The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has released money for three more batches of student loans, as thousands of university and college students continue to wait for tuition and upkeep funds weeks into the semester.

In a notice issued on Wednesday, October 28, the board said batches 007125, 007126 and 007197 had been processed and disbursed.

Check with your institution

HELB told affected students to confirm with the finance offices of their universities or colleges whether the money had reflected, because tuition funds are sent directly to institutions and not to individual students' accounts.

"Kindly confirm with your institution's finance office," the notice said in part. The board did not disclose how much was released or how many students the three batches cover.

Students can also check the status of their loans by dialling *642# or through the HELB online portal.

Earlier releases and complaints

The latest payout follows an update earlier in the month in which HELB confirmed disbursement under five other batches: 007132, 007139, 007145, 007146 and 007147. A further list of 12 processed batches was published on October 26.

Despite the releases, students have continued to raise concerns online about delays, with some saying their applications have stayed at the allocation stage for months. The board says disbursement is ongoing and that students will be notified once their funds are released.

  • Funds go to institutions, not student accounts.
  • Students in batches not yet announced will have to keep waiting.
  • Loan status can be checked via *642# or the HELB portal.

Bigger budget, bigger demand

The National Treasury allocated Sh58 billion to student loans for the 2026/27 financial year, up from Sh41 billion previously. The Ministry of Education has urged universities to admit and register students as the government releases money from the Treasury.

Pressure on the student financing system remains high. The Universities Fund, which handles scholarships under the same funding model, told MPs this week it faces a Sh16 billion gap as it plans to support nearly 609,000 students.

At the same time, MPs are considering a proposal to cut the share of salary deducted for HELB loan repayments from 25 per cent to 15 per cent, following calls from education stakeholders to ease the burden on employed graduates.

The payouts also come as public universities prepare to resume normal learning after lecturers agreed to call off their strike from Friday.

Photos: Kenyans.co.ke (SMG); Kenyans.co.ke. Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.