1
HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS’ LOANS BOARD
GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA FOR ISSUANCE OF STUDENTS’ LOANS AND GRANTS FOR THE 2017/2018 ACADEMIC YEAR
1.0 IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL APPLICANTS
All loan applicants for academic year 2017/18 are strongly reminded to:
(i) Read, understand and follow application procedures stated in these guidelines for academic year 2017/18;
(ii) Use the same details to be submitted with the admission from the respective University/Higher Learning Instutition;
(iii) Ensure that all documents submitted to support your application are certified by the relevant authorities specified in the guidelines;
(iv) Ensure that all birth/death certificates and other certificates are certified by Registration, Insolvency and Trustee Agency (RITA) or the designated officer(s) to ascertain their validity. However, District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) will have to enclose parents’ death reports from village or ward authorities;
(v) Ensure that details about parents/ guardians (occupation, employer address, telephone number, postal and physical address ) are complete and correct. Applicants whose parents are leaders listed in Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act 1995 are expected not to apply;
(vi) Applicants whose parents/guardians are business owners, senior managers in established sectors recognized by revenue and registration authorities are expected not to apply;
(vii) Applications must be complete and correct. Once submitted, applicants will not be able to recall/correct their details;
(viii) Successful applicants, upon successful completion/termination of their studies, will be required to repay their loans through salary/regular income deductions of not less that 15% monthly;
(ix) All applicants must strictly observe application deadline.
2
2.0 OVERVIEW
The Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) was established under the Act No. 9 of 2004 and commenced its operations in July, 2005. HESLB is mandated to, among others, issue loans and/or grants to needy and eligible students. Application window for academic year 2017/18 opens on 6th August, 2017 through 4th September, 2017.
3.0 ELIGIBILITY
HESLB Act and regulations provide for General Eligibility and Criteria for applicants seeking loans. NEEDY and ELIGIBLE applicants may apply for loans and/or grants to meet part, or all costs of their education.
3.1 NEEDY
In addition to general eligibility, additional criteria define NEEDY applicant who should not exceed 30 years of age at the time of application, who may:-
(i) Be an orphan who has lost parents;
(ii) Have disability to be certified by District Medical Officer (DMO), Regional Medical Officer (RMO) or any entity authorised to certify such cases;
(iii) Have parents with disability to be certified by District Medical Officer (DMO), Regional Medical Officer (RMO) or any entity authorised to certify such cases;
(iv) Be from lower income household and/or marginalized community whose secondary or diploma education was sponsored by istutitions, required to provide written and authenticated evidence of such sposnosrships.
3.2 GENERAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AS PRONOUNCED BY THE ACT
General Eligibility criteria requires an applicant to meet the following conditions: -
(i) Must be a Tanzanian;
(ii) Must have applied for a loan through the Online Loan Application and Management System (OLAMS);
(iii) Must not have have funding from other sources;
(iv) Must be a continuing student with results/progress to continue with studies.
3
3.3 OTHER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
(i) Eligibility for loan shall be granted by order of Neediness and , programs clusters;
(ii) Applicants must have graduated their ACSE and/ other equivalent qualifications within three (3) years, i.e. starting 2015 onwards.
4.0 PROGRAM CLUSTERS After establishing applicants neediness, and meeting requirements under sections 3.1 and 3.2 above, the following program clusters will be used to determine the loans to be issued in the priority orders subject to availability of funds.
4.1 CLUSTER I
Courses under this cluster include: -
(i) Education (Science) and Education (Mathematics);
(ii) Health Sciences (Doctor of Medicine, Dental Surgery;
(iii) Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Midwifery, BSc in Prosthetics and Orthotics, BSc in Physiotherapy, BSc in Health Laboratory Sciences, BSc in Medical Laboratory Sciences and BSc in Radiotherapy Technology) and other Health Sciences;
(iv) Irrigation Engineering;
(v) Petroleum and Gas Engineering.
