The Ministry of Education and Sports has announced that none of the 1,881 student loan appeals submitted for the 2025–2026 academic year will be considered, citing severe budget limitations.
In al statement, Permanent Secretary Dr Kedrace R. Turyagyenda confirmed that the appeals were lodged by applicants who failed to secure support during the first round of selections under the Higher Education Students Financing Scheme.
Dr Turyagyenda explained that although the law allows unsuccessful applicants to appeal, the ministry simply does not have the funds to support the overwhelming number of requests received.
“This year, we received a total of 1,881 appeals, and supporting them requires additional funding. While we fully recognize the importance of higher education financing in promoting equitable access, the available budget for the current financial year is insufficient to accommodate these additional requests,” she stated.
She emphasized that the decision was driven purely by financial constraints and not the academic merit of the applicants.
“The Ministry wishes to inform all appellants that the appeals could not be considered due to budget constraints. This decision is purely financial and does not in any way undermine the merit or urgency of the appeals submitted,” Dr Turyagyenda said.
Despite the setback, she reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to lobbying for more resources so that more eligible learners can be supported in the coming years.
“We remain committed to advocating for more funding to ensure that additional eligible learners can benefit from the Scheme in the future,” she noted.
Dr Turyagyenda concluded by acknowledging the frustration the decision may cause.
“We regret any inconvenience or disappointment this decision may have caused,” she said.
Speaking to Parliament on Wednesday, 29, Dr. John C. Muyingo, State Minister for Higher Education said that this year, out of 7,125 applicants, only 2,047 (28%) were successful. The demand for student loans has exponentially increased, outpacing the available resources.
The Ministry received 5,920 applications for undergraduate degree courses and 1,205 for diploma programs. Of the successful applicants, 1,186 (58%) are male and 861 (42%) are female, reflecting the positive impact of affirmative action for female students, which awards extra points to female applicants.
“The total number of female successful applicants this year was 861, up from 517 supported last academic year,” Dr. Muyingo added.
Education and engineering were the most popular fields among beneficiaries, with 513 students taking education courses and 440 in engineering programs. The loans also supported 45 students with disabilities, up from 29 last year.
