Government Extends Funding Application Deadline for 2023 KCSE University Candidates

HomeNewsGovernment Extends Funding Application Deadline for 2023 KCSE University Candidates

Government Extends Funding Application Deadline for 2023 KCSE University Candidates

The government has extended the application deadline for funding for 2023 KCSE candidates enrolling in universities for the 2024/2025 academic year.

On Monday, August 5, 2024, Principal Secretary for Higher Education and Research Beatrice Inyangala announced the extension of the application period by 10 days, now ending on August 15, 2024.

“We are pleased to announce that the application process has been extended by ten days, closing on August 15, 2024,” stated Inyangala.

The new funding model will allocate government funds based on the individual needs of students.

“Starting August 19, 2024, parents and guardians will be notified about the university fees and household contributions required for university programs,” Inyangala mentioned.

Government data indicates that the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) placed 153,275 students from the 2023 KCSE cohort into public and private universities.

Inyangala emphasized that government support is available only to those who apply for funding.

The Ministry of Education opened the scholarship and loan application portal for the 2023 KCSE cohort on June 18, 2024.

As of August 4, 2024, Muganda revealed that 79,038 university students had applied for both loans and scholarships, while 74,237 university students have yet to apply for funding.

“The Government remains committed to providing quality and affordable education to students in universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions (TVETs). Under the Leave No One Behind framework, we urge all students who have not yet applied for loans and scholarships to do so,” added Muganda.

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Under the new university funding model announced in May 2023, students from the most vulnerable and extremely needy households will receive full education funding.

Students from needy and less needy households will have 93 percent of their tuition fees covered by the government, requiring a seven percent contribution from their families.

The new funding framework replaces the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) model, where universities and TVET institutions previously received block funding in the form of capitation.

Under the new model, the Universities Fund will provide scholarships ranging from 30 percent to 70 percent based on students’ level of need. The remaining deficit will be covered by household contributions and loans.

The Means Testing Instrument (MTI) tool will assess the level of need for funding applicants for scholarships.

The new Higher Education Funding Model is implemented by key entities, including the Universities Fund (UF), Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), and the State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

In this model, UF will grant scholarships, HELB will offer loans, and KUCCPS will manage the placement of KCSE graduates into higher learning institutions. The institutions will receive the loans and scholarships as fees, while parents will contribute household funds towards their children’s education.

Government Extends Funding Application Deadline for 2023 KCSE University Candidates

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