The Universities Fund on Nairobi, Kenya – 8 July 2026 urged all the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE) candidates placed to various public universities to pursue various degrees in the 2026/2027 Academic Year to apply for Government scholarships.
Universities Fund Ag. Chief Executive Officer Dr. Edwin Wanyonyi asked the 202, 133 students placed in public universities by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) to apply for the Government scholarships through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) Portal (www.hef.co.ke). The portal is also used to apply for loans under the Student-Centred Funding Model.
The portal was opened for the applications on July 8, 2026 and will remain open until September 6, 2026.
Dr. Wanyonyi said the scholarships are intended to ensure that every eligible Kenyan student has access to higher education regardless of their financial background.
“We congratulate all students who have secured placement in our universities. We encourage public university students to apply for the Universities Fund scholarships as early as possible to facilitate timely processing, award and disbursement of financial support ahead of the commencement of their studies,” said Dr. Wanyonyi.
Under the Student-Centred Funding Model, students placed in public universities are eligible for the Universities Fund scholarships, while those admitted to private universities only qualify for loans offered through the Higher Education Loans Board. The level of financial support is determined by a student’s household need and the cost of their degree programme.
Students are advised to ensure that all information provided during the application is accurate and complete to ensure a speedy processing of their applications.
“I encourage parents, guardians and sponsors to support the students throughout the application process and ensure they have all the necessary documents ready beforehand to enable them to complete their applications on time,” Dr Wanyonyi said.
The Universities Fund, he said, has launched a nationwide public awareness campaign dubbed #WahiScholarship to encourage students to apply for the Government scholarships through the HEF portal.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the application process, eligibility requirements, and key deadlines, ensuring that no deserving student misses out on financial support due to inadequate information.
Since the Student-Centred Funding Model’s introduction in 2023, more than 400,000 students have benefited from Government scholarships through the Universities Fund, with the first cohort expected to graduate next year. Scholarship funds are disbursed directly to public universities to cover students’ tuition.
For a complete first-time scholarship application, a student should have the following: a valid email address; a valid mobile phone number registered in the student’s name; KCPE and KCSE index numbers and years of examination; a recent passport-size photograph; a university admission letter; a birth certificate or national identity card; the parent’s or guardian’s registered mobile phone number and national identity card number; and, where applicable, a parent’s death certificate.
To qualify for the Universities Fund scholarships, students must be Kenyans who have been placed in a public university by KUCCPS, have sat KCSE in 2022 or later, and have applied formally through the HEF Portal (www.hef.co.ke).
Applications for continuing students are already ongoing. Students may apply through USSD *642# via the mobile number registered on the HEF Portal.
Applications for scholarships and loans are free of charge and are submitted once every academic year.
The Universities Fund (UF) was established under section 53 of the Universities Act, Cap 210, with the mandate to provide sustainable financing for universities in Kenya. Under the Student-Centred Funding Model, the Universities Fund is mandated to provide Government Scholarships to eligible students.
