7 May 2013

HELB FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


General Questions
- Q: Who is eligible for HELB loans?
- A: Undergraduate Students,Postgraduate Students
- Q: No Query Response
- A:
1. Access the HELB website http://www.helb.co.ke/helb_repayment_status.htmland enter your ID number
2. Send an email to requesting for your statement to repayments@helb.co.ke.
3. Send an SMS to XXXXXX


- Q: How can I repay my loan?
- A:
1. By depositing cash or cheque into the HELB collection accounts
2. By direct debit
3. By credit card
4. By a standing order through your credit card

Note: Details on how to execute the above can be obtained from the loan repayment information section of the HELB we

- Q: How do I receive my completion certificate?
- A:
1. Send an email to requesting for your statement to certificates@helb.co.ke
2. Call Imelda Maroko on 020 246890-1

- Q: How do I forward a query to HELB
- A:
1. Download the enquiry form from the HELB website:- http://www.helb.co.ke/HELBENQUIRYFORM.pdf, fill it out and email it to enquiries@helb.co.ke.

2. Access the HELB websitehttp://www.helb.co.ke/helb_repayment_status.html and enter your ID number to obtain the name of your account manager and call him/her on 246590-1


 Undergraduate Students:
The Board’s objective is to give financial support to needy Kenyan students in institutions of higher learning both locally and abroad. However, due to financial constraints, it is currently not in a position to provide loans to students studying outside the country and those on self sponsored programmes (commonly known as the ‘parallel programmes’). Therefore, at the moment, it gives loans to the following category of students
Needy Kenyan students who are admitted to public universities through the Joint Admissions Board and to those attending private chartered universities.

- Q: How much loan can one get?
- A: In accordance with the current cost sharing policy, a student is required to pay Kshs.50,000/- per year to train at a public university. Out of this amount, HELB can award a maximum loan and bursary of Kshs.55,000/- and Kshs.8,000 respectively.
- Q: How much loan can one get?
- A:
1. Access the HELB website http://www.helb.co.ke/helb_repayment_status.htmland enter your ID number
2. Send an email to requesting for your statement to repayments@helb.co.ke.
3. Send an SMS to XXXXXX
- Q: When can one apply for a HELB loan?
- A:
HELB places advertisements in the print media in which it invites applications for loans. Applications are usually received in the last quarter of the year (i.e. between October and December).

The Board maintains a deadline and those applications received after the deadline without justifiable reasons are not processed.
- Q: When are loan awards released?
- A:
HELB releases loan results before the new academic year starts. Thereafter, students who fail to secure a loan or are awarded inadequate amounts are encouraged to appeal. Each appeal is reviewed on its own merit.
If one fails to get a loan, the following could be possible reasons:
The student may not have provided adequate information about himself /herself as requested.
The student may have provided false information on the loan application form.


Please be warned that students who obtain loans through misrepresentation of facts will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
How to apply for a loan from HELB?
1- Loan application forms are also obtainable from the District Education Officers for students applying for loans for the first time while continuing students may obtain the forms from the  offices of Registrars or Deans of Students in the various universities
2- The forms must be filled with accurate and truthful information.
3- Duly filled forms should be either hand-deliverd or sent by registered mail to:

HIGHER EDUCATION LOANS BOARD
Anniversary Towers, 18th Floor,
University Way, P.O. Box 69489 00400
Tel: 251877/246590/1, Fax: 252330
Nairobi, Kenya.
Email: helb@helb.co.ke
When are the loans paid to students?
Students who qualify for loan awards will have their accounts credited before the beginning of each Semester. Students are advised to open accounts in the following collaborating banks:
Kenya Commercial Bank   
National Bank of Kenya
Kenya Post Office Savings Bank (Postbank)
Cooperative Bank of Kenya
Equity Bank

 Post Graduate Student Loans:
The Higher Education Loans Board has the responsibility of developing the nation's human capital and ensuring that the nation has a large pool of highly trained and skilled human resource to man the different sectors of the economy, hence this category of loans is based on academic merit rather than financial needs.

To achieve this goal the Board awards loans to about 200 postgraduate students every year i.e. for Masters and Doctoral Studies. Doctoral students are awarded on average Kshs. 150,000 per year while Masters students receive Kshs.80,000/= [for humanities] and Kshs. 100,000 [for science based subjects].The loans are available to students in both public and private chartered universities. The loans are advertised in June every year and the beneficiaries are announced before the beginning of the academic year in September.
A nominal fee of Kshs 2,000 is payable by each applicant.