To apply for a HELB loan online as a first-time undergraduate or TVET student for 2026/2027, use the Higher Education Financing portal at www.hef.co.ke (sign-in at portal.hef.co.ke).
The application is paperless and free. HELB lists the first-time Undergraduate/TVET loan, scholarship and bursary deadline as 30 September 2026. Confirm the date on helb.co.ke before you submit.
Already have a HELB account and need status after applying? See HELB Student Portal Login: How to Check Loan Status.
Official portals
HEF / HELB funding home — start here for first-time applications
HEF student portal login — register or sign in
HELB website — deadlines, products and contacts
Do not pay anyone who claims they can “fast-track” your HELB application for a fee.
What you need
Gather these before you start (as listed in HELB first-time application guidance):
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How to Apply for a HELB Loan Online
Aug 28, 2026
Sep 4, 2026
5 min read
Published
Updated:
To apply for a HELB loan online as a first-time undergraduate or TVET student for 2026/2027, use the Higher Education Financing portal at www.hef.co.ke (sign-in at portal.hef.co.ke).
The application is paperless and free. HELB lists the first-time Undergraduate/TVET loan, scholarship and bursary deadline as 30 September 2026. Confirm the date on helb.co.ke before you submit.
Already have a HELB account and need status after applying? See HELB Student Portal Login: How to Check Loan Status.
Official portals
HEF / HELB funding home — start here for first-time applications
HEF student portal login — register or sign in
HELB website — deadlines, products and contacts
Do not pay anyone who claims they can “fast-track” your HELB application for a fee.
What you need
Gather these before you start (as listed in HELB first-time application guidance):
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A valid email address and phone number registered in your name
KCPE and KCSE index numbers
A clear passport-size photo
National ID or Maisha Card (PDF of both sides)
Official admission letter from your university or TVET institution
Bank account or M-Pesa details in your name
Parents’ or guardians’ national IDs and phone numbers
Death certificate if a parent is deceased
Birth certificate if you are a minor
Two guarantors with valid contacts
Secondary school sponsorship letter, if applicable
HELB states that an official admission letter is required before you apply for funding.
How to apply online (first-time)
Open https://www.hef.co.ke/ and go to the student portal (portal.hef.co.ke).
Click Register and create an account with a valid email and password.
Activate the account from the email HELB sends (check Inbox and Spam).
Log in, then verify your phone number with the SMS code.
Complete biodata, student details and consent forms carefully.
Submit your loan and/or scholarship or bursary request for 2026/2027.
Accept the loan terms after reading them.
Add guarantors and your preferred payment details (bank or M-Pesa in your name).
Submit the application and save the SMS or on-screen serial number.
HELB also publishes a downloadable first-time application guide on the HEF site. Use that guide if a screen label differs from this checklist.
Current deadlines (confirm on HELB)
From HELB’s Upcoming Deadlines on helb.co.ke (as shown for FY 2026/2027):
Undergraduate/TVET loan, scholarship and bursary (first-time application): 30 September 2026
Jielimishe Loan (salaried students): 7 September 2026
Partial postgraduate scholarships: 7 September 2026
KMTC diploma/certificate first-time loan application: 30 June 2027
Subsequent Undergraduate/TVET loan applications for FY 2026/2027 are listed separately on the HELB home page. Always re-check helb.co.ke in case HELB updates a window.
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Subsequent (continuing) loans
If you already received HELB funding in a previous academic year, renew through one of these official channels:
Dial *642# on a phone registered in your name
HELB Mobile App (Google Play)
M-Pesa HELB Mini App
HELB notes that a mobile number not registered in the student’s name cannot complete these subsequent flows.
Interest and fees (undergraduate loan product)
On HELB’s undergraduate loans page, the loan attracts interest of 4% a year plus a KSh 1,000 ledger fee per year. Other products (for example Jielimishe) use different rates — read the product page that matches your application.
After you apply
Keep your serial number and login details safe.
Watch email and SMS for award or disbursement notices.
Check status later on the portal — see HELB Student Portal Login.
Common problems
Cannot register: use an email you can open, and wait for the activation link.
SMS code not arriving: confirm the phone is in your name; request a resend.
Missing admission letter: obtain the official letter from your institution or KUCCPS placement process before applying.
Wrong placement details: confirm your KUCCPS placement first.
Portal slow: try again later on a stable connection; do not create duplicate accounts.
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Contacts and scam warning
HELB contact centre: 0711 052 000 / 0711052000.
Email: contactcentre@helb.co.ke (also shown as ContactCentre@helb.co.ke on HELB materials).
Anniversary Towers, 19th Floor, P.O. Box 69489-00400, Nairobi.
There is no official HELB application fee for this online process. Ignore agents who ask for payment to “approve” or “release” funding. Use only helb.co.ke and hef.co.ke.
Related guides
Sources
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