- Thousands of students joining public universities have received a major financial boost after the Universities Fund confirmed 43 public universities and university colleges eligible for government scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year.
- The government has allocated KSh30.1 billion for scholarships during the current financial year. Eligible first-year students placed by KUCCPS have until September 6 to submit their applications through the Higher Education Financing portal.
Thousands of students heading to public universities have received a major financial boost after the Universities Fund confirmed 43 public universities and university colleges eligible for government scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The development comes as the government sets aside KSh30.1 billion for higher education scholarships, giving students placed in eligible institutions an opportunity to secure financial assistance towards their tuition fees.
Students admitted to public universities through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) have been urged to apply for funding through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal before the application window closes.
The current application window opened on July 8, 2026, and will close on September 6, 2026.
Students who fail to apply before the deadline risk missing out on the funding available for the academic year.
Under the government’s student-centred higher education financing framework, students will not necessarily receive the same level of scholarship support.
Instead, the amount awarded will be determined according to the applicant’s assessed financial need.
Government scholarships will cover between 30 per cent and 70 per cent of tuition fees, with the student’s family circumstances determining the funding band.
The Means Testing Instrument (MTI) will be used to assess applicants and place them in the appropriate funding category.
This means students from the most financially vulnerable households are expected to receive a higher level of government scholarship support than students from comparatively better-off families.
The model is intended to shift higher education financing towards a system where government assistance is closely tied to a student’s demonstrated financial need.
Who is eligible?
Students seeking government scholarship support must meet specific requirements.
For the current first-year application exercise, applicants must be Kenyan students who sat the 2025 KCSE examination and were placed in public universities by KUCCPS.
They are required to apply for funding through the HEF portal.
Students can also access scholarship services using the USSD code *642#.
The requirement for KUCCPS placement means that students admitted to eligible public universities outside the specified placement framework should carefully confirm their funding eligibility before assuming that they qualify for the government scholarship.
The 43 universities on the government funding list
The Universities Fund has listed 43 public universities and university colleges whose KUCCPS-placed students are eligible for government scholarships.
They are:
University of Nairobi
Kenyatta University
Egerton University
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
Moi University
Maseno University
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
Technical University of Kenya
Technical University of Mombasa
Pwani University
Kibabii University
Kisii University
Karatina University
Laikipia University
University of Eldoret
South Eastern Kenya University
Machakos University
Meru University of Science and Technology
Kirinyaga University
Chuka University
University of Embu
Maasai Mara University
Rongo University
Kaimosi Friends University
Garissa University
Co-operative University of Kenya
Multimedia University of Kenya
Murang’a University of Technology
University of Kabianga
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology
Taita Taveta University
Alupe University
Tharaka University
Tom Mboya University
Open University of Kenya
Bomet University College
Koitaleel Samoei University College
Turkana University College
Mama Ngina University College
Kabarnet University College
Nyandarua University College
Kisumu National Polytechnic.
The inclusion of university colleges and other degree-awarding institutions expands the number of students who can access government-backed financial assistance.
Students joining private universities should take note of an important distinction.
Students placed in private universities are eligible for HELB loans but not government scholarships under the student-centred funding arrangement.
The situation is different for students in public TVET institutions, who can access government-backed financing available for technical and vocational education.
Government increases scholarship funding
The government has continued to increase the amount committed to university scholarships under the Student-Centred Funding Model.
The Universities Fund says approximately KSh47.9 billion was disbursed in scholarships to public university students over the previous three financial years.
A further KSh30.1 billion has been allocated for scholarships in the 2026/2027 financial year, bringing the government’s cumulative scholarship commitment under the model to about KSh78 billion.
The financing model has been introduced against the backdrop of growing concerns over the affordability of higher education and the ability of families to meet tuition and other university-related costs.
With the application deadline set for September 6, 2026, students who have secured KUCCPS placement should not wait until the final days to submit their applications.
Applicants should ensure that the information provided during the HEF application process is accurate and complete because the information will be used in determining their level of financial support.
Students should also verify their institution’s eligibility before completing the application.
The government scholarship and HELB loan system is increasingly becoming an important component of the country’s higher education financing framework, with funding determined according to individual financial circumstances rather than a uniform allocation to every student.
For thousands of students joining university in the 2026/2027 academic year, the message is therefore clear: KUCCPS placement is only one step; applying for higher education funding is another.
With the September 6 deadline approaching, eligible students have a limited window to submit their applications and secure the financial assistance available to them.
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Students joining the listed institutions should confirm their eligibility and apply through the HEF portal before the deadline.
By Hillary Muhalya
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