Achieving a university education is the dream of many students here in Tanzania. Each year, thousands of students are admitted to various universities across the country. Although they get the opportunity to join these institutions, affording the costs of education has become a challenge for many students. Since most students largely depend on scholarships and education loans from the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB), which has led to a high demand for such loans. This situation has caused some students to fail to fulfill their dreams of pursuing university education due to a lack of educational sponsorship loans.

However, the high demand for these loans has been one reason some fail to acquire them, but there are other reasons that lead students to completely miss out on these loans. These reasons include not meeting the qualifications and criteria to apply for the loan, as well as minor mistakes that occur during the application process, such as failing to upload required documents or omitting important details that could increase their chances of loan approval.

All these issues stem from either a lack of sufficient knowledge or accurate information about the essential considerations when submitting applications. Recognizing this, through this article we have provided everything you need to know when submitting your loan application for the year 2024/2025 including the HESLB Eligibility Criteria for the Loan Application, Key Dates and Deadlines, Key Dates and Deadlines and HESLB Application Process.

HESLB Eligibility Criteria for the Loan Application

The HESLB has specific eligibility criteria for HESLB Loan applicants, these criteria are aimed at primarily supporting students who may not have the financial means to pursue higher education. Applicants must be Tanzanian citizens and must have applied for an eligible and accredited degree or diploma program in a higher education institution within Tanzania. A summary of the HESLB Eligibility Criteria for the Loan Application have been elaborated below.

For diploma Applicants

The applicant must have the following qualifications: –

• Be a Tanzanian citizen not older than 27 years at the time of applying for the loan.
• Must be admitted to an educational institution offering mid-level education in the country.
• Must have completed and submitted a loan application through the Loan Application Management System (OLAMS).
• Must not be employed or have a government or private sector job contract that provides a salary or income.
• Must have graduated from Form Four (CSEE), Certificate (diploma) or Form Six (ACSEE) within the last five years; that is, between 2019 and 2023.
• Orphanhood; having lost one or both parents.
• Family or household with low income supported by the Social Action Fund (TASAF) or other national institutions that aid low-income households.
• Disability of the applicant or his/her parents.

For more details, please download the Application Guideline for Diploma (2nd Edition) 2023-2024

Undergraduate Applicants

For First year applicants undergraduate an applicant must   

• Be Tanzania citizen not older than 35 years at the time of application.
• Have Full time admission into an accredited higher education institution in Tanzania including the Open University of Tanzania.
• Complete and correct application through the Online Loan Application and Management System (OLAMS);
• Must not have a formal or regular income from employment or established contract in either public or private sector.
• Proof to have repaid at least 25% of any previous loan received from HESLB. This is applicable only to students ever dropped or discontinued from studies.
• Must have completed ACSEE or other equivalent qualifications within five (5) years, i.e. from 2019-2023 inclusive.

To balance equity and national priorities, the following parameters will be applicable in the order of priority.

• Orphanage
• Household vulnerability such as TASAF or any other relevant
• national support schemes
• Self and parent disability
• Sex
• Parent/ guardian employment status

Ranking and awarding considerations the following parameters are used to determine weights for individual applicants:

• National priority programs as detailed in program impact clustering under Section 4 of these Guidelines.
• Academic performance based on entry qualification award (academic merit); and (
• Affirmative and inclusion parameters to respond to sex, geopolitics, and union related ambition.

For more details on Undergraduate Applicants loan eligibility criteria you can download the Guidelines And Criteria For Issuance Of Loans And Grants To Students (Local Undergraduate Studies)

Postgraduate loan applicant

The following are primary criteria for a Postgraduate loan applicant to be considered for HESLB loans.

• Must be a Tanzania citizen.
• Must be admitted into an accredited higher education institution in Tanzania including the Open University of Tanzania.
• Should have completed and correctly applied for the loans through the Online Loan Application and Management System (OLAMS).
• In case of previous HESLB loan beneficiaries should prove to have repaid at least 25% of the previous loan. This is applicable only to students ever dropped or discontinued from studies.

Postgraduate Academic Staff

Applicants who are academic staff whose institutions signed a Financing Agreement with HESLB, must fulfill the following specific eligibility criteria: –

• Must hold a first Degree or an Advanced Diploma with a minimum of Upper Second Class (for applicants pursuing master’s degrees) or master’s degree with a minimum of Upper Second Class (for applicants pursuing PhD degrees);
• Must be academic staff admitted pursuing postgraduate studies on fulltime basis, at an accredited Higher Education Institution in Tanzania.
• Must have been formally nominated by the employer and obtained endorsement from the Vice Chancellor/Principal/Provost/Rector of the respective institution.
• Must have started to repay their previous loans for at least twelve months consecutively, or a lump sum of the same instalments if she/he was a previous loan beneficiary; and
• The employer must have signed the Financing Agreement between 5 HESLB and respective Higher Education Institution. Loans to applicants under this category shall be limited to Meals and Accommodation, research expenses, Tuition fee, Books, and stationery expenses. Other items may be determined and agreed between parties.

Fore details you can download the HESLB Guidelines And Criteria For Issuance Of Loans And Grants To Students Admitted Into Postgraduate Studies 2023/2024

Key Dates and Deadlines

The Loan Application window for 2024/2025 opens on 15th July 2024 to 15th October 2024.

