Bachelor Degrees Application Guideline for 2026 – 2027, The Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) is a body corporate established under Act No.9 of 2004 (as amended in 2007, 2014 and 2016) with the objective of assisting needy and eligible Tanzania students to access loans and grants for higher education.
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL LOAN APPLICANTS
All loan applicants for the academic year 2026/2027 are required to observe the following: –
(i) Read and follow the application procedures stated in these Guidelines,
(ii) Loan applicants must have current national physical address (NaPA) issued by Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology,
(iii) Applicants aged 18 years and above are required to have National Identification Numbers during application. This includes applicants who are expecting to turn 18 years between June to August, 2026,
(iv) Ensure that all birth/death certificates are certified by the RITA or ZCSRA to ascertain their validity,
(v) Applicants born abroad should obtain a letter from RITA or ZCSRA to validate birth information. Applicants whose parent(s) died abroad should also obtain a letter from RITA or ZCSRA to validate the information provided,
(vi) All foreign entry qualifications must be evaluated and approved by NECTA/ NACTVET/TCU, and upon application, the equivalent index number provided should be declared,
(vii) Provide a bank account which is active and carries the same name as that on the academic certificates (CSEE certificate),
(viii) Applicant should provide his/her registered and reachable mobile phone number. The provided mobile phone number will be used to inform the applicant on the loan application progress and payment process,
(ix) Ensure that the online loan application form is duly filled and page numbers two (2) and five (5) are signed and certified by relevant authorities before submission,
(x) Applicants must review the entire application form and make corrections (where necessary) before submission,
(xi) Every applicant must have a guarantor aged 18 years and above who has a National Identification Number (NIN) or Zanzibar Resident ID, (Guarantor means a parent, guardian or any relative who can provide information on the
whereabouts of an applicant when required)
(xii) All applicants must strictly observe the loan application deadline,
(xiii) For any identified forgery, the applicant will be disqualified from the whole application process and subject him/her to other necessary legal actions, and
(xiv) Applicants are advised to make follow-up of their application process results through their SIPA accounts
APPLICATION WINDOW
The loan application window for the academic year 2026/2027 opens on 19th June, 2026 to 31st August, 2026.
These Guidelines are available on www.heslb.go.tz.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
In accordance with the HESLB Act, the Board has set general and specific eligibility criteria for loan applicants.
General Criteria
(i) Must be a Tanzanian not older than 35 years at the time of application,
(ii) Must have admission into an accredited tertiary education institution in Tanzania,
(iii) Must have a complete and correct application made through OLAMS,
(iv) Must not have income from employment or an established contract in either the public or private sector,
(v) Should not be a beneficiary of other form of sponsorship or financial assistance,
(vi) For students who have dropped out or discontinued from studies, must have proof of payment of at least 25% of previous loan amount, and
(vii) Must have completed ACSEE or other EQUIVALENT QUALIFICATIONS (enabling the applicant to secure admission to a tertiary education institution) within five (5) years, i.e. from 2022 – 2026 inclusive.
Specific Criteria for First-Time Continuing Applicants (FTCA)
In addition to the general eligibility criteria mentioned in item 3.1, continuing
students must: –
(i) Have passed examinations of the previous academic year,
(ii) Ensure examination results are submitted to HESLB through their tertiary education institution loan desk officer, and
(iii) In case of resumption, he/she must submit a resumption letter to HESLB through the institution’s loan desk officer.
RELEVANT DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT LOAN APPLICATION
The following are key documents to support the application: –
(i) Birth certificate verification code approved by RITA or ZCSRA,
(ii) Applicants with deceased parent(s) should provide death certificate verification code verified by RITA or ZCSRA,
(iii) Self or parent disability form verified by District Medical Officer (DMO) or Regional Medical Officer (RMO). However, applicants with disability identification number provided by the Prime Minister’s Office are encouraged
to provide the number instead of filling disability forms,
(iv) Sponsored students should ensure the corporate sponsor is registered through the HESLB Education Sponsors Portal and has uploaded his/her details into the portal,
(v) Social Support Beneficiary’s number from TASAF to prove that the applicant is from vulnerable households,
(vi) Orphanage Center Form to prove financial and social assistance from childhood to the level of being admitted into tertiary education institutions,
(vii) A letter from RITA or ZCSRA to validate applicant birth information and parent(s) death information abroad, and
(viii) A letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) or Tanzania Prisons Services from Mainland Tanzania; or the President’s Office – Regional Administration, Local Government and Special Department of Zanzibar to
prove that the applicant’s parent(s) are currently in prison.
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