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Verified 12 September 2026

DTB Academy: the school fees facility

By Arnold Ochieng · Diamond Trust Bank Kenya hub · paybillke is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Diamond Trust Bank Kenya.

DTB's school-fees product is called DTB Academy, and DTB describes it as helping eligible parents manage fees for the current academic year without a learner's schooling being interrupted. It is arranged through DTB, not through a self-service app flow.

About the KES 1,000,000 figure you have probably seen

Several sources describe a "DTB school fees loan of up to KES 1,000,000 unsecured per student". We went looking for it on dtbk.dtbafrica.com and it is not there. DTB's own borrowing pages name the product DTB Academy and publish no limit, no rate and no tenure for it.

We are not saying the figure is invented. We are saying we could not stand behind it, and a school-fees decision is not the place to act on a number nobody will confirm. Ask DTB what your limit is before you plan around any figure.

What to ask DTB, specifically

  1. The maximum amount per student, and whether it is per student or per parent.
  2. The interest rate, and whether it is fixed or moves with DTB's base rate.
  3. The maximum tenure, and whether it must clear within the academic year.
  4. Any arrangement or processing fee, and whether excise duty applies on it.
  5. Whether it is secured or unsecured at the amount you need, because that answer often changes with the size.
  6. Whether DTB pays the school directly or credits your account.

How to apply

Through a DTB branch or by contacting DTB on 0719 031 888. Take your National ID, your KRA PIN, proof of income, and the school's fee structure or invoice. Approval and pricing depend on your income and your existing relationship with DTB, which is the ordinary way bank lending works and the reason no published figure will match everyone.

Paying the fees once you have the money

Borrowing and paying are separate problems. If the school collects on M-PESA, our school fees hub covers the paybills, and the NBK school code lookup covers the 12,266 schools that collect through National Bank. If the fees go into a DTB account, that is paybill 516600.

Borrowing for fees is still borrowing

DTB Academy is a bank facility and it reports to the Credit Reference Bureaus. School fees recur every term, so a facility taken for one term needs to clear before the next one arrives, or you are borrowing to repay borrowing. Work out the full-year cost before the first disbursement, not after. Our school fees calculator will lay the year out for you.

About this guide

Independent guide. paybillke is not Diamond Trust Bank and has no commercial relationship with it. Paybill, USSD and charge details were checked against DTB's own site on 12 September 2026. Bank tariffs and loan terms are revised regularly, so confirm anything you are about to act on with DTB on 0719 031 888 or at dtbk.dtbafrica.com.

Frequently asked

What is DTB Academy?

DTB's school-fees facility, which DTB describes as helping eligible parents manage fees for the current academic year.

Is there a DTB school fees loan of KES 1 million?

That figure circulates widely but appears nowhere on DTB's own site. Confirm your actual limit with DTB before planning around it.

How do I apply for DTB Academy?

Through a DTB branch or on 0719 031 888, with your ID, KRA PIN, proof of income and the school's fee structure.

Does DTB Academy affect my CRB record?

Yes. It is a bank facility and repayment behaviour is reported to the Credit Reference Bureaus.