Scholarship board says 3,926 loans awarded to first-year UNZA students for 2025/2026

The Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board (HELSB) says it has awarded 3,926 student loans to first-year students at the University of Zambia (UNZA) for the 2025/2026 academic year.

A total of 5,798 applications were reportedly received for sponsorship at UNZA, with 4,929 applicants, representing 85 percent, meeting the eligibility criteria.

This is according to a statement issued in Lusaka on Sunday by HELSB Manager – Corporate Affairs, Chiselwa Kawanda.

“The remaining 869 applicants representing 15 percent were ineligible due to completion of Grade 12 before 2020, incomplete or incorrect documentation,” Kawanda said.

She added that other reasons for ineligibility included exceeding the age limit of 26 years, having points exceeding 30, and having been awarded at other universities.

“Geographic Distribution of Eligible Applicants was as follows: Urban: 2,477 (43%), Peri-Urban: 1,544 (26%) and Rural: 1,777 (31%),” Kawanda highlighted.

She said HELSB also received 29 applications from students with disabilities, of which 28 were granted loans.

Kawanda stated that the awards were carefully structured to ensure a balanced distribution across all provinces, with priority given to applicants demonstrating academic merit and high socio-economic vulnerability.

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