Universities Fund

Government entity that disburses scholarships and manages university funding in Kenya, recently recertified ISO 9001:2015 and allocated Ksh.30.8 billion for 2026/2027 scholarships.

2026-06-262026-09-12

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

June 2026
28 JunThe Standard
… Already, 270,715 students have qualified for university placement under government sponsorship, up from 246,391 last year, an increase of 24,324 students.Universities Fund acting CEO Dr Edwin Wanyonyi has urged students to apply for both scholarships and loans to ease household c …
Acid test for Ruto funding model as Sh4.2bn hits strained universities
26 JunCapital News
NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 26 – The Universities Fund has released Sh4.2 billion in scholarships to public universities to support more than 400,000 continuing undergraduate students under the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM). …
Universities Fund Releases Sh4.2bn to Support Over 400,000 Continuing Students
26 JunCitizen Digital
… The latest disbursement by the Universities Fund brings the total allocation from the National Treasury for the 2025/2026 financial year to Ksh.18.4 billion. …
Gov't releases Ksh.4.2B in university scholarships for 400,000 students

Society

Ministry extends HELB, University Fund applications to September 21

The News

The Ministry of Education has extended the application period for the Universities Fund and Higher Education Loans Board to September 21, 2026, citing that some eligible students and trainees may have missed the August 31 deadline. The previous window received 789,422 applications, and the government has already disbursed Ksh.22.12 billion in first-semester funding to continuing university students and TVET trainees.

3 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Thursday 3 September

Ministry extends HELB, University Fund applications to September 21
The Ministry of Education has extended the application period for the Universities Fund and Higher Education Loans Board to September 21, 2026, citing that some eligible students and trainees may have missed the August 31 deadline. The previous window received 789,422 applications, and the government has already disbursed Ksh.22.12 billion in first-semester funding to continuing university students and TVET trainees.
3 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Government extends tertiary education funding deadline to September 21
The government extended the application window for university and TVET funding for first-time students to September 21, 2026, after receiving 789,422 applications by the initial August 31 deadline. The extension was made to allow eligible students who missed the deadline for various reasons to apply.
3 September 2026 · Capital News →
Government extends university funding deadline to September 21
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has extended the application deadline for first-time university and TVET funding to September 21, giving students and trainees who missed the August 31 cutoff three additional weeks to apply for state support.
3 September 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 25 August

Over 159,000 first-year students apply for Kenya scholarships
More than 159,551 first-year university students have completed applications for scholarships under Kenya's Student-Centred Funding Model by August 20, reflecting growing demand for government support as the country expands access to higher education.
25 August 2026 · The Standard →
Over 150,000 first-year students apply for Kenya scholarships
More than 150,000 first-year university students have applied for scholarships under Kenya's Student-Centred Funding Model, with 159,551 students having completed Higher Education Financing Portal applications by August 20, reflecting growing demand for government support as the country expands access to higher education.
25 August 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 22 August

42,000 university students miss funding application deadline
More than 42,000 students placed in public universities for degree programmes have not completed applications for Government funding through the Higher Education Financing portal, with only days remaining until the August 31 deadline to secure scholarships and loans.
22 August 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 21 August

Kenya government plans higher education funding reform amid admissions surge
The Education Cabinet Secretary confirmed that the government is reforming higher education funding to accommodate every eligible learner, as university admissions have increased by more than 300 per cent in less than a decade. The Universities Fund has disbursed scholarships worth Ksh.78 billion over the past three financial years as demand for higher education rises.
21 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Universities Fund gets ISO 9001:2015 quality management recertification
The Universities Fund has received ISO 9001:2015 recertification from the Kenya Bureau of Standards. The Fund's acting CEO said the certification affirms its commitment to transparency and accountability in managing university financing as student numbers grow.
21 August 2026 · Capital News →
159,551 students complete university funding applications
As of August 20, 2026, 159,551 university students have completed funding applications through the Higher Education Financing Portal, with 150,403 including a scholarship component. A further 5,732 applications remained incomplete ahead of the deadline.
21 August 2026 · Capital News →

Wednesday 12 August

Parliament to consider six education reform bills
The National Assembly will consider six Bills proposing reforms across Kenya's education sector, targeting basic education governance, national assessments, curriculum development, teacher training, tertiary education funding and qualification recognition. The Bills, sponsored by the Leader of the Majority Party, have been committed to the Education Committee for consideration and public participation.
12 August 2026 · Capital News →