4.2 CLUSTER II
Courses under this cluster include:
(i) Engineering Programmes (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Mining, Mineral and Processing, Textile, Chemical and Processing, Agriculture, Food and Processing, Automobile, Industrial, Electrical and Electronics, Legal and Industrial Metrology, Maritime Transportation, Marine Engineering Technology,Electronics and Telecommunication, Computer, Computer Science Software, Information Systems and Network, Environmental, Municipal and Industrial Services, and Bio-Processing and Post-Harvest);
(ii) Agricultural and Forestry Sciences Programmes (Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture, Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness;
4
(iii) Forestry, Aquaculture, Wildlife Management, Life Sciences, and Food Science and Technology);
(iv) Animal Sciences and Production;
(v) Science Programmes (BSc General, BSc in/with Applied Zoology, Botanical, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Aquatic Environmental Sciences and Conservation, Geology, Petroleum Geology, Petroleum Chemistry, Mathematics, Mathematics and Statistics, Environmental Science and Management, Environmental Health, Biotechnology and Laboratory, Wildlife and Conservation and Computer);
(vi) Land Sciences Programmes (Architecture, Landscape and Architecture,Interior Design, Building Survey, Building Economics, Urban and Regional Planning, Land Management and Valuation, and Geospatial Sciences).
All other courses not listed in either of the clusters, will fall under cluster III.
5.0 LOAN ITEMS, MEANS TESTING AND AMOUNTS TO BE ALLOCATED
HESLB may provide loans to cover all or either of the following;
(i) Meals and Accomodation (M&A)
(ii) Tuition Fee (TU)
(iii) Books and Stationery (B&S)
(iv) Special Faculty Requirements (SFR)
(v) Research
(vi) Field Practical Training
5.1 Means Test System
Means Testing (MT) will be used to determine applicants’ neediness for financial assistance. School Fees paid in CSEE, ACSE and equivalent qualifications including diplomas is one of the factors considered to establish ability to contribute to the costs of higher education.
Therefore, the neediness shall be measured as a difference between total annual costs to pursue individual program at respective HLI and established applicant’s ability.
5.2 Distribution of Loanable Items
Loans allocation to succesful applicants will be distributed starting with Meals and Accomodation (MA); Tuition Fee (TU) then Books and Stationery (BS), followed by Special Faculty Requirement (SFR) then Research (RS) and finally Field Practical Training (FPT) based on the remaining amount from the preceding loan item.
5
5.3 Approved Tuition Fee Rates
Applicable tuition fees for all successful applicants shall be pegged to the equivalent tuition fees rates approved for/paid in Public Higher Education Institutions.
5.4 Continuing students who are loan beneficiaries
All continuing loans beneficiaries (both Local undergraduate and Overseas) shall continue to receive their loans as per their previous Means Test Grades upon submission of examination results/progress. All continuing loan beneficiaries ARE NOT REQUIRED TO APPLY .
5.5 Meals and Accommodation, Books and Stationery, Tuition Fees, Field Practical Training expenses and Special Faculty Requirements
Payments for Meals and Accomodation, Books and Stationery, Field Practical Training and Research expenses shall be paid directly to the student while tuition Fees and Special Faculty Requirements shall be paid to the respective Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
6.0 OTHER CONDITIONS ON ISSUANCE OF LOANS
6.1 Liability of Guarantors, Parents, and Commissioners for Oath
Parents/Guarantors are responsible to confirm the correctness of information submitted in the application before signing . The guarantors are expected to ensure that the loans are repaid and must be aware of the borrowers’ whereabouts until the loans are fully repaid. In case of default, guarantor shall be responsible to pay the due loan.
6.2 Loan Repayment
After completion of the Higher Education, a loan beneficiary shall be required to repay his/ her loan through monthly deductions of not less than 15% of salary/income.
6.2.1 Loan Repayment Requirements
6.2.1.1 Value Retention Fee
For the purpose making the loan scheme sustainable, a Value Retention Fee equal to 6% (six percent) per annum from the date of receiving loan items is charged.
