The Daystar University Financial Aid programme is exclusive of similar
Government programmes and offers a broad range of loans and scholarships
that enable bright but needy students to acquire University education. Some
of the available scholarships are need-based while others
are based on academic or sports merit. To apply for a
Daystar Scholarship or Loan, a student needs to first be admitted to
Daystar University.
Work-study scholarship:
This is a need-based scholarship that requires beneficiaries to work 10
hours a week.
Selected Scholarship:
A need- based scholarship that covers about 75% of the fees, with
beneficiaries re- evaluated annually.
One-time scholarship:
This is an award aimed at helping students who have not completed
paying their fees, enabling them to sit for semester exams.
Academic and Sports Merit Scholarship:
Awarded to first-year students with a mean score of A or A- in KCSE and
have applied for admission into Daystar University or a mean grade C+
and above, for those applying for sports scholarship.
Book Award:
Available annually to 12 students who have the highest GPA in their
respective year of study.
Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship:
The VC’s Office has a limited scholarship kitty that is awarded at the
discretion of the VC.
Writing & Speech Centre Scholarship:
A work-study scholarship awarded to student peer tutors.
Recommended scholarship:
This scholarship category is initiated by donors who may give full or
partial support.
All scholarships are work-study based since Daystar Financial Aid is a mentorship programme. Daystar Cares.
The Schefers Servant Leadership Loan Programme
Daystar University student loan program is designed to complement the already existing scholarship program by helping more students to meet their school fees obligations. The loan is funded by donations. The $250,000 USD (KES 25Million) to start the loan program was given by a married couple, El & Barb Schefers (aged 80 as at January 2021). Both were born to hard-working, low- income parents in North Central USA. With parents financially unable to help, El worked and got a small Student loan to complete his business degree. Barb was a full-time homemaker and care giver to their 4 children & 10 grandchildren, while El spent 40+ years working long hours selling Insurance. They were blessed with a good enough income to buy a small farm on which to raise their family and living modestly, they were also able to also help others like the Salvation Army locally.
The Schefers also helped 40 Daystar US scholarship students over many years. In the year 2013 on a Daystar University visit, they were impressed by the quality and character of 6 of these students and their hopes to help others have a better life and an education like they had received. Now retired, the Schefers took some of their savings and proceeds from the sale of part of the small farm to start the loan program. The Schefers want to have the program to grow over time to be their legacy of doing good now and through many years to come.
The loan program is entirely administered by Daystar University (DU). Daystar US (DUS), the fundraising arm of the University advises, but final decisions on the loan programs operation are made by DU. The program is operating as a revolving fund with the following features.
The amount donated has been invested with only the interest from the investment being available for the loan Program.
It is mainly targeting graduate students who currently do not benefit from other existing Daystar scholarship program. However, undergraduate students will also be considered.
The students will be offered an internship program at the University especially as Graduate Assistants/Tutors. There will also be efforts to partner with other institutions which can offer internships for the students.
The essence of the internship program is to propagate the Daystar values of servant leadership through mentorship in work ethics and giving back to the University. This is in addition to enabling the beneficiaries meet the loan repayment obligation to enhance growth of the fund.
The internship will run for a period of 3 months. The loan will be will be KES 90,000 per semester. The amount could however vary depending on a student’s need and ability to repay.
The loan awarded to the student will be recovered from the internship earnings. The student will be required to work within the year during which the loan is awarded. Those who will not take up the internship, will be required to pay the loan from their own resources.
The interest rate will 6% per annum on reducing balance basis.
The matched funds and interest earned from the loan will boost the revolving fund while the principle will be ploughed back to the endowment fund.
Application for the Schefers Loan Programme is open, click the tab below to download the application form.
