Varsity students can use birth certificates for loans, scholarship application

When university students camped outside the National Treasury during a peaceful demonstration to push for immediate release of HELB funds on February, 32023. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

University students applying for loans and scholarships but do not nave national identity cards can now use their birth certificates.

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Chief Executive Charles Ringera said that birth certificates are being used in situations where there is a delay in issuance of national identity cards (ID).

Ringera said that the new generation IDs are also been used during loan application and assured that the process has been running smoothly since the funding portal was opened.

“There has not been major issues so far because we are resolving them as they ask. People were not sure whether the new identification card would be taken in. There is also the issue of delay in issuance of ID cards but because we brought in the issue of birth certificate, we are okay,” he explained.

The Helb boss spoke even as some students raised concern over difficulty in using KCSE index numbers during loan application.

Only candidates who sat KCSE examination from 2022 are eligible for scholarships under the new higher education funding (HEF) model.  

To apply for a loan, students must have a valid email address, telephone registered in their name as well as KCPE and KCSE index number and year of examination. 

They also require a copy of national ID for loan application but students without the document can use college or university admission letter, birth certificate as well as parent/guardians’ ID number and registered telephone number.

A copy of a sponsorship letter if the student was sponsored in secondary school is also required.

The application process of HEF for new entrants in September started on June 17 and will run until end of July.

Ringera said the process is on course, with all students placed by Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) urged to apply.

He said that disbursement for first years will be done in September as the new academic year commences.

“The national opening day of first years is the second week of September. We have not opened applications for subsequent students, but we will open, now they are away at home,” said Ringera.

At least 201,146 or 22.5 per cent of students who sat the 2023 KCSE attained a mean grade of C+. These students met the minimum requirement for placement to degree programmes. 

Another 694,086 or 77.5 per cent attained mean grades of between C and E and were eligible for placement to Diploma, Craft and Artisan programmes in TVET institutions.

According to KUCCPS, 85 per cent of C+ and above made applications where 76.2 per cent opted for degree courses and the rest, about 11,991 opted for diploma.

The applicants are required to open bank accounts for upkeep payments where applicable and the bank account should be registered and fully operated by the student.

The funding model, which replaced Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) previously used to finance universities de-linked placement from funding and now focuses on students’ financial need.

Starting with the last year’s class, the Government indicated that universities and TVETs would no longer receive block funding in the form of capitation but will be done through scholarships, loans and household contributions.  

The Universities Fund is to provide scholarships to students ranging from 30 per cent to 70 per cent depending on level of need while the deficit will be met through household contributions and loans.

Similarly, Helb will provide additional financial support in the form of loans, covering 25 per cent and 30 per cent of the fees.

To receive the scholarships and loans, the students will be required to formally apply on the HEF portal and the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) tool will be used to determine the level of need for funding students.  

The HEF model is jointly implemented by Universities Fund, Helb, KUCCPS and State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

Universities Fund awards scholarships to students while Helb provides loans and KUCCPS places KCSE graduates to higher learning institutions.

According to the new model, funding is categorized according to level of need of students where the vulnerable and extremely needy will receive at least 95 per cent of the Government support.

For band one funding, students are expected to get 70 per cent of scholarship, 25 per cent of loans and 5 per cent from the household.

And those in band two are to get 60 per cent of scholarships, 30 per cent from loans and 10 per cent from the household.

Students in band three will get 50 per cent of scholarships, 30 per cent of loans and 20 per cent from households.

And four will see students get 40 per cent of scholarships, 30 per cent of loans and 30 per cent from households.

The fifth band will see applicants get 30 per cent of scholarships, 30 per cent of loans and 40 per cent from households.

Those seeking to pursue studies in private universities and as module two or self-sponsored students in public universities are eligible for loans only.