How to check and repay HELB loan

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) is a statutory government body mandated to provide equitable and impactful tertiary education financing through strategic partnerships and prudent financial management.

HELB offers three main categories of loans: Undergraduate Loans, TVET Loans, and Jielimishe Loans.

Loan repayment obligations

According to the HELB Act (1995), a loanee is required, within one year of completing studies—or earlier if the Board recalls the loan—to:

1. Provide HELB with updated contact details.

2. Begin loan repayment, including accrued interest.

3. If in formal employment, authorise their employer to deduct loan repayments and remit them to HELB.

Integration with eCitizen

Following a government directive through a Gazette Notice, eCitizen is now the official digital payment platform for all government services.

HELB has fully integrated with this system, meaning all loan repayments must be made through HELB’s designated platforms, which link directly to the eCitizen gateway.

Loan repayment options

1. USSD Code (*642#)

Dial *642#

Log in or register

Select Loan Repayment

Choose M-Pesa

Enter the repayment amount and your M-Pesa PIN

You will receive SMS confirmations from both HELB and eCitizen

2. HELB mobile app

Download the HELB Mobile App from the Play Store

Log in or create an account

Select Pay Loan

Confirm your phone number and repayment amount

Enter your M-Pesa PIN when prompted

You will receive SMS confirmations from both HELB and eCitizen

3. Loanee self-service portal

Visit www.helb.co.ke

Select the Self-Service option from the menu

Click Loan Repayment then Make Payment

Enter the amount, select your preferred payment option, and confirm

Complete the process as prompted

Once payment is made, your statement will update automatically

4. Employer portal (for employers remitting on behalf of staff)

Visit www.helb.co.ke and log into the Employer Portal

Upload the remittance list and verify details

Confirm and print the e-slip

Click Payments on the menu, select the remittance record, then click Make Payment

Enter the phone number to receive eCitizen notifications and process the payment

Once completed, the payment record updates automatically

Employers can generate updated statements from the portal.