Public universities have begun registering first-year students for the 2026/2027 academic year amid uncertainty over how the government’s latest higher education funding arrangements will be implemented. The uncertainty comes as universities admit thousands of new students while awaiting further guidance on fees, government funding and the obligations of students and their families under the evolving financing framework.
At the University of Eldoret, Vice-Chancellor Professor Thomas Cheruiyot said the institution had welcomed about 8,000 first-year students, significantly exceeding the university’s available capacity for approximately 2,000 students in some facilities. Cheruiyot urged the new students to proceed with registration and attend classes as the university and government work on the outstanding financing arrangements. The large intake has placed additional pressure on university facilities, particularly accommodation and other services required to support the incoming cohort. The university has separately confirmed that more than 8,200 first-year students are part of its 2026 cohort.
The situation at Eldoret reflects a wider challenge facing public universities as institutions receive the 2026/2027 intake while the government works on changes to the higher education financing framework.
The government has been moving towards changes in the way university education is financed. The existing Student-Centred Funding Model provides government scholarships and loans based on a student’s assessed financial need. The Universities Fund says the model is intended to ensure students receive financial support according to their circumstances and to facilitate timely disbursement of funds through institutions. For the 2026/2027 academic year, however, the government has announced plans for a revised approach under which newly admitted students would receive increased government support. President William Ruto has said the government will provide full funding for students admitted to public universities and colleges from September 2026.
The announcement represents a shift from the existing needs-based arrangement and has created the need for detailed implementation guidelines covering how universities will receive funding and what students will be required to pay. The uncertainty has affected both institutions and families trying to establish their actual financial obligations for the new academic year. Despite the uncertainty, the government’s existing higher education financing systems have continued processing applications.
The Universities Fund reported that 159,551 first-year students had completed funding applications as of August 20, out of 202,133 students placed in public universities for the 2026/2027 academic year. Most applicants sought a combination of government scholarships and loans. Students applying for government assistance have been directed to use the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal, through which the Universities Fund administers scholarships while HELB handles student loans. The government has also been considering broader legislative changes to higher education financing, including proposals to bring various funding institutions under a unified framework.
For students already reporting to campus, the immediate issue remains how tuition and other university charges will be settled while the new arrangements are being finalised. At the University of Eldoret, management has asked students to continue with registration and learning rather than delay the start of the academic year. The situation is likely to become clearer once the government issues formal guidelines detailing how the new funding arrangement will operate, including the treatment of tuition fees, student loans, scholarships and any household contribution.
Until then, universities are proceeding with admissions while students and their families await definitive information on their financial obligations for the 2026/2027 academic year.