- Students awaiting HELB upkeep funds have started receiving payments as disbursements proceed in batches.
- Hillary Muhalya explains how beneficiaries can establish whether their allocations have reached the payment stage.
- HELB has confirmed that Batch 7013 has already been paid to students’ wallets.
Thousands of Kenyan students waiting for their government-funded upkeep have received a major update after the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) confirmed that disbursements are now being processed and released to beneficiaries in batches.
The announcement has triggered renewed attention among students who have been anxiously checking their phones and HEF accounts for confirmation of their payments.
While some beneficiaries have already had their upkeep processed, HELB has made it clear that students are at different stages of the allocation and disbursement process.
The Board has specifically confirmed that Batch 7013 has been paid to students’ wallets, with its wallet teams finalising the process before beneficiaries receive official SMS notifications.
For students, the message is simple: check your portal, watch your phone and don’t panic if your friend has received the money before you.
HELB has confirmed that students under Batch 7013 have had their funds paid to their wallets.
However, beneficiaries may not immediately be able to withdraw the money.
HELB said its wallet teams were finalising the process and would communicate with students through SMS once the funds were ready for access.
Students should therefore wait for the official notification instead of assuming that a processed batch automatically means the money is available for withdrawal.
Students can establish the status of their funding through the HEF Student Portal.
They should log in using their application details and check whether funding has been allocated, confirm their batch number and allocation, and check the disbursement section to establish whether payment has been released.
The status displayed on the portal can help students distinguish between an application that has been allocated funding and one whose payment has actually been disbursed.
Students whose status reads “paid to bank account” should check their bank accounts for the payment.
This is different from students whose upkeep has been directed to a mobile wallet.
The distinction matters because students should use the payment channel indicated on their account rather than assuming every upkeep payment will arrive through M-PESA.
How students can access upkeep
Students who selected mobile payment should keep their registered phone numbers active and regularly check incoming messages.
They should also remain vigilant against fraudulent messages and avoid sharing sensitive account information with people claiming to facilitate HELB payments.
Once the official confirmation has been received, students using the mobile-wallet option can access their upkeep through the available M-PESA services.
They can also dial *642#.
The HELB USSD service provides access to several services without requiring a smartphone or internet connection.
Students can use the platform to check their loan status, access loan statements, apply for subsequent loans, access upkeep funds, withdraw available funds and repay their HELB loans.
Students who have not received their upkeep should not immediately assume that their applications have failed.
HELB has indicated that beneficiaries are at different stages of the process.
The fact that another student has received an SMS does not necessarily mean that everyone in the same institution should have received their funds at the same time.
Students should continue checking their HEF accounts and registered phone numbers for updates.
Allocation and disbursement are different
Students should understand that allocation and disbursement are not the same thing.
An allocation means funding has been awarded to a student, while disbursement refers to the release of the money through the designated payment channel.
This explains why a student may see funding information on the portal but still be unable to access the money.
Students should therefore check their HEF portal, confirm their batch and funding status and establish whether payment is marked as going to their bank account or wallet.
They should also keep the phone number linked to their account active and watch for official SMS communication.
Students should not share their PIN, password or other sensitive details with anyone claiming to release their funds.
As the disbursement process continues, students are likely to remain keenly focused on their phones and HEF accounts.
For those in Batch 7013, the confirmation that their funds have been paid to wallets is a major step forward.
For everyone else, patience and regular checking remain important as HELB continues processing beneficiaries through the different stages of the payment process.
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The money may be on the way, but students should wait for official communication before attempting to access it.
By Hillary Muhalya
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