University students wait to apply for loans at Helb headquarters in Nairobi /FILEThousands of students awaiting higher education funding have received a boost after the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) processed and disbursed funds to institutions in the latest batch.
Helb said five batches had been successfully processed, with the funds sent to the respective institutions for onward processing.
The batches are Helb-007139, Helb-007145, Helb-007147, Helb-007146 and Helb-007132.
The development is expected to ease financial pressure on students who have been waiting for their funding to facilitate their studies.
In an update issued to students, Helb advised beneficiaries to check their individual student portals or contact their institutions for information on the status of their funds.
“Good news students! Batches Helb-007139, 007145, 007147, 007146 and 007132 have been processed and disbursed to institutions,” Helb said.
The board urged students whose batch numbers appear in the latest update to confirm the status of their funds through the Helb student portal.
Students can also seek clarification from their respective institutions on when the funds will be reflected in their accounts or made available for the intended purpose.
The latest disbursement comes as thousands of university and other higher education students depend on government-backed financial support to meet tuition and other education-related expenses.
Helb provides loans and other financial support to eligible Kenyan students pursuing higher education.
The board has in recent years been transitioning its services to digital platforms, allowing students to apply for funding, track applications and access information on their loans through online services.
The latest update, however, does not indicate the total amount of money disbursed under the five batches or the number of students covered.
Students whose batch numbers are not included in the latest list will have to await subsequent disbursement updates from the board.
Helb has advised beneficiaries to regularly check their student portals for updates on the processing and disbursement of their funds.
The board's latest communication also provides relief to students and institutions that have been waiting for the release of funds to support learners' continued studies.
Students can access their information through the Helb student portal or contact their institutions for further clarification on the disbursement.
Helb said the batches had been processed and disbursed to the respective institutions, meaning students should confirm with their institutions on the next steps and when the funds will be reflected.
