Thousands of first year university and TVET students who missed out on government funding have been handed a lifeline.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has ordered HELB and the Universities Fund to reopen the funding portal until September 21, 2026, giving freshers who failed to beat the initial cut off another chance.
The first window closed on August 31, with 789,422 applications already lodged, according to the Ministry. But the government admitted many eligible students were still locked out.
In a statement on Thursday, Ogamba directed the two agencies to extend the period, urging all first time students to apply immediately.
“All eligible first time applicants in universities and TVETs are invited to promptly apply for funding within this extended window,” he said.
The CS also moved to calm anxiety among parents and students reporting to campuses without knowing how they will pay fees. He clarified that all new applications will be processed under the current Student Centered Funding Model.
The proposed shift to the Universal Access and Funding Framework, which seeks to fund all learners through loans and create a new authority called TEFA, will only take effect once Parliament passes the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2026.
Ogamba added that Sh22.12 billion has already been released for continuing students for the first semester.
