Editor's Review

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has extended the deadline for subsequent loan applications to September 21, 2026. 

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has extended the deadline for continuing students to apply for subsequent loans.

In a statement on Monday, September 7, HELB said the new deadline is Monday, September 21, 2026. 

The board said the extension is aimed at giving students who may have experienced challenges, including network-related issues, another opportunity to submit their applications.

“Attention all continuing students. The HELB Subsequent Loan Application deadline has been extended to 21st September 2026.

“Whether you got caught up with network issues or just needed a little push, this is your moment. Don't let this extra window pass you by,” HELB stated.  

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File image of HELB CEO Geoffrey Monari. 

The board opened the subsequent loan applications for eligible continuing university and college students on July 8. 

In a statement, HELB urged qualifying beneficiaries to submit their requests through the HELB portal before the application window closes.

"Ready to continue your educational journey? The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) is pleased to announce that applications for the Undergraduate Subsequent Loan are now open," the notice read.

To apply for the loan, continuing university and college students are required to begin the process by dialing *642# on their Safaricom line.

The students should then select the ‘Register’ option and enter their National ID Serial Number followed by their National ID Number.

Applicants will be required to create a four-digit PIN, which they will use to access HELB services.

After registration, students should select the ‘Home’ button and then ‘Login’ before proceeding to the ‘Subsequent Application’ option.

The students will then be required to select the appropriate loan product based on their level of study before confirming the institution details. 

The applicants should then accept the terms and conditions before selecting the ’Request Loan’ option. 

Further, the students will choose how they would like their upkeep payment to be sent. 

They will then enter their four-digit PIN to complete the application and wait for a confirmation message from HELB. 

On September 3, Education CS Julius Ogamba directed HELB and the University Fund to reopen the applications for first-time applicants, including first-year students joining universities.

CS Ogamba said some students may have been locked out when the application window closed on August 31, 2026.

He announced that the deadline has been extended by three weeks to allow eligible students to submit their applications for tertiary education funding.

"Recognising that some eligible students and trainees may not have met the initial deadline on account of various causes, the Universities Fund and the Higher Education Loans Board have been directed to extend the application window for all eligible applicants to 21st September 2026.

"All eligible first-time applicants in universities and TVETs are invited to promptly apply for funding within this extended window," the statement read in part.