273 Students Awarded Loans and Scholarships for 2026/2027 Academic Year

The Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board has awarded 273 loans and scholarships to first-year students at three universities for the upcoming academic year.

HELSB Corporate Affairs Manager Chiselwa Kawanda confirmed the awards cover students at Palabana University, Kapasa Makasa University and Copperbelt University, with the bulk —249 awards — going to Palabana, 21 to Kapasa Makasa and three to Copperbelt University.

Ms Kawanda said the board received 639 scholarship applications for Palabana University alone. Of those, 567 met the eligibility requirements, while 72 were disqualified. Common reasons for ineligibility included completing Grade 12 before 2021, submitting incomplete or incorrect documentation, exceeding the maximum age limit of 26 years, obtaining more than 30 admission points, or applying as a continuing student rather than a first-year entrant.

HELSB administers government-funded loans and scholarships to support academically deserving students from low-income households who would otherwise be unable to access higher education. The board has been scaling up its reach in recent years as the government pushes to widen access to tertiary education across the country.