6
6.2.1.2 Loan Administration Fee
All students’ loans shall be subjected to 1% Loan Administration fee
6.2.1.3 Penalty Fee
If a beneficiary fails to repay his/her loan after expiration of grace period of 24 months after completion of studies, shall be charged a 10% penalty.
7.0 INTER-UNIVERSITY AND INTERNAL TRANSFERS
HESLB shall not raise a duplicate loan payment to such students who voluntarily move to others HEIs. Upon recieving confirmation from relevant authorities, a loan transfer will be effected. No loans’ transfers will be made 90 days after first admission. Transfers will be done based on previous amounts allocated.
List of Candidates admitted to Higher Education Institutions.
HESLB will consider loan application from students whose admissions have been approved and submitted by relevant authorities.
8.0 MODE OF APPLICATION
All loan applications will be done through Online Loan Application and Management System (OLAMS). Applicants are REMINDED to use the same form four index numbers used while applying for admissions.
Upon completion of online application process, applicants shall be required to print out the application forms and Loan Agreements, obtain appropriate authentifications, sign the forms, attach necessary documents and submit the same through EMS to:
The Executive Director,
Higher Education Students’ Loans Board,
Plot No.8, Block 46, Off Sam Nujoma Road, Mwenge,
P.O. Box 76068,
DAR ES SALAAM.
Applicants are REMINDED to keep full set of the applications, attachments submitted and EMS receipts used for mailing their applications to HESLB for tracking where neccesary.
7
9.0 LOAN APPLICATION FEE
Applicants must pay a non-refundable, one-off application fee of TZS 30,000.00 be through M-pesa, Tigo-Pesa, Airtel Money, CRDB Bank and NMB Bank. For details visit: https:/olas.heslb.go.tz
10.0 APPLICATION DEADLINE
The Loan Application window for 2017/2018 opens on 6th August, 2017 through 4th September, 2017.
Publication of Succesful Applicants
A list of successful applicants shall be posted on the website: www.heslb.go.tz
11.0 APPEALS AGAINST AWARDED LOAN AMOUNTS
Applicants who are unsatisfied with the allocations may appeal by completing the relevant Online Appeal Forms. Details to be provided later. .
12.0 INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS
Applicants or loan beneficiaries with inquiries or complaints will have to follow procedures displayed in the loan application window.
13.0 POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
Eligible students for loans for the 2017/2018 academic year, admitted to pursue Postgraduate Degree Programmes must fulfil the General Eligibility Criteria set in 3.2 above.
In addition to the General Eligibility Criteria, applicants must fulfil eligibility criteria specific to the Postgraduate applicants category which are:
(i) They must hold a first Degree or an Advanced Diploma, with a minimum of Upper Second Class (for applicants pursuing Masters Degrees) or Master’s Degree with minimum of Upper Second Class (for applicants pursuing PhD degrees);
(ii) They must be academic members of staff, admitted to pursue postgraduate studies on fulltime basis, at an accredited Higher Education Institution in Tanzania;
(iii) They must have been officially nominated by the employer, and obtained endorsement by the Vice Chancellors/Principal/Provosts/ of the respective institution;
8
(iv) They must have started to repay their previous loans at least for an unbroken period of twelve months, or a lump sum of the same instalments if he/she was previously a Students’ Loans Board’s beneficiary;
(v) The employer must have signed the Financing Agreement between the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board and the Higher Education Institution.
13.1 Postgraduate students admitted at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)
To strengthen national capacity in research, ICT and innovation, HESLB issues loans to students addmited to pursue Masters and PhD in Science related programmes courses at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NMAIST).
Eligible students for loans for 2017/2018 academic year, must fulfil General Eligibility Criteria set in 3.2 above.
In addition to the General Eligibility Criteria set in 3.2 above, applicants must fulfil eligibility specific to the postgraduate applicants in the NM-AIST category: -
(i) Must have been admitted at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) to pursue Masters or PhD program in one of the under listed priority sectors:
• Life Sciences,
• Mathematical & Computer Scienc Engineering,
• Information and Communication Science Engineering.
• Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Sciences.
(ii) Must have been employees in Public Institutions and worked for a minimum of two (2) years;
(iii) Must be guaranteed by their employers with respect to repayment of the loans;
(iv) Must have started to repay their previous loans at least for an unbroken period of twelve months, or a lump sum of twelve instalments, if they were previously Higher Education Students’ Loans Board’s beneficiaries.;
(v) Repayment for NM-AIST postgraduate students’ loans shall start to repay immediately upon completion of the first year of study by monthly instalments deducted by employers from beneficiary’s salary and remitted to the Board.
9
13.2 Postgraduate students admitted at Law School of Tanzania (LASCOT) Students
Law School students who are eligible for loans in the 2017/2018 academic year must meet the following conditions:
Must fulfil the General Eligibility Criteria set in Section 3.2 above.
In addition to the General Eligibility Criteria set in Section 3.2 above, applicants must fulfil eligibility criteria specific to the Postgraduate applicants at Law School of Tanzania (LASCOT) which are: -
(i) Must have graduated LLB Degree not more than three years back (i.e. from 2014 to 2016);
(ii) Loans will be issued ONLY to the NEEDY Applicants based on Means Test Results;
(iii) In case the applicant is a previous loans beneficiary whose loan has matured, he/she must have paid all due instalments.
Loans for Law School students may be issued to cover either partially or fully, the following items:
(i) Books and Stationery expense;
(ii) Tuition Fees
13.3 Applicable rates for Postgraduate Students
13.3.1 Meals and Accommodation
The Board may provide loans for Meals and Accommodation at the rate of Tzs10,000 per day while on campus for theoretical instructions or in field for data collection.
13.3.2 Books and Stationery expenses
A maximum of Tzs 500,000.00 per annum for Books and Stationery may be granted to eligible students persuing Masters and PHD. A maximum of Tzs 200,000.00 per annum for Books may be granted to Postgraduate students admitted at Law School of Tanzania.
13.3.3 Tuition Fee
HESLB may provide tuition fee loans at 100% rate based on the rates charged by the respective Higher Learning Institution. With exception of the Law School of Tanzania (LASCOT).
10
13.3.4 Research expenses
HESLB may provide loans at 100% rate for Research expenses in all fields , based on the rates applicable at HEI as may be endorsed from time to time . Applicable rates include a maximum of Tzs 2,000,000 per annual for Master Degree program and a maximum of Tzs 5,000,000 per annum for a Phd Degree programme.
PART B: ISSUANCE OF GRANTS
14.0 GRANTS:
14.1 Grants Items
Subject to availability of funds Grants may be issued to cover in full the following items:
(i) Meals and Accommodation
(ii) Tuition Fees
(iii) Books and Stationery expenses
(iv) Special Faculty Requirement expenses
(v) Field Practical Training expenses
(vi) Research expenses
14.2 Eligibility Criteria
Grants will be shall be governed by the following Specific Eligibility Criteria:
14.2.1 Must be a direct entrant admitted to fully accredited HEls in Tanzania and who is confirmed to be dissabled and supported by a certificate of disability from the District Medical Officer (DMO), Regional Medical Officer (RMO) or any entity authorised to certify such cases;
14.2.2 Must fill the grant application form and submit the same through the Academic office of the respective institution;
14.2.3 Continuing students Grants Beneficiary shall continue to benefit Grants if he/she has passed the examinations necessary to enable him/her to proceed to the next year or stage of study.
Eligible students for Grants for 2017/2018 academic year, admitted to pursue Undergraduate Degree Programmes must fulfil the General Eligibility Criteria set in 3.2 above.
A separate advertisement calling for applications for grants shall be floated to HEIs in October, 2017.
11
Issued by:
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS’ LOANS BOARD
August 3rd, 2017
Comments