- TVET trainees have until September 21 to complete applications for government funding for 2026/2027.
- HELB has retained the deadline for first-time and continuing undergraduate and TVET applicants.
- Applicants facing difficulties can seek assistance through HELB service centres and approved Huduma channels.
TVET trainees seeking government financial support for the 2026/2027 academic year have until Monday, September 21, 2026, to complete their HELB funding applications.
The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has maintained September 21 as the deadline for first-time applicants seeking undergraduate and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) loans, scholarships and bursaries for the 2026/2027 financial year.
The deadline also applies to continuing students seeking subsequent undergraduate or TVET loans. HELB’s official website is currently carrying the September 21 deadline for both categories.
The extension followed a decision by the Ministry of Education to give eligible first-time students and trainees who had not completed their applications during the earlier window additional time to seek government funding. The initial application period had closed on August 31, 2026.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba subsequently directed HELB and the Universities Fund to extend the application window to September 21. The Ministry said the extension was intended to accommodate eligible applicants who had been unable to submit their applications during the initial period.
Applicants urged to complete the process
For students who have already started their applications, the immediate priority is to ensure that the application has actually been submitted rather than left incomplete.
HELB’s student portal allows registered students to access information covering loan applications, allocations and disbursement status.
First-time applicants are required to use the Higher Education Financing (HEF) system to apply for the available government funding. HELB has also urged applicants to apply early and follow the prescribed application requirements carefully.
The development comes as universities and TVET institutions prepare for the 2026/2027 academic year, increasing the importance of students confirming their funding status before the application window closes.
Government figures indicate that 789,422 funding applications had been received from university students and TVET trainees by the end of the initial application period. The government had also disbursed KSh22.12 billion towards first-semester and first-term funding for continuing students.
Where TVET students can get help in Nairobi
Students experiencing difficulties with their applications can seek assistance from HELB’s physical service points.
The board’s Student Service Centre is located at Mezzanine One (M1), Anniversary Towers, Nairobi, where loan disbursement enquiries are handled. The Customer Experience Centre is on the ground floor of Anniversary Towers, dealing with loan repayment, compliance and clearance, as well as Jielimishe loan enquiries. Both centres operate from 8am to 5pm.
HELB also provides services through the Nairobi-GPO Huduma Centre. Selected HELB services are additionally available through cybercafés at City Square, Makadara, Kibera and Eastleigh Huduma Centres.
Students can also contact the HELB Contact Centre on 0711 052 000 or use the official HELB communication channels.
With the September 21 deadline now at hand, students who have not yet completed their applications should not assume that merely creating an account or beginning an application amounts to a completed funding request.
Applicants should log into the official system, complete the required application process and retain confirmation of submission.
The funding window is being administered under the existing Student-Centred Funding Model as the government continues with broader reforms to the higher education financing system.
READ ALSO: Parliament extends public participation on six education reform bills to October 2
For TVET trainees depending on government assistance to pursue technical and vocational training, September 21 therefore marks an important final date for securing consideration for the 2026/2027 funding cycle.
By Hillary Muhalya
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