The Ministry of Education and Sports has officially announced applications for the Higher Education Students’ Financing Scheme (HESFS) for the 2026/27 academic year.
The scheme is aimed at supporting Ugandan students who may not afford higher education by providing loans for tuition and functional fees at approved universities and tertiary institutions.
According to the advert released by the ministry, applications are open to students admitted to accredited diploma and degree programmes in both public and selected private institutions.
Some of the public universities participating in the scheme include Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Kabale University, and Gulu University among others.
The financing scheme will prioritize programmes in key fields such as:
- Engineering
- Agriculture
- Human Medicine
- Nursing
- Pharmacy
- Computer Science & Information Technology
- Science Education
- Statistics
- Oil and Gas Engineering among others.
Applications are strictly online through the Ministry’s students’ financing portal.
The ministry stated that applications officially opened on Monday, May 25, 2026, and the deadline for submission is Friday, July 17, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
Applicants are also required to pay a non-refundable processing fee of Shs 53,000 during the application process.
Students have been advised to avoid middlemen and third parties claiming to secure loans on behalf of applicants, emphasizing that the process is handled directly through the official government system.
The student loan scheme continues to play a major role in supporting learners from financially constrained backgrounds to access higher education in Uganda.
