Government Approves 2,790 Students for Higher Education Loans

11 September 2026, 10:27 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Education and Sports, has approved 2,790 students to benefit from the Higher Education Students’ Financing Scheme for the 2026/2027 academic year.

The announcement was made yesterday in Kampala by the Acting Minister of Education and Sports, Dr J.C. Muyingo, who released the list of successful beneficiaries under the 13th cohort of the Government Students’ Loan Scheme.

Muyingo said demand for government support for higher education has continued to increase, with 10,615 applications received this year, compared to 7,125 in the previous academic year, representing a 48.9 percent increase.

Of the applications received, 8,005 applicants were eligible, while 2,610 did not meet the requirements. The Ministry said 1,452 unsuccessful applicants failed to submit all the required documents.

The successful beneficiaries were selected using a three-tier system that considers district representation, the number of eligible applicants from each area and socio-economic vulnerability.

The Ministry said the system has helped ensure representation from across the country, including districts such as Amudat, Buvuma, Kalangala, Karenga, Kotido and Moroto, which have historically had low participation in the scheme.

Of the 2,790 beneficiaries, 1,400 are female and 1,390 are male. A total of 2,019 students will pursue degree programmes, while 771 will pursue diploma programmes.

The scheme has also provided support to 64 students with disabilities, who will be eligible for assistance including aids and appliances.

The loans will cover tuition, functional and research fees payable to participating institutions. The funds will be paid directly to the institutions rather than to individual students.

The number of participating universities has increased from 25 in the 2025/2026 academic year to 33 this year, comprising 11 public universities and 22 chartered private universities.

Successful beneficiaries have been urged to repay the loans after completing their studies and securing employment, so that other students can also benefit from the scheme.