The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has clarified the process students should follow to update their Higher Education Fund (HEF) accounts after obtaining National ID cards upon turning 18.
The latest advisory is directed at students who initially applied for higher education funding as minors and created their HEF accounts using their KCSE index numbers because they were not yet eligible to register for National IDs.
According to HELB, affected students do not need to create new HEF accounts after receiving their National IDs. Instead, they should log into the existing accounts they opened using their KCSE index numbers.
Once logged in, a pop-up notification will prompt them to update their National ID details. Students are required to enter their National ID number and first name exactly as they appear on the ID card before clicking the “Validate” button.
After successful verification, the system will display a confirmation message indicating that the National ID details have been updated. Students should then click the “Register” tab to complete the process.
HELB has warned students against opening new accounts after acquiring their National IDs, stressing that all updates should be made through the original HEF accounts created with KCSE index numbers.
The clarification comes as many students apply for higher education funding before turning 18, forcing them to use their KCSE index numbers during registration before later obtaining National ID cards.
