Good news for Kenyan university and TVET students: Government reduces university fees and expands funding for higher education
The Government of Kenya has announced sweeping education reforms aimed at easing the financial burden on students and ensuring more young people acquire industry-relevant skills. These reforms include slashing university fees by between 15 and 40 percent and increasing funding to the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) by KSh5 billion for the 2025/2026 academic year.
Lower university fees for students across Kenya
Speaking during a graduation ceremony in Laikipia East Constituency on Saturday, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki confirmed the reduction in university fees, noting that the move responds to concerns raised by students, parents, and education stakeholders.
“To address concerns raised by university students, parents and other stakeholders, the Government has reduced university fees… This is a critical step in easing the financial burden on families,” said the Deputy President.
This reduction is expected to benefit both first-year and continuing students.
Increased HELB loans and scholarships for students
To support access to higher education, HELB funding has been increased from KSh36 billion to KSh41 billion. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announced that the increase will benefit more than 200,000 first-year university students, 237,000 TVET trainees, and over 250,000 continuing students in the 2025/2026 academic year.
“To ensure no student is left behind, the Government has increased HELB’s annual funding… Of this, KSh13 billion has already been released to support tuition and upkeep, while KSh16.9 billion has been allocated to the Universities Fund for scholarships,” Ogamba stated.
First-year HELB disbursements will begin on 15 August 2025, in time for the start of the new academic year. Students applying under the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM) are urged to complete their applications before the 31 August 2025 deadline.
As of 31 July, the Ministry of Education confirmed that 129,403 university students and 60,976 TVET trainees had submitted funding applications. This represents 64 percent of the expected university intake and 51 percent of the TVET cohort.
TVET expansion and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
The Deputy President also highlighted growth in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), where student enrolment has more than doubled from 297,000 in 2022 to over 700,000 currently.
The Government is equipping TVET centres with modern equipment, hiring tutors, and rolling out a modular curriculum. A new Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system has also been introduced to formally certify individuals who have gained skills outside traditional education systems.
“This is how we ensure no skilled Kenyan is left behind simply because they lack formal papers,” Kindiki said.
During the ceremony in Laikipia East, over 500 learners graduated under the RPL framework.
Other education milestones
- KSh41 billion allocated to HELB for 2025/2026
- 23,000 classrooms built over the past 22 years
- 1,600 science labs under construction for STEM education
- 76,000 teachers recruited with 24,000 more to be hired by end of 2025
What Kenyan university students should do next
- Apply for HELB funding or scholarships before the 31 August 2025 deadline via the Student-Centred Funding Model portal.
- Confirm your university or TVET admission status and prepare for reopening from 15 August 2025.