Important Instructions to All Loan Applicants

All loan applicants for Academic Year 2023/2024 are required to observe the following:

• Read and follow application procedures stated in these Guidelines.
• Ensure that the Form Four Index Number provided when applying for loan matches with the one used in your application for admission to University or College.
• Applicants who sat for Form Four Examination more than once are required to list all Form Four Index Numbers.
• All documents submitted to support application should be certified by relevant authorities as specified in these Guidelines.
• Ensure that all birth/death certificates are certified by the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA), or Zanzibar Civil Status Registration Agency (ZCSRA) to ascertain their validity.
• Applicants born abroad should obtain a letter from RITA or ZCSRA to validate birth information. For applicants whose parent(s) died abroad should also obtain a letter from RITA to validate information provided.
• Ensure that loan application form is dully filled and signed before submission.
• Ensure that bank account details are properly filled in the application form. It should be noted that, if successful, the supplied bank details will be used to process payment, and therefore, they may not be changed without prior notice to HESLB.
• Applicants should provide a registered and reachable mobile phone number. The provided mobile phone number will be used to inform the applicant on the loan application progress; and
• All applicants must strictly observe the set application deadline.

Loan Application Fee

Undergraduate Applicants must pay a non-refundable, one-off application fee of TZS 30,000.00 and Postgraduate applicants (Academic staff, non-academic staff and NM-AIST) must pay a non-refundable, one-off application fee of TZS 50,000 using system generated control number vide bank (NMB, CRDB, TCB, NBC) or mobile money networks (Airtel Money, AzamPesa, M-PESA, TigoPesa) for details visit: https://olas.heslb.go.tz.

HESLB Application Process

The first step in making your online loan application is to register in the Loan Application and Management System (OLAMS). To register with the Loan Application and Management System (OLAMS) and obtain the Student’s Individual Permanent Account (SIPA), you are required to follow the following steps.

How to create HESLB Loan Applicant account

To create an OLAMS HESLB Applicant Account follow the steps below.

• Visit the Online Loan Application and Management System website: heslb.go.tz
• Go to the HESLB Loan Applicants section.
• Click the ‘Apply for Loan’ link.
• The Online Loan Application form will be open, fill the form by entering your Personal Details, Educational Background and create your password,
• Pay your HESLB application fee to complete registration process by
  • Fill your Applicant’s Socio-Economic Details
  • Parents’ /Guardian’s Details
  • Upload Attachments
    • Birth Certificate
    • National Identification

How to apply for HESLB Application 2024/25

All loan applications are made through the Loan Application and Management System (OLAMS). All loan applicants are REMINDED to use the same National Examination Form Four number used during the admission process.

• To start your application, visit the HESLB (OLAMS) at https://olas.heslb.go.tz/
• Once the website opens go to the Loan Applicants section and click Apply for Loan link to Create your SIPA HESLB OLAMS ACCOUNT. 
• Pay your Loan Application Fees. Applicants must pay a non-refundable, one-off application fee of TZS 30,000/= through GePG using a provided Control Number vide bank (NMB, CRDB, TPB) or mobile money networks (Vodacom M-PESA, TIGO PESA, and AIRTEL MONEY etc) for details visit: https://olas.heslb.go.tz.
• Complete the sections on the screen.
• Upload required supporting documents where applicable.
• After completing the application process online, you will need to download the loan application forms and contracts from the internet, stamp the relevant parts, sign the forms, attach the required documents, and submit the signed pages (numbers 2 and 5) of the application form in OLAMS.
• Click on ‘Submit’ send the completed application to HESLB.

How to access Your HESLB OLAMS Account

To access an OLAMS HESLB Login Applicants Portal follow the steps below.

• Visit the Online Loan Application and Management System (OLAMS HESLB) website heslb.go.tz
• Go to the HESLB Loan Applicants Login section. 
• Click the link ‘Login for Registered Applicants’
• Enter Form Four Index Number *: (e.g. S0143.0078.1990), Password and a displayed security code.
• Then click the login button to access your account.
• You are now logged into your HESLB Account.

Required Documents for Application

The following are the key documents to support application: –

• Death certificate to prove orphanage (RITA or ZCSRA).
• Self-Disability Form (SDF-1) endorsed by the District Medical Officer (DMO) or Regional Medical Officer (RMO) or any designated medical expert with recognized affiliations.
• Parent Disability Form (PDF-2) endorsed by the District Medical Officer (DMO) or Regional Medical Officer (RMO) or any designated medical expert with recognized affiliations.
• Corporate Sponsorship Form (SCSF-3) supporting financial assistance received by applicant during pre-university/college schooling. SCSF-3 to be endorsed by applicant’s corporate sponsor.
• Household vulnerability evidence endorsed by approved District Social Welfare Officer.
• Retirement letter endorsed by the last employer recognized by the National Pension Scheme.
• Social Support Beneficiary’s number from Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF).

What Happens After Submission?

After submitting your application, The HESLB will review all the applications. after the review process the list of successful loan applicants with their corresponding allocations will be published through the Student’s Individual Permanent Account (SIPA) used during loan application or on HESLB website after batch approval. It is recommended that you should regularly login to your SIPA account to check the status of your application.

The HESLB Repayment Terms

Upon completion of your higher education studies, you will be required to repay your loan in full or through monthly deductions of not less than 15% of basic salary/income or a sum not less than TZS 100,000.00 a month for beneficiaries in full the informal sector. In case of termination of studies, the total amount received shall be repaid in full. All loans shall be subject to one-time 1% administration fee on principal amount.