The government has called on students who sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination and secured placement in public universities for the 2026/2027 academic year to apply for scholarships under the Student-Centred Funding Model. The Universities Fund (UF) announced that applications are now open through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) Portal and will close on September 6. The scholarships target the 202,133 students placed in public universities by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Government Allocates Ksh.30.8 Billion for University Scholarships
To support higher education, the government has allocated Ksh.30.8 billion for university scholarships in the 2026/2027 financial year. The funding marks an increase of Ksh.12.4 billion from the Ksh.18.4 billion allocated in the previous financial year. Acting Universities Fund Chief Executive Officer Dr. Edwin Wanyonyi urged students to submit their applications as early as possible to allow adequate time for verification, approval, and disbursement of funds before universities reopen. He also encouraged parents, guardians, and sponsors to assist students in gathering all the required documents to avoid delays during the application process.
How the Student-Centred Funding Model Works
Under the Student-Centred Funding Model, students admitted to public universities are eligible to receive both:
- Universities Fund scholarships
- Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans
Students enrolled in private universities, however, are only eligible for HELB loans. The amount of financial assistance awarded depends on a student’s household financial situation as well as the cost of the academic programme they have been admitted to.
Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for the Universities Fund scholarship, applicants must:
- Be Kenyan citizens.
- Have been placed in a public university through KUCCPS.
- Have sat the KCSE examination in 2022 or later.
- Apply through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) Portal before the deadline.
The Universities Fund reminded applicants to provide complete and accurate information to ensure their applications are processed without unnecessary delays.
Wahi Scholarship Awareness Campaign
The Universities Fund has also launched the #WahiScholarship campaign to educate students on the scholarship application process, eligibility requirements, and important deadlines. The initiative aims to ensure that all eligible students access government financial support and that none miss out due to lack of information.
Continuing Students Can Still Apply
In addition to first-year students, continuing university students can also submit their applications through the HEF Portal or by dialing *642# using the mobile number registered on their HEF account. The Universities Fund noted that applications for both scholarships and HELB loans are completely free of charge and only need to be submitted once per academic year.
Since the Student-Centred Funding Model was introduced in 2023, more than 400,000 students have benefited from government scholarships. The first group of beneficiaries is expected to graduate next year, with scholarship funds being paid directly to universities to cover tuition fees.
