The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) on Wednesday began the disbursement of tuition loans to more than 175,000 undergraduate students and more than 700,000 continuing TVET students under the Old Higher Education Funding Model (OFM).

In a statement, HELB CEO Charles Ringera stated that the loans are being distributed in accordance with the student's chosen payment methods, which include either a bank account or the HELB Mobile Wallet.

"Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) - Universities and Colleges are advised to allow students to register as tuition fees to various institutions have also been released and should reflect in their respective bank accounts of the HLIs by October 5, 2023," read part of the statement.

"For first-time students applying for funding under the New Higher Education Funding Model (NFM), for both loans and scholarships, the deadline for application is October 7 2023 as per the extension granted by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu on September 5, 2023."

Further, he said that the processing and disbursement of student loans and scholarships under the new funding model will commence after the October 7 deadline.