Lilian Nyiva
The Universities Fund has released KSh4.2 billion in scholarship funding to public universities to support more than 400,000 continuing students enrolled under the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM).
The disbursement is intended to ensure that universities receive scholarship payments on time, helping institutions sustain academic programmes while easing the financial burden on students. The funding forms part of the government's ongoing implementation of the Student-Centred Funding Model, which allocates financial support based on a student's level of need rather than offering uniform funding to all learners.
Supporting Higher Education Financing
According to the Universities Fund, the latest release is part of broader efforts to strengthen higher education financing and ensure that eligible students continue accessing university education without disruption.
The Student-Centred Funding Model combines government scholarships, Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans and household contributions to finance university education. The model replaced the previous Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) system and seeks to direct more support to financially vulnerable students.
Ongoing Government Investment
The Universities Fund has indicated that the scholarship disbursement is part of continued government investment in higher education. The fund has previously reported that billions of shillings have been allocated to public universities since the introduction of the new funding model to support undergraduate students across the country.
The latest allocation is expected to help public universities meet operational requirements while ensuring that continuing students remain supported throughout the academic year under the Student-Centred Funding Model.
