The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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New students joining public universities are grappling with hefty admission costs, with some institutions requiring payments of up to Sh50,000 before registration.
The demand comes as many first-years await disbursement of loans from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb), leaving families in a financial bind.
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At the University of Nairobi (UoN), students reported being asked to pay between Sh23,000 and Sh50,000 upfront to complete enrolment. Previously, government-sponsored students were admitted first and cleared balances later after receiving Helb support.
Parents and guardians say the abrupt change has left households struggling, with some resorting to borrowing to meet the costs amid the high cost of living.
“In the past, Helb catered for the bulk of the fees and we only paid the difference later. Now I don’t know if my son will make it to campus. Things are getting harder,” said a parent with a child admitted to UoN.
Admission fees vary by course, with parents citing charges of Sh30,000 for economics, Sh48,000 for actuarial science, and Sh50,000 for medicine. Hostel accommodation averages Sh10,750 per semester or about Sh2,500 per month.
University administrators have attributed the upfront demands to delays in Helb disbursements and ongoing reforms in higher education financing, noting that the policy affects all public universities.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on Friday defended the new model, saying semester fees will now range from Sh5,814 to Sh75,000 depending on the programme. He argued the system would strengthen university sustainability and ensure fairer distribution of government subsidies.
Earlier this month, Ogamba announced that more than 200,000 first-year students, 257,000 continuing students, and 237,000 trainees in TVET institutions would benefit from reduced tuition this academic year.
However, parents and students insist that the lump-sum payments have caught them off guard, warning that many learners risk missing admission deadlines. Families are now appealing for government intervention as uncertainty clouds reporting dates for thousands of freshers.
