HELB Announces Disbursement of Seven Student Loan Batches for 2026/27

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) said on Monday, October 12, 2026, that it had processed and released funds for seven student-loan batches ahead of the 2026/27 academic year.

The board listed the batch numbers as HELB-007062, HELB-007166, HELB-007170, HELB-007171, HELB-007163, HELB-007150 and HELB-007148, noting that the disbursements were completed by Friday, October 9, 2026. The announcement was posted on HELB’s official X account with the message “The latest batch update is out! Check the poster to see if your batch number is among those successfully processed and disbursed.”

Students whose numbers appear on the list are advised to verify the receipt of funds through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal or by checking with their institutions, and those without a batch number should confirm their application status on the official platform rather than rely on unverified online information.

HELB also reminded beneficiaries that earlier in the year it had processed five additional batches – 007139, 007145, 007147, 007146 and 007132 – for the same academic cycle.

The board’s update follows earlier concerns about funding delays; in August reports indicated that 140,000 students had not received financing because of a shortfall, with an outstanding requirement of KSh5.7 billion.

In response to a student complaint in August about not being allocated a batch number, HELB said it had been in contact by phone and had provided advice, according to a post on its social media page.

The board warned applicants of fraudsters operating fake WhatsApp groups that promise loan assistance for a fee, urging students and parents to rely only on HELB’s official website and verified social media channels for accurate information.

HELB also announced an incentive for employed beneficiaries, stating that those who repay their loans in a lump sum could receive up to an 80 percent waiver on outstanding penalties, and invited interested parties to send a direct message to initiate the process.