The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has issued a step-by-step guide for undergraduate and TVET students to apply for loans using their mobile phones.
In a notice on Monday, July 28, HELB said the students are required to download the HELB application from the Google Play Store or Apple Store, then register using a Safaricom number to generate the activation code.
The students will then create a 4-digit PIN that they will use to log in to the application.
The students are then required to confirm their personal and institutional details before proceeding to the “Apply Subsequent Products” section.
They are then directed to the “Get Started” tab after swiping through the information provided.
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The applicants should then click on the loan application option and read and understand the Loan terms and conditions, and agree to proceed.
The HELB app will then display financial literacy questions, which the students are required to answer before proceeding.
The students will then select their preferred loan payment option and verify to proceed.
After this step, one is required to click request loan, review the loan details, and then hit submit.
Upon completion, students will receive their loan serial number via both the HELB app and an SMS notification, confirming a successful application.
The guide comes after HELB officially opened its portal for the 2025–2026 academic year loans and scholarships.
In a notice on Wednesday, July 2, HELB invited first-time and continuing students to apply for undergraduate and TVET loans and scholarships.
First-time applicants are required to apply via the www.hef.co.ke website, while continuing students can dial *642# or use the HELB app.
The deadline for the loan applications is August 31, 2025.
