The Universities Fund is preparing to open the application portal for undergraduate university students to apply for funding during the 2025/2026 academic year. 

The number of applications is expected to rise following the increase in the number of students who qualified for placement to public universities after sitting the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.

Data from the KCSE results released on January 9, 2025 some 270,715 candidates secured slots in public universities after attaining the university entry grades of C+ and above. 

The figure is an increase from the 246,391 (25.53 per cent) registered in 2024.

The report indicated that 1,932 candidates (0.19 per cent) achieved an overall mean grade of A (plain), which is an increase from 1,693 (0.18 per cent) recorded in 2024. 

The examination took place between October 21 and November 14, with 993,000 candidates participating. 

Before applying for scholarship, the learners will first select their preferred academic programmes through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal.

Thereafter, the Universities Fund will open the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal for the students to apply for funding.

According to the Student-Centred Funding Model, scholarship awards range between 30 to 70 percent. 

Additionally, the model prioritises vulnerable students, ensuring they get access to quality and affordable education.

In the 2024/2025 financial year, the Universities Fund released Sh16.9 billion to public universities to cover tuition expenses for 257,523 students.