The Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB) has invited eligible students to apply for the Students’ Loan Scheme for the Academic Year 2021/2022.
The board with funding from government, has set aside UGX 6Billion to support 1500 new cohort of student loan beneficiaries and at least 100 Continuing students in the Academic Year 2021/22.
Michael Wanyama the Executive Director of HSFB while addressing the media at the Uganda Media Center announced to all prospective and eligible applicants that loan applications are open.
“I therefore announce to all prospective applicants that the Board is now open for applications for the 8th Cohort of the study loans under the Students’ Loan Scheme from eligible Ugandan students who have been admitted under the listed Undergraduate Diploma and Degree programmes for the Academic Year 2021/22 in the Public Universities, Private Chartered Universities and the listed Other Tertiary Institutions,” Wanyama announced.
The students loan scheme has been implemented since 2014, where highly qualified Ugandan students who may not afford Higher Education are offered Student Loans in a bid to increase access to Higher Education.
The board has so far awarded loans to a total of 11,187 Beneficiaries (9,632 undergraduate degrees and 1,555 undergraduate diplomas) Beneficiaries to study 130 degree programmes and 76 undergraduate diploma courses mainly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programmes.
The courses are currently tenable at 22 Chartered Universities (10 Public and 12 Private Chartered Universities) and 36 Other Tertiary Institutions (OTIs) in Uganda.
The Students’ Loan cover tuition fees, functional fees and any other fees required by the Higher Learning Institutions. The loan shall also cover Aids and Appliances for Persons with Disabilities. A Beneficiary is expected to cover their welfare expenses.
Wanyama said that the Student loans shall strictly be awarded to students joining Higher Education Institutions in First Year or students joining their Final Year of study under the Continuing Students Loan facility which commences this Academic Year, saying an applicant must not be a beneficiary of any other Scholarship or Funding Opportunity.
He said that In order to achieve equity in the Students’ Loan Scheme, the Board will this year continue its affirmative action programme to special interest groups where Female applicants will be offered a seven-point score advantage
“Applicants from Northern Uganda (West Nile Region, Acholi, Lango and Karamoja Regions) and the Island Districts of Kalangala and Buvuma have a special consideration, PWDs will have extra advantage score,” he said.
Wanyama added, “Persons with Disabilities can access loans to Pursue any accredited Programme of their choice including Business and Humanities Programmes under affirmative action.”
Wanyama advised applicants who may encounter challenges to visit HESFB Application Support Centres across the country.