More students to benefit from loans

DAR ES SALAAM: THE number of students expected to benefit from higher education loans and grants is set to increase to 292,463 in the 2026/27 academic year, up from 252,773 in 2025/26.

The first batch of 165,775 students has already been allocated 535.7bn/-.

This follows the increase in budget for higher education loans and grants to 1.06tri/- for the 2026/27 academic year, up from 916.7bn/- in the previous year aimed at expanding access to higher education.

Speaking to journalists yesterday while announcing the first batch of allocations, Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) Executive Director Dr Bill Kiwia said the increased funding will enable the board to support more students.

Dr Kiwia said the first batch covers 165,775 beneficiaries, including first-year and continuing undergraduate and diploma students, as well as recipients of the Samia Scholarship.

He said 74,769 first-year undergraduate students have been allocated 246.88bn/-, while 8,538 diploma students have received 22.9bn/-. Another 873 students have been awarded Samia Scholarship grants worth 4.5bn/-.

For continuing students, Dr Kiwia said HESLB has allocated 252.4bn/- to 79,115 undergraduate students and 3.8bn/- to 1,554 diploma students. A further 5.1bn/- has been allocated to 926 continuing Samia Scholarship beneficiaries.

He said the allocation process will continue as higher learning institutions admit more students, adding that the board does not have a fixed number of batches because allocations depend on admissions and verification of applicants’ eligibility.

“We do not have a fixed number of batches because allocations depend on the number of students admitted to higher learning institutions. As admissions continue, we will process applications and announce further batches,” he said.

Dr Kiwia said another batch is expected before the end of October, depending on the progress of admissions and verification. He urged applicants who have not received loans or grants in the first batch to check their application status through the Student’s Individual Permanent Account (SIPA).

He stressed that admission to a higher learning institution is a key requirement for loan allocation, urging applicants to secure admission before expecting consideration for support.

The HESLB executive director also called on beneficiaries to complete the necessary procedures to facilitate timely disbursement, including ensuring their information is complete in the relevant systems and providing bank account details and telephone numbers.

He reminded students and their families that financing higher education remains a shared responsibility under the cost-sharing policy. HESLB allocations are intended to help students meet essential education and living expenses, with loan amounts ranging from 3m/- to 3.6m/-, depending on the applicable criteria and students’ needs.

“While we strive to allocate loans according to the available resources, parents and guardians also have a responsibility to contribute towards the cost of higher education,” he said.

The 2026/27 allocation also targets 24,978 diploma students, including 14,000 first-year students; 2,738 undergraduate Samia Scholarship beneficiaries, including 1,000 new recipients; and 513 students pursuing the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, including 350 new beneficiaries.

Dr Kiwia thanked the government for increasing funding, saying the additional resources will give more young Tanzanians an opportunity to pursue higher education and contribute

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