HELB Does Not Cover Bootcamps: Financing Options That Exist

HELB, the Higher Education Loans Board, was established to fund students attending recognized higher education institutions in Kenya. That means public universities, private universities accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE), and TVET institutions registered with the TVET Authority.

Coding bootcamps do not fall into any of these categories. They are not universities. They are not TVETs. They are private training companies, and HELB's mandate does not extend to private training.

This is not a judgment on bootcamp quality. Some bootcamps produce better employment outcomes than some university programmes. But the funding structure was built for the formal education system, and bootcamps sit outside that structure.

The practical implication: if you are planning to attend a coding bootcamp, you need to find another way to pay. The good news is that bootcamps cost a fraction of a university degree, so the financing challenge is smaller than it appears.

Most reputable bootcamps in Kenya offer payment plans through M-Pesa. This is the most common financing method and the simplest to use.

At McTaba, the full programme costs KES 120,000. This can be paid in monthly instalments spread across the duration of the programme. You do not need to pay the full amount upfront. You pay as you learn.

How to evaluate a bootcamp's payment plan:

• Deposit: What is the upfront amount required to start? Most programmes ask for KES 10,000 to KES 30,000.
• Monthly instalments: What is the monthly amount, and does it fit your budget?
• Penalties: What happens if you miss a payment? Some programmes pause your access. Others charge a late fee. Understand the terms before signing.
• Refund policy: If you drop out in week 2, do you get a partial refund? Ask this before enrolling.

Compare the instalment amount to your current monthly expenses. If you are paying KES 8,000 per month for rent and KES 3,000 for food, adding KES 15,000 to KES 20,000 for bootcamp instalments is tight but possible if you reduce discretionary spending temporarily.

The most straightforward approach: work for 3 to 6 months, save aggressively, then enrol.

A realistic savings plan for a bootcamp costing KES 120,000:

• If you earn KES 25,000 per month: Save KES 20,000 per month for 6 months. Live lean. Cook at home. Cut non-essential subscriptions. Six months of sacrifice for six months of training.
• If you earn KES 15,000 per month: Save KES 12,000 per month for 10 months. This is harder, but possible if you reduce your expenses to the minimum and have family support for housing.
• If you are not earning yet: Take any available work for 3 to 6 months specifically to fund the bootcamp. Casual work, gig work, freelancing, whatever generates income. Frame it as a temporary investment in a permanent skill.

The psychology of saving for a bootcamp is different from saving for general expenses. You are saving for a specific amount, with a specific deadline, for a specific return. That specificity makes the sacrifice tolerable because you can see the finish line.

Open a separate M-Pesa savings account (like M-Shwari or KCB M-Pesa) and lock the money away so you are not tempted to use it for other expenses.

County bursary funds. Many of Kenya's 47 counties allocate bursary funds for youth skills development. The application process is usually through the county education office or the ward administrator. Not all counties fund bootcamps explicitly, but some have broad "skills training" categories that include tech training. Visit your county's education office and ask. The worst they can say is no.

Family contributions. In Kenyan culture, the harambee spirit extends to education. If your family cannot cover the full amount, partial contributions from multiple family members can close the gap. Present it as an investment: "I need KES 120,000 for a 6-month programme that will give me skills to earn KES 30,000 to KES 80,000 per month. Can you contribute KES 10,000 towards this?"

Chama or savings group. If you belong to a chama or investment group, some allow members to borrow from the pool for education purposes. The terms are usually better than a bank loan because the group knows you personally.

Employer sponsorship. If you are currently employed and your employer has a training budget, propose the bootcamp as professional development. Frame it as an investment that benefits the company: "This training will allow me to build internal tools and manage our website, reducing our outsourcing costs."

Start with a cheaper option. If KES 120,000 is out of reach right now, start with McTaba's Tech Foundations at KES 2,999. It covers the basics and gives you a foundation to continue learning for free while you save for the full programme.

A coding bootcamp at KES 120,000 feels expensive until you compare it to the alternatives.

Public university (4 years): KES 150,000 to KES 300,000 per year in tuition, plus KES 60,000 to KES 120,000 per year in accommodation and living costs. Total: KES 840,000 to KES 1,680,000 over four years.

Private university (4 years): KES 200,000 to KES 600,000 per year. Total: KES 800,000 to KES 2,400,000.

Coding bootcamp (6 months): KES 50,000 to KES 250,000 total. Living costs for 6 months add another KES 60,000 to KES 120,000. Total: KES 110,000 to KES 370,000.

The bootcamp is 10 to 20 percent of the cost of a university degree. The timeline to first income is also shorter: 6 to 12 months for a bootcamp graduate versus 4 to 6 years for a university graduate.

This is not a comparison of educational value. A degree offers breadth, a credential, and access to careers that require formal qualifications. A bootcamp offers depth in one skill and a faster path to employment. They serve different purposes. But if the question is "how do I finance this?", the bootcamp is dramatically cheaper.

You do not need to wait until you have the money to start learning. Free resources let you begin immediately while you sort out financing for a structured programme.

freeCodeCamp: Entirely free. Covers HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and more. No payment required ever.

The Odin Project: Free. Structured curriculum from beginner to full-stack.

YouTube: Traversy Media, The Net Ninja, and dozens of other channels offer full courses for free. Your only cost is data.

Start learning now. Save simultaneously. By the time you have enough for a bootcamp, you will have 2 to 3 months of self-taught fundamentals under your belt, which means you will move faster through the programme and get more value from every shilling you pay.

The biggest mistake is waiting for perfect financial conditions before starting to learn. Start with what is free. Level up to what costs money when you can afford it. The learning should never pause because the financing is not ready.