Scholarships, Bursaries and Student Loans in Uganda

Government sponsorship is Uganda's biggest scholarship

Before looking at loans or bursaries, remember Uganda's largest source of funded study is government sponsorship itself. It is awarded by merit through the Joint Admissions Board's national placement process after your UACE results, and it covers tuition in full at a public university. It is not a separate application, it is simply the outcome of a strong UACE score during the standard government sponsorship admission round.

The national student loan

For everyone who does not win a government slot, Uganda's flagship funding route is the Higher Education Students' Financing Scheme, established under the Higher Education Students' Financing Amendment Act 2024 and run by the Ministry of Education and Sports through the Higher Education Students' Financing Secretariat (HESFS). The loan covers tuition and functional fees, capped at UGX 7,600,000 a year . Any program costed above that limit is not funded past the cap. Eligibility is narrow: loans go only to Ugandan students entering their first year of an undergraduate diploma or degree at a listed public university, private chartered university or approved tertiary institution, and you must not already hold another scholarship or funding award.

Published scheme terms have put the interest rate at 7% a year with a 1% Loan Protection Fee on the annual gross loan amount, which covers the borrower against death or permanent incapacitation. The HESFB website is no longer live, so confirm the current interest and protection-fee terms with the Ministry of Education and Sports before you apply. Applying costs a non-refundable UGX 53,000 processing fee, inclusive of bank charges.

Who the loan scheme funds

The scheme funds a fixed list of 14 approved disciplines, all in science, engineering, health, education, statistics, IT and tourism/hospitality. Humanities programs are not funded, with one exception: applicants with disabilities may apply for any accredited program of their choice, including humanities. If your intended program falls outside the approved list, confirm its eligibility with the Ministry of Education and Sports before you apply.

How to apply

• Secure admission to an accredited program at a licensed university or tertiary institution first, since the loan application requires proof of admission.

• Apply online through the Ministry of Education and Sports scheme page (education.go.ug/higher-education-students-financing-scheme) and register on the ILMIS portal at ilmis.go.ug during the annual application window. For the 2025/26 academic year, applications opened 25 June 2025 and closed 31 July 2025.

• Pay the UGX 53,000 processing fee and submit the required supporting documents.

• Watch Ministry of Education and Sports channels each year for the next cycle's opening and closing dates, since the window shifts from year to year.

Other funding routes

Beyond government sponsorship and the Higher Education Students' Financing Scheme loan, a smaller set of routes exist. Commercial banks in Uganda run dedicated education loan products for parents or self-sponsored students. Employers, particularly government departments and larger companies, sometimes sponsor staff for part-time degrees. Religious institutions and community organizations run modest bursary programs, usually announced locally rather than nationally. Universities themselves, both public and private, often run small need-based bursary funds through their student welfare or dean of students office, worth asking about directly when you apply.

Timeline to plan around

Apply for university admission first. Once you have an admission letter, apply for a Higher Education Students' Financing Scheme loan during its announced window, well before the semester starts, since processing and disbursement take time and late applications risk missing the intake for that academic year.