star, 2026
Students in four-year degree programmes are funded through all four academic years.
Source: The Kenya Times, 2026
Typical NG-CDF bursary amounts range from KES 5,000 to KES 50,000, depending on the level of study. This is a blog figure, not an official one.
Source: Huduma Global, 2026
Most constituencies accept NG-CDF applications between January and March, though timelines vary.
Source: Huduma Global, 2026
The June 2025 court orders restrained fresh bursaries and new beneficiaries beyond the 2025/26 financial year.
Source: Capital FM via AllAfrica, 2026
Missing documents are the most common reason bursary applications are rejected.
Source: Opportunities for Young Kenyans, 2025
Read next
- HELB loans and scholarships
- KUCCPS application and cluster points
- KMTC courses, fees and intakes
- How many schools are in Kenya?
Looking for a school? Search every school on the register or find schools near you. We explain how the register is built on the methodology page.
Questions people ask
Does Safaricom offer scholarships?
We did not read any source on Safaricom scholarships, so we cannot confirm that it offers any. Check the company's official channels before you rely on one.
What is the KUCCPS 2026/2027 higher education financing application portal?
The KUCCPS pages we read cover placement, not financing, so we could not confirm the steps for a financing application. KUCCPS does not place students in private colleges. For loan applications, the HEF Student Portal at www.hef.co.ke is the place to start, and our KUCCPS application guide covers placement.
Source: KUCCPS, 2026
Which is the best NGO for education in Kenya?
No source we read ranks NGOs, so we cannot name the best one or the most successful one. This is an opinion question that the evidence here cannot settle. Start with HELB and its Partner Funds, then check each provider's official site.
Source: HELB, 2026
Can I get a HELB loan if I got my National ID after applying with my KCSE index number?
The source says you must update your details on the HEF portal. It does not give the steps, so check www.hef.co.ke for the process.
Source: The Star, 2026
What documents do I need for a HELB first-time application?
You need your KCPE and KCSE index numbers, a passport-size photo, and a copy of your National ID or Maisha Card, showing both sides. You also need bank details or an M-Pesa number registered under your National ID. If a parent has died, add the death certificate in PDF format.
Source: People Daily, 2026
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Do I need to print my HELB form?
No. First-time applications are paperless, and you do not need to print any form. You register and activate your account on the HEF Student Portal.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Where do I check the official closing dates?
Check the official site before you act on any date. K24 reported 8 September 2026 for the 2026 first-time window, which has passed, and we did not read the official HEF or HELB notice. HELB's home page is helb.co.ke.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
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