The University Fund has clarified the eligibility requirements for government scholarships as thousands of students who sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education await the opening of university placement applications.
In a series of clarifications posted on its official website, the agency stated that only Kenyan citizens who sat the national secondary school examination between 2022 and 2025 will qualify for the scholarships.
The Fund further explained that eligible students must also be placed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service to pursue undergraduate, diploma, or certificate programmes in accredited public universities or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
“To be eligible for the scholarship, one must be a Kenyan citizen who sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination from 2022 onwards,” the Fund said.
It added that beneficiaries must be placed through KUCCPS to study an undergraduate degree, diploma, craft certificate, or artisan course at one of the country’s accredited public universities or TVET colleges.
However, the agency clarified that international students studying in Kenya are not eligible for the scholarship programme. Students admitted to private universities are also excluded from the scholarship scheme, although they may still apply for loans from the Higher Education Loans Board.
The clarification comes shortly after the Fund’s Chief Executive Officer Edwin Wanyoyi announced that Sh4.2 billion will be disbursed to public universities during the 2025/2026 financial year.
According to the Fund, the money will support students who recently joined public universities under the government’s higher education funding programme.
Scholarship Award Categories
The scholarships will be awarded based on the financial needs of individual students. Officials will use the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) to assess the economic background of applicants and determine the level of support required.
Under the programme, scholarships will cover between 30 percent and 70 percent of the total tuition fees. The remaining balance will be met through family contributions and loans from the Higher Education Loans Board.
Students seeking the scholarships will be required to submit applications through the higher education funding portal after they have been placed in institutions by KUCCPS.
About The Author
