By: Momodou Gajigo
The Students Revolving Loan Scheme (SRLS) will open its first application cycle on 15 September 2026, offering interest-free tuition loans to eligible Gambian students enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at the country’s four public universities.
Applications will close on 30 September and must be submitted online through the official SRLS platform. The announcement was made on Wednesday at a press conference convened under the policy oversight of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST).
The first cycle is open to both new and continuing students at the Civil Service University (CSU), the University of Education, The Gambia (UEG), the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET), and the University of The Gambia (UTG). The loans will cover tuition only and will carry no interest.
SRLS Executive Director Dr Samba Bah said applicants must be Gambian citizens aged 18 or above and admitted to an accredited bachelor’s program at one of the four public universities. New students must meet their institution’s academic entry requirements, while continuing students must show satisfactory academic progress.
Applicants will also need proof of address, a valid Certificate of Character and evidence of finances. Those in employment must declare relevant work and income details. A key condition is that each applicant must name both a primary and a secondary guarantor.
Dr Bah urged prospective applicants to start assembling documents before the window opens. “This first cycle will be open to new and continuing students,” he said, stressing the need to prepare early and follow official SRLS guidance.
He said the Secretariat had spent the past nine months building the policies, systems and frameworks required for a national student financing program. That work included consultations with students, universities, technical experts, development partners and communities.
MoHERST Permanent Secretary Isatou Auber described the launch as a major step in government efforts to widen access to higher education. She said tuition costs remain a heavy burden for many Gambian families and that financing tools are essential if more qualified students are to complete their studies.
Ms Auber noted that the National Assembly passed the Students Revolving Loan Scheme Act in 2025, creating SRLS as a national student financing mechanism. The government, she said, expects the scheme to operate with transparency, accountability, fairness and sustainability, with students at the center of its work.
She described the opening of applications as a shift from setting up the scheme to putting it into practice. She urged students, parents and institutions to rely on official information and understand both the opportunities and the obligations that come with the loans.
SRLS has advised prospective applicants to gather identification and academic documents before 15 September.
