HELB Portal Reopens for KMTC Students After Two-Year Suspension ; Application Process & Deadline

HELB Portal Reopens for KMTC Students After Two-Year Suspension ; Application Process & Deadline.

The Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) has announced the restoration of Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funding for its students after the National Treasury released Ksh500 million. The announcement was made by KMTC Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kelly Oluoch, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

Dr. Oluoch confirmed that the HELB application portal is now open for KMTC students who need financial assistance. The portal will be open for applications until June 24, 2025.

“The HELB portal is now open and students who want to apply can start applying today. The application window will be open until June 24, 2025,” said Dr. Oluoch.

This is the first time HELB is supporting KMTC students since they were excluded in the 2023/2024 financial year. They were excluded as part of the government’s austerity measures to cut down on public expenditure. The funding gap affected many KMTC students who relied on the loans to pay tuition and training costs.

“The absence of this support put a lot of pressure on our students and threatened to stop them from training,” said Dr. Oluoch.

Application Categories and Eligibility

There are two categories of applications:

1. First Time Application – For students applying for the loan for the first time.
2. Second & Subsequent Application – For students who have previously received the loan and are applying for the second, third or fourth time according to their program duration.

The number of eligible loan applications is equal to the duration of the academic program. For example:

• A student in a 4 year program is eligible for 4 loan disbursements.
• A student in a 5 year program is eligible for 5 loan disbursements.

First Time Application Process

First time applicants should follow these steps:

1. Access the HEF portal via the HELB website or directly at hef.co.ke.
2. Click on the “Register” button to create a student account.
3. Enter National Identification Number (National ID). If you don’t have National ID, use the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Index Number.
4. Enter a valid email address and create a password then click “Register”.
5. Activate the account via the activation link sent to the registered email address.
6. Enter a valid telephone number to receive a verification code via SMS. If the code expires, you can request for a new one.
7. Fill in the personal profile section, including biodata.
8. Provide digital consent for personal data collection and processing.
9. Fill in all required personal details and save.
10. Submit the loan or scholarship application upon completion of all sections.
11. Accept the terms and conditions for data processing and loan issuance.
12. Update details for at least two guarantors which can be parents.
13. Enter loan payment information including either bank account details or mobile payment number registered under your National ID.
14. Submit the completed loan application form.

Second & Subsequent Application Process

Students who have previously received funding should use the following channels for reapplication:

• Dial *642# using a mobile phone;
• Download and use the HELB Mobile App from the Google Play Store;
• Access the HELB MPESA Mini App for application submission.

Required Documents for Undergraduate and TVET Applications

All applicants must submit the following documents during the application process:

• A valid email address and phone number in the applicant’s name;
• KCPE and KCSE Index Numbers and examination years;
• A passport photo in JPEG, JPG or PNG format;
• Scanned copy of both sides of National ID or Maisha Card in PDF format;
• Bank account details or M-PESA number in the applicant’s name and National ID;
• Parent’s National ID and phone number;
• Certified copy of parent’s death certificate (in PDF format) in case of demise;
• Certified copy of birth certificate (if applying as a minor);
• National ID and phone numbers of two guarantors (can be parents);
• Copy of official sponsorship letter (in PDF format) if sponsored during secondary education.

Data Privacy and Loan Management

Applicants must read and agree to the terms in the consent form before submitting, as per HELB Data Privacy Statement. HELB will use the loan funds wisely once disbursed. The funds will cover tuition, academic materials, accommodation and other basic subsistence costs.

KMTC engaged with key stakeholders including the Ministry of Health and the Parliamentary Committee on Health to advocate for the restoration of the loans. The outcome of these engagements was reflected in the 2024/2025 supplementary budget which had a dedicated Ksh500 million for KMTC student loans.

The supplementary allocation was confirmed by Dr. Oluoch in March 2025 with initial expectation that the funds would be disbursed within a few weeks. Upon receipt of the funds by KMTC, HELB was instructed to open the loan application portal.

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This comes after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale had assured the public that HELB support for KMTC students would be restored. This will provide interim relief to financially disadvantaged students at the institution’s multiple campuses across the country.

Meanwhile, university student funding remains unchanged after a court order temporarily halted the implementation of the new university funding model. University students will continue to access HELB loans under the current framework.All eligible and interested students should apply before June 24. No figures have been given on the number of beneficiaries or the criteria but priority will be given to the most needy students.

HELB loan for KMTC students is to support continuity in health workforce training as per the national human resources for health strategy.

HELB Portal Reopens for KMTC Students After Two-Year Suspension ; Application Process & Deadline.