Students face KUCCPS, HELB glitches as Ruto promises full university funding

President William Ruto has revealed that changes to the university funding model are underway to actualise the government's pledge to fully fund all students who qualify for higher education.

The President made the announcement as students continue applying for funding for universities, TVETs and colleges using the existing model, with funding agencies awaiting Parliament's approval of the necessary legislative framework.

Days after students were allowed to revise their courses through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), some are still unable to make the changes due to technical challenges.

Lovian Nyaroba, a student from Kisii, is among those struggling to access the portal.

"Tangu nikuje hapa saa tatu hadi saa hii sijaweza. We have been trying to log in, inafika point inakataa. Hata kwa HELB tunajaribu, sometimes inakataa," Nyaroba said.

Lovian is not the only student experiencing the downtime. Daniel Momanyi, a cyber café operator, says the systems have been experiencing frequent disruptions.

"Walifungua KUCCPS juzi, the transfer. Wakati tunajaribu ku-log in, haiendi through. The other thing, HELB ukijaribu kufungulia mwanafunzi account, inakataa. Ikikubali, wakati wa activation, hiyo code yenye inatumwa kwa email inachukua time mingi kukuja," Momanyi noted.

Despite the challenges, applications for course transfers and the accompanying higher education funding are ongoing.

However, students are still applying under the current funding system, which requires them to apply separately for loans and scholarships.

This is despite President Ruto's pledge to overhaul higher education funding and ensure the government fully funds all eligible students beginning with the 2026 cohort. The President says that commitment remains unchanged.

"It is my commitment that each and every one of you who qualifies to go to a TVET or a university will pursue the course of your choice without the background of your parents influencing which course you will take. It will not depend on whether your parents have the means. It will depend on your capacity," President Ruto said.

To implement the reforms, Parliament must pass the Tertiary Placement and Funding Bill, 2026. The proposed law seeks to consolidate various higher education funding agencies, including the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the Universities Fund, into a single body, the Tertiary Education Funding Authority (TEFA), which will oversee higher education financing.

The President urged lawmakers to approve the reforms, saying they are key to delivering universal access to tertiary education.

"As I talk to you, in Parliament we have amendments to the Higher Education Loans Board programme that will now make it possible, and I said it before and I will repeat again, it will make it possible for every student in TVETs and universities to get full funding for their courses," Ruto added.

HELB Chief Executive Officer says applications for this year's funding will continue under the current framework until Parliament passes the proposed legal reforms, after which the new system will be implemented.