Tuesday 11 August

Kenyan students face larger debts under new university funding model
The government is moving toward a new higher education funding system that could leave graduates with significantly larger debts. The previous HELB allocation of about Sh40,000 annually in 2017 fell short of students' actual costs for tuition, accommodation, food, transport, and research.
11 August 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 6 August

Government proposes Ksh.100 billion annual higher education funding plan
The Ministry of Education is defending a proposed Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill that would ring-fence Ksh.100 billion in annual government grants for higher education, combining existing allocations to help achieve 100 per cent transition to institutions of higher learning. The ministry projects student numbers in higher education will double from 1.2 million to 2.4 million by 2030/2031, requiring total funding of Ksh.230 billion to be drawn from government grants, capital market borrowing, parent savings, student loan repayments and soft loans.
6 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Parliament examines education reform bills from presidential working party
The National Assembly's Committee on Education has begun scrutinizing four proposed Bills aimed at implementing recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform. The key legislation includes the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, which would merge tertiary education financing bodies and introduce a means-testing system for student support based on household income and financial need.
6 August 2026 · Capital News →

Tuesday 28 July

Students face KUCCPS, HELB system glitches amid funding model review
President William Ruto announced that changes to the university funding model are underway to fully fund all students who qualify for higher education. Meanwhile, students applying for funding through the existing system continue to face technical difficulties accessing KUCCPS and HELB portals, with some unable to revise their course choices.
28 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Saturday 25 July

Ruto's university funding model faces same crisis as predecessor
President Ruto's Student-Centred Funding Model, introduced in September 2023 to address underfunding at public universities, is now facing chronic funding deficits as billions of shillings for scholarships, loans, and capitation remain unfunded. The government is preparing another overhaul of university financing after successive funding formulas have all been underfunded.
25 July 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 21 July

Ruto proposes universal government funding for all public university students
President William Ruto has announced a new plan to provide full government funding to every student admitted to a public university or college regardless of financial background. The proposal, presented as amendments before Parliament, marks the fourth shift in university financing under his administration in less than four years, following the Differentiated Unit Cost model and variations of the Student-Centred Funding Model.
21 July 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 16 July

MPs seek urgent action on higher education funding gaps
Kenya's National Assembly Education Committee has called for coordinated action between Parliament, the National Treasury, and the Ministry of Education to address persistent funding challenges in the higher education sector, citing a mismatch between the Higher Education Funding Model framework and actual budget allocations.
16 July 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 15 July

Education funding delays due to inadequate budget allocations
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba told Parliament that persistent delays in funding to schools, TVET institutions and universities stem from inadequate budget allocations and delayed releases by the National Treasury, rather than the Ministry withholding funds. He said the ministry submits funding requests on time and disburses funds immediately after receiving them, but the gap between the education sector's financial requirements and allocated resources is the core challenge.
15 July 2026 · Capital News →

Monday 13 July

Universities Fund urges 2026 KUCCPS students to apply for scholarships
The Universities Fund has urged 202,133 students placed in public universities for 2026/2027 to apply for government scholarships through the Higher Education Financing portal before the September 6 deadline. The Government has allocated KSh30.8 billion to the Universities Fund for scholarships in 2026/2027, up from KSh18.4 billion in the previous financial year.
13 July 2026 · Capital News →
Government allocates Ksh.30.8B for university scholarships
The government has urged 2025 KCSE candidates placed in public universities to apply for scholarships under the Student-Centred Funding Model, with Ksh.30.8 billion allocated to support 202,133 students for the 2026/2027 academic year. Applications are open through the Higher Education Financing Portal until September 6.
13 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Sunday 28 June

Ruto's university funding model faces strain as 400,000 students share Sh4.2bn
Public universities are disbursing Sh4.2 billion to over 400,000 continuing undergraduates under the Student-Centred Funding Model, with total 2025/26 releases reaching Sh18.4 billion. The model is beginning to face strain from funding shortfalls as the number of government-sponsored students grows, with 270,715 newly qualified for placement this year.
28 June 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 26 June

Universities Fund releases Sh4.2bn for over 400,000 students
The Universities Fund has released Sh4.2 billion in scholarships to public universities to support over 400,000 continuing undergraduate students under the Student-Centred Funding Model, raising the 2025/2026 financial year allocation from the National Treasury to Sh18.4 billion. The funds are meant to cover tuition fees for students who enrolled in universities in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
26 June 2026 · Capital News →
Government releases 4.2 billion shillings for university scholarships
The government has released Ksh.4.2 billion in scholarships to public universities to support more than 400,000 continuing undergraduate students under the Student-Centred Funding Model, bringing the total 2025/2026 allocation to Ksh.18.4 billion.
26 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →