Students asked to apply for study loans

The executive director of Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB) Mr Michael Wanyama, said only 1,200 students are slated to benefit from the loans with the deadline for application slated for July 31.

“The board has received funds from the government of Uganda to be used for financing Ugandan students who are admitted in higher education institutions in Uganda but unable to support themselves financially,” Mr Wanyama said at the weekend.

He said most universities, especially private ones, have already issued admission letters to their students but indicated that government institutions are yet to do the same.

“We want to have the applications as soon as possible so that when the academic year starts, the beneficiaries list is ready,” Mr Wanyama said.

He said those who have already received their admission should start applying. Unlike in the previous years where the scheme could only cater for students opting for science courses, the government has extended the student loan scheme to Arts courses including students with special needs.

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Students falling outside the special needs will only be considered for Arts courses in Bachelor of Education, Special Needs Education, Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy and Bachelor of Teacher Education with Special Needs Education. Science courses, including Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, Dental Surgery, and Nursing Pharmacy, have been maintained.

Requirements for students loan applications
An applicant must have an admission to an accredited programme from the approved Universities and other tertiary institutions.

He or she must submit their O-L evel and A-Level certificates. They must also get a letter from their former schools indicating that they faced difficulties in paying schools fees. They are also supposed to possess a letter from their LC1 and their sub-county chief.

How to apply for students loan applications
Off line students loan applications require applicants to get a hard copy of the application from the participating universities, office of the academic registrar while applicants applying online should access the forms on HESFB website upon paying Shs53,000 non-refundable fee.

Eighteen universities both public and private are eligible for the loan scheme including Makerere, Kyambogo, Gulu, Kabale, Lira, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Muni, Soroti, Bishop Stuart, Bugema, Islamic University in Uganda, Kampala International University, Nkumba , Uganda Christina University and Kampala University.

Story obtained from Daily Monitor with minor touches