The number of students benefiting from government higher education loans in the 2026–27 academic cycle has increased by nine per cent, from 34,863 to 38,000 beneficiaries.
The 30-day application window opens today, May 25, and will close on June 24, according to a statement from the Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grants Board.
The board says the increase reflects what it calls the government’s continued commitment to investing in human capital development and ensuring that financially challenged but deserving students access higher education.
“Education remains one of the most powerful instruments for national transformation, social mobility and economic development,” the statement reads.
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For the first time, students enrolled in accredited Open, Distance and e-Learning degree programmes will also be eligible to apply for government student loans under the same competitive framework used for other applicants.
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The board reiterates that student loans are not automatic entitlements but public resources reserved for genuinely needy students who demonstrate academic potential and integrity.
Eligible applicants include students selected to pursue or currently pursuing accredited degree programmes in recognised higher education institutions and those who meet the minimum academic requirements, including six Malawi School Certificate of Education credits where applicable.
While commending the loans board for increasing the number of beneficiaries, education advocate Benedicto Kondowe said demand for student loans remains high.
Kondowe urged previous beneficiaries to honour their loan repayment obligations to ensure more deserving students benefit from the scheme in future.
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“Our view is that the increment does not match the demand on the ground. Perhaps more needs to be done because this is the only way the right to education is guaranteed.
“This must be understood as an investment, not a waste. We also call for watertight eligibility criteria to ensure only deserving students benefit, and this will require due diligence across the board,” he said.
At least 20,682 students were selected to pursue studies in various public universities in the 2026–27 academic year.
