The government has extended the deadline for applications for scholarships and loans for students joining universities by one month.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said in a statement that the deadline has been extended from September 7th to October 7th to ensure all eligible students are kept in check.

“The application period for loans and scholarships that was initially scheduled to lapse on September 7, 2023, has now been extended to October 7, 2023,” Machogu said.

Only 153,632 applications had successfully filed for loans and scholarships as of September 5, translating to 60% of all applicants placed in colleges and training programs by the Kenya Colleges and Colleges Central Placement Service.

For pupils under 18, the ministry also waived the necessity for a national identity card.

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Because an ID is a crucial prerequisite for contractual duty, more than 2,000 students were likely to lose their chance to apply for loans and scholarships.

“The Universities Fund and Higher Education Loans Board have been directed to put in place measures to commence immediate and speedy processing of scholarships and bursaries for all students who have already applied,” he said.

Higher Learning Institutions have been directed to provide enough lead time for first-year students to report to their institutions to ensure everyone is kept from joining campus.

“Where universities have already commenced admission of First Years, measures must be in place to ensure students are not turned away for failure to pay school fees as the Government processes their funds applications,” Machogu noted.

Members of parliament had raised concerns that the students would be turned away from joining universities and TVETs since the process of categorization and disbursement of scholarships and loans had yet to be completed.

MPs had demanded the government to suspend the new university funding formula at least for students joining the institutions in September, citing a lack of awareness and public participation.

The funding model only applies to KCSE 2022 candidates who must apply on the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal: www.hef.co.ke.

Students will be awarded scholarships, loans, and bursaries based on a Means Testing Instrument (MTI) methodology that intends to determine their level of need.