4,600 students file appeals amid outcry over funding model

At least 4,600 university students have appealed their government funding allocation under the new university financing model.

According to Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) data, a total of 4,621 appeals had been submitted by Thursday, following the reopening of the appeals portal on April 1, as directed by the Court of Appeal.

With the deadline for appeals set for April 21, students dissatisfied with their funding allocation now have just four days to submit their complaints.

The appeals process offers students a second opportunity to challenge the categorisation of their government support under the new Variable Scholarship and Loan Funding Model. The Ministry of Education revised the appeals mechanism in compliance with orders from the Court of Appeal.

HELB Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Monari told The Standard on Wednesday that the appeal process has been expanded to consider a broader range of issues.

“Previously, students were required to give only one reason for their appeal. Now, they can submit multiple reasons,” Monari said.

He added that the system now allows students to include reasons not listed in the default options, giving them more flexibility in explaining their circumstances.

“The court ordered us to carry out public participation and incorporate feedback to improve the appeals mechanism. We have implemented these changes,” Monari said.

Monari also confirmed that HELB had completed processing 109,000 funding requests from new students, which had been delayed after the High Court temporarily halted the new model in December 2024.

On April 1, HELB and the Universities Fund invited the public to participate in a review of the scholarship and loan appeals process, following a Court of Appeal ruling issued on March 26. The court had stayed an earlier High Court decision that declared the funding model unconstitutional and ordered public participation to be completed within 14 days.

Currently, HELB evaluates appeals based on the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) score used during initial applications. Only new information not previously submitted can influence a reassessment.

Key grounds for appeal include death of one or both parents, abandonment by guardians, or having family members with chronic medical conditions. Students with disabilities, those under government cash transfer programs, or recipients of other social protection support are also eligible for reconsideration.

Other factors include recent loss of parental income, sponsorship during primary or secondary school, or having a sibling in higher education who is also seeking financial aid.