The Higher Education Loans Board is a state agency under the Ministry of Education. It is a statutory body established in July 1995 by the Higher Education Loans Board Act Cap 213 A. The loans board has an incredible loan product, the HELB Afya Elimu Fund, a public-private partnership initiative designed to cater to the tuition fees of needy college students. So, how do you apply for the loan, and what are the disbursement rules?
College or university education can sometimes be out of reach for students who need help to afford the hefty tuition and living expenses. Therefore, various governments have developed student loan facilities to allow them to pay for their higher learning expenses. And the government of Kenya, through HELB, has the Afya Elimu fund. So, what are the application requirements?
What is HELB Afya Elimu fund?
The HELB Afya Elimu fund is a government loan facility for needy students in Kenya. The loan fund is created purposefully to finance higher education.
The fund is a product of a partnership with the USAID-funded FUNZOKenya and Human Resource for Health (HRH) Kenya Projects implemented by IntraHealth International Inc., HELB, the Ministry of Health, and the private sector via the Kenya Healthcare Federation.
The product is for needy students pursuing medical training at various recognised institutions in Kenya (listed on the HELB portal). These institutions include Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Faith Based Organisations (FBO), and other institutions offering diploma and certificate medical courses in Kenya.
Some of the courses covered in such institutions and students can take loans for include:
- Nursing
- Clinical Medicine
- Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Nutritionists
- Health Records Management and Information Technology
- Public Health Officers, Medical, Dental including oral health Practitioners
- Courses in cadres with a critical shortage of skilled health workers
Afya Elimu fund qualifications
Only people enrolled at mid-level medical training colleges and faith-based medical training learning institutions recognised by the Ministry of Education can access the Afya Elimu HELB loan application. On top of these parameters, the applicant must:
- Be a Kenyan Citizen with a residential Status in Kenya
- Demonstrate financial need
- Be a student in their 1st, 2nd or 3rd year.
- Must provide copies of required supportive
- Upon completing their studies, they must commit to serving for at least three years in any County/District, marginalised or hard-to-reach areas.
- Be willing to abide by the bonding mechanism in the loan & scholarship program.
- Must commit to abide by the loan repayment and monitoring procedures and provide academic progress reports and reference letters from the institution every year to maintain funding for the ongoing period of study
How to apply for the Afya Elimu fund
Before moving forward with your application, you must have the required documents ready. The documents include the following:
- A duly filled Afya Elimu loan application form.
- KCSE certificate.
- Second-Generation National Identification Card
- School leaving certificate
- Recent Training Institution Academic Transcripts/ Reports
- Current fee statement
- Copy of letter of admission
You can apply for the loan using the following procedure:
- Visit the official HELB Afya Elimu loan portal to register. You can also use the HELB app, downloaded from your phone’s respective operating system stores, to access the loan portal.
- Ascertain that you have registered your phone number on the platform and that the number is under your name, as applicants tied to unregistered numbers will not proceed.
- Please read the license agreement and accept it once you comprehend the terms.
- Register using your national ID and a valid email address.
- Once registered, head to the “loan” tab and choose certificate or diploma options. Click on “apply” for the Afya Elimu Fund (AEF) second and subsequent loans.
- Verify your details by entering your registered mobile phone and national ID numbers.
- Review the financial literacy questions on your screen and verify that your loan details are accurate.
- Finish the application by clicking “Submit”.
- A confirmation message will pop up informing you that you have completed the application along with a loan serial number.
- You will get further communication regarding the loan on the portal and the contacts you provided during registration.
It is important to note that the HELB Afya Elimu fund application is paperless, and you are not required to print any forms. All you need as confirmation of your application is the loan serial number, which you will also get through SMS.
What is the Afya Elimu loan application deadline?
The deadline for the current application is September 30, 2023. Therefore, you have over a month to process your application and express your interest in funding your college education. You should also note that the Higher Education Loans Board is free and doesn’t charge a fee for these applications.
Is Afya Elimu loan open for first time applicants?
You must apply for the loan at the right moment for a suitable duration. For instance, you are still eligible for the loan in your second year if you did not apply in the first year. However, you must apply during the first application window.
What is the applicable interest rate?
The applicable interest rate for the Afya Elimu fund is 4% per annum, and it will start to accrue immediately after the first disbursement.
Final word on HELB Afya Elimu fund
The HELB Afya Elimu fund is purposefully created for students taking medical courses in recognised colleges in Kenya, and they can access the funds as long as they qualify. The applications are open at different times of the year for first and subsequent applications.
Are you looking for more information about HELB loans? Tuko.co.ke featured an informative article providing more information about the institution's loan application guides and the various funds they possess.
Did you know that all you have to do to learn more about the facilities they provide is to visit their official platform? They have immense information about their loans on the website. So, how do you apply for these funds?
