HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCING APPLICATION PORTAL UPDATE
Comrades,
The Higher Education Financing Portal, which facilitates applications for government-funded loans and scholarships for university and TVET students, is currently under maintenance to enhance service delivery and user experience.
According to a notice issued on July 3, 2025, the downtime is expected to last at least 72 hours, beginning Thursday. Both First-Time Applicants and those making Subsequent Applications will be unable to access the platform during this period.
The Higher Education Financing Portal is under maintenance to improve service. Downtime will last at least 72 hours. Both First-Time and Subsequent applications will be affected. We regret the inconvenience. Thank you,” the official statement reads.
Students are advised to plan accordingly and await further updates on when the portal will resume normal operations.
The portal, overseen by the Higher Education Financing (HEF) board under the Ministry of Education, is a key avenue for disbursing financial aid under the new government funding model launched in 2023. The model introduced means-tested funding combining HELB loans and scholarships, based on students’ financial backgrounds.
The government has not indicated whether application deadlines will be extended, but stakeholders urge timely communication to avoid disruption to students’ academic plans.
