By Roy Howa
The Higher Education Students Loans and Grants Board (HESLGB) has officially opened the 2026/2027 student loan application window, saying delays were caused by a review of the loan selection process.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lilongwe on Tuesday, Acting Executive Director Patrick Mphepo said the review was aimed at improving transparency and ensuring that support reaches genuinely needy students.
“This review process is important to ensure that the loan selection tools align with how other government institutions identify beneficiaries from various government initiatives,” said Mphepo.
He said the application window opened on May 25 and will close on June 24, 2026, urging students to apply early to avoid system congestion.
Mphepo also announced that, for the first time, loans will be available to students pursuing studies through Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL) programmes in accredited institutions.
According to the board, about 38,000 students are expected to benefit from the loans this year, up from 34,863 beneficiaries in the previous cycle.
Mphepo further appealed to former beneficiaries to repay their loans, saying repayments would help the board increase support to students and introduce postgraduate loan products in future.
