The Higher Education Loan Board (HELB) of Kenya ] was established on July 21, 1995 through the Kenya Gazette Supplement to help graduate, post graduate and undergraduate Kenyan students continue their education. Loans are offered to students who do not have the financial means to educate themselves on their own. The Helb loan application form is required to apply for a student loan from the Higher Education Loan Board.http://www.helb.co.ke/index_main.jsp
HELB was originally founded in 1952 as the Higher Education Loan Fund (HELF) that provided finances to the residences of Kenya who were interested in higher education outside of East Africa. Students continued their education in India, South Africa, Britain, the former USSR and the United States. http://www.helb.co.ke/helb_background.html Over time, the demand for financing became too much to cover all students who wanted to further their education. The Kenyan government changed to a policy of offering loans for education at regional colleges such as Makerere, Dar es Saaalm or Nairobi. Loans were officially repayable after students completed their studies, but legal issues caused enforcing loan repayment difficult. By 1995 the Kenyan government established the Higher Education Loans Board to specifically oversee the management and collection of higher education loans.
How to Get HELB Application Forms
HELB application forms are available on the helb.co.ke website under the section labeled "HELB Downloads". The download labeled, "Disbursement Downloads" is the official application form. Loan applications vary for Undergraduate education and graduate or post-graduate educational pursuits. Applications are only available during open periods when applications are accepted. Once the period closes, the links are no longer active.http://www.helb.co.ke/helb_loans_downloads_disb.html
ZAP Student Loan Repayment Services
This video posted on YouTube in October 2009 presents a press country discussing the added ability of former Kenyan loan recipients from around the world being able to make student loans payments through a new Zains money transfer service called ZAP. The partnership between HELB and Zains is intended to help obtain more repayments from more than two hundred and twenty thousand graduates who have not completed repaying their HELB loans.
HELB Loan Application Form
Click the photo for a larger view. This is an example of HELB loan application form for undergraduate students that was taken from their website. After completion of the application, you can send it to the Board and they will review it and get back to you. You can get HELB loan application forms for continuing students also.
You can get a copy of the Helb loan application form at: Undergraduate Requirements - http://www.helb.co.ke/images/docs/advert%20undergardauate%202011%20edited.pdf
Postgraduate requirements - http://www.helb.co.ke/images/docs/postgraduate%20edited2011.pdf
Disclaimer
The content in this page is not a substitute for professional financial advice. Please contact a finance professional before using the information presented here.
References
Fast Facts
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Qualifications
Post graduate loans are based on merit, instead of need.
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Limited Space
200 students each year are allowed a loan for getting a Doctoral or Masters Degree]
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Sectors
Loans are available for public and private school students.
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There is a Deadline
Your HELB application must be completed by June 31.
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HELB Kenya
Continuing education in Kenya and the surrounding areas
