How-to: Apply for HELB Loan

How HELB loan work

The Higher Education Loans Board offers loans for both postgraduate and undergraduate studies. This HELB loan must be paid immediately after completing your studies or at any time when the Board may decide to recall its loans. It also offers scholarships and bursaries.

Postgraduate loans and Continuing Education loans (under-graduate salaried) are serviced immediately they are disbursed.

Undergraduate loans are intended to help needy students whose parents have little or no income. Students whose parents have a reliable family income need not apply.

HELB Loan products

• Loan for undergraduate, direct entry students is available at 4% p.a.
• Loan for postgraduate [masters and PhD] and continuing education students is available at 12% p.a.
• Scholarships for postgraduate students – awarded on academic merit
• Bursaries for needy undergraduate students

Conditions for award/eligibility for undergraduate loans

• Kenyan nationals
• Students in Public Universities admitted by JAB [Joint Admissions Board]
• Students enrolled in self-sponsored programs in Public Universities
• Students in Chartered Private Universities with a C+ and above in KCSE
  Continuing Education Students

Conditions for award/eligibility for Postgraduate loans/Continuing Education Students (under-graduate salaried).

Open to all Kenyans who are able to service the loan immediately upon disbursement.
The Board charges an application fee for all its loan and scholarship forms. Postgraduate and Continuing Education Students are  charged upfront while for the undergraduates it is loaded on the loan and paid when the loan matures.
For more details on Loan application please visit HELB website www.helb.co.ke. After the loan is awarded the students must ensure that any changes or discrepancies in personal details are communicated as soon as possible. This will help in eliminating errors during disbursing or posting in the
loan book.

What interest will I pay on the loan?

Although student loans are contracts which can be enforced by the civil courts, they are not profit making loans. The Government subsidises the actual cost of interest on the loans, so you do not have to pay the same rate of interest that you would be charged if you were to take out a commercial loan (for example, from a bank).

1. Interest shall be charged from when you receive your first payment until it has been repaid in full.
2. An annual administrative (ledger) fee shall be charged until the loan has been repaid in full. Ledger fee is charged in the month of July.

The interest will be ‘compounded’ (that is, added to the total amount you owe) every month.

Your responsibilities

A loanee shall be required, subject to and in accordance with HELB Act 1995 or any regulations made there under, within one year of completion of his studies or within such period as the Board decides to recall its loan whichever is the earlier:
(a) to inform the Board of his/her contact address;
(b) to begin repayment of his/her loan together with any interest accrued thereon;
(c) If he is in formal employment, to authorize his employer to deduct the loan repayment and to remit it to the Board in such a manner as the Board may direct.
When you take out a loan, HELB will ask you to sign a declaration which will be a contract. This states that you have read and understood the Terms and  Conditions. You must agree to repay your loan in line with the regulations that apply at the time the repayments are due and as they are  amended. The regulations may be replaced by later regulations. You must make sure that you provide complete and correct information when you take out the loan. You
must tell HELB about any changes to these details:
• during the application process;
• while you are at university or college;
and
• Until you have repaid your loan in full.
Your loan agreement is a contract.

Information needed

When you take out a loan, you will have to give specific information so that repayments can be collected when they are due.
You must provide your National Identification (ID) and Personal Identification number (PIN). HELB cannot process your application without this.

Changes in your circumstances

As part of the contract you sign, you must tell HELB about changes in your circumstances.
For example, you must let HELB know about:
• change of your postal address;
• change of the academic year in which you will begin your course;
• if you do not begin to study, leave your course or are expelled;
• Going abroad;
• Change of employer;

Procedure of Applying for a HELB Loan

– Create a HELB Portal Login Account

Ensure your *email address is accessible and you are able to login to your mail box. (All HELB communications are sent to your personal email address)
Ensure your *ID Number is correct before sign up.

1. Visit HELB website www.helb.co.ke
2. Click on “Appl y for a Loan”
3. Click “Register” to register your credentials (First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, *ID Number, *Valid Email Address, Password) and Click “Sign Up”
4. An * Activation Link is immediately sent to your personal email address.
5. Login to your personal email address to access the HELB Portal * activation link and click on it.
6. Login to the HELB Portal from the activation link
7. Update Personal and Residence Details and Click “Save”
8. Choose Appropriate Loan Product to Apply

LOAN PRODUCTS: NON SALARIED APPLICANTS

1. Undergraduate First Time Applicants
2. Undergrad Second and Subsequent
3. Undergrad Loan Review/Appeals
4. Constituency Loan Application
5. TVET for Tertiary Institutions
6. TVET for Tertiary Institutions Second and Subsequent
7. Afya Elimu Fund (AEF) Subsequent Loan Application
8. First Time and Subsequent Afya Elimu Fund Pre-Service
9. Visa Oshwal Scholarship

LOAN PRODUCTS: SALARIED APPLICANTS

1. Alternative Loans for Undergrad, Salaried Applicants
2. Alternative Loans for Postgrad, Salaried Applicants
3.  Postgraduate Scholarship
4. Training Revolving Fund (TRF) for Civil Servants
5. KRA Staff Loan Application Form

Once you complete the process of registration (creating the account), all available loan products shall be displayed

Please choose the specific loan product you wish to apply for

If you do not rightly indicate your county and constituency of origin, then you will not be able to view the  specific loan for your county or constituency in the list of loan products that you can choose from to apply

If you do not rightly indicate your employment status (employed/unemployed) you will not be able to view  loan products specific for either group.

To correct your details of county/constituency/employment status, kindly click to apply on the undergraduate application, go to personal details, correct your county/constituency/employment status and save

Go back to apply for loan and the application form for your county or constituency will be displayed, click apply and proceed.

READ ALSO >> How-to: Repay your HELB Loan