Where does my HELB money go?

HELB says tuition fees are remitted directly to your institution, while upkeep is credited to your bank account or mobile money account. You never receive the tuition part yourself.

How do I withdraw HELB upkeep to M-PESA?

Dial *642#, choose the option to withdraw funds and follow the prompts. HELB says a KSh 15 charge applies per withdrawal transaction on *642#.

My upkeep has not arrived. What should I check?

Check that your application was successful and shows an award, that your institution has you registered for the term, and that the phone or bank details on your HELB profile are correct and in your own name. Then contact HELB through its official channels with your ID number. Do not pay anyone who offers to release it.

Can I get my tuition money paid to me instead?

No. Tuition is paid to the institution. Anyone offering to redirect it to you is running a scam.

HELB disbursement 2026: how upkeep reaches you

Q: Has HELB disbursed 2026/27 money yet?

The Kenya News Agency reported on 3 September 2026 that the Government had disbursed KSh 22.12 billion in tertiary education funding (scholarships and loans together) during the first semester or term to continuing university students and TVET trainees. For first-years, the award on the HEF portal sets what is paid. We do not publish batch dates, because HELB announces them on its social channels and they change.

Where the money goes

HELB's terms set it out in one sentence: tuition fees are remitted directly to the institution, and upkeep is credited to the student's bank account or mobile money account. So when a classmate says “HELB has paid”, they usually mean upkeep. Your fee statement at the institution is where to see the tuition part.

Withdrawing upkeep on *642#

Dial *642# on the Safaricom line registered to your HELB profile.
Select the option to withdraw funds.
Follow the prompts and confirm.

HELB says KSh 15 is charged per withdrawal. That is a reason to withdraw in fewer, larger amounts rather than many small ones: ten withdrawals cost KSh 150, one costs KSh 15.

What has been paid in 2026

On 3 September 2026 the Kenya News Agency reported the Cabinet Secretary's statement that the Government had disbursed KSh 22.12 billion in tertiary education funding, scholarships and loans together, in the first semester or term to continuing university students and TVET trainees. That figure is not HELB loans alone. For first-year students, what you receive depends on the award shown on your HEF portal account.

HELB announces disbursement batches on its official social channels. We do not reprint batch dates or per-student upkeep amounts here, because the only versions we could find were in news reports, and a wrong date is worse than none. Your HELB portal or *642# balance shows what has been sent to you.

If your upkeep has not arrived

Confirm the award. Log in to the HEF portal (first-years) or check your subsequent application on *642# (continuing students). No award means nothing to disburse.
Confirm registration. Ask your institution's finance or student affairs office to confirm you are registered for the term.
Check your details. The phone number or bank account on your HELB profile must be correct, and HELB requires the phone number to be in your own name.
Then contact HELB through the channels on helb.co.ke, with your ID number.

The release-fee scam

Around every disbursement, messages appear offering to “release” or “fast-track” HELB money for a fee, or asking for your *642# PIN. HELB money is released by HELB and your institution, not by an agent. Never pay a fee for it and never share your PIN.