ONLINE LOAN APPLICATION SYSTEM GUIDELINES - HESLB

2.0 THE ONLINE LOAN APPLICATION PROCESS

The loan application process MUST follow the following order:

a) Pay the Loan application fee via M-Pesa

b) Do self registration with OLAS (the M-Pesa Transaction ID is required)

Note: for self registration visit http://olas.heslb.go.tz/selfregister

c) Fill in the Online application form

d) Print the completed Loan Application forms.

e) Append the relevant attachments to the application forms.

f) Take your application forms for attestation by a Magistrate or Public Notary/Advocate and by Local Government Authorities

g) Send the completed application package by EMS to HESLB (address is provided below)

Note: Applicants are advised to keep the EMS receipts and a copy of the completed application forms for future reference and follow up.

The above steps are explained in detail here under.

3.0 LOAN APPLICATION FEES

3.1 Mode of payment

All applicants MUST FIRST PAY the required loan application fee through VODACOM M-Pesa. Once the loan application fee has been paid and the TRANSACTION ID obtained, the applicant can then proceed to apply online. The received TRANSACTION ID can be used only once to self register with OLAS. This mode of payment was selected for ease of keeping track of all loan application fee payments on the part of the Loans Board and ease access of payment on the part of applicants.

3.2 Application Fees Payable

• First time applicants must pay a non refundable one off application fee of Tzs 30,000/=.

• All fifth year and sixth year continuing loan beneficiaries students must continue to pay Tzs 10,000/=.

• All second, third and fourth year continuing students who paid a one time loan application fee of Tzs 30,000/= for the academic year 2009/10, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 shall not be required to pay any fee.

3.3 How to pay the application fee through M-Pesa

Each applicant shall use the Form Four Index number as a Reference Number when making the electronic payment. The mobile money payment systems will generate a unique Transaction ID which will have to be input into the Online Loan Application System before the applicant is allowed to self register.

3.3.1 How to pay via M-Pesa

• A registered customer dials *150# from the mobile handset

• Choose option 4 for "Pay Bill" ("Lipa bili yako")

• Choose option 2 for "Select registered company number" ("majina ya kampuni yaliyohifadhiwa")

• Enter 10 (for HESLB)

• Enter the amount in Tshs to pay (30,000 or 10,000)

• Enter your 15 character reference number which is your Form Four index number e.g. S0143.0012.2009 (Ingiza namba yako ya kumbukumbu)

• Enter your 4 digit M-Pesa PIN

• Enter 1 to confirm

• A confirmation Message will be displayed

3.4 How to Format the Form Four Index Number

The Form Four index number is a combination of School or Centre Number, Candidate Examination Number and Year of Completing Form Four Secondary Education. For example the index number S0143/12/2009 is a combination of S- School Candidate, 0143- School or Centre Number, 0012= Candidate Examination Number and 2009 = Year of Examination. For the purpose of mobile payment systems the reference number shall be a 15 character represented as E.g. S0143.0012.2009

4.0 SELF REGISTRATION

4.1 Self Registration can only be done after appropriate loan application fee has been paid, for which a valid Transaction ID will be required as proof.

4.2 Candidates who resat for Form Four examination, are required to register using the oldest index number.

4.3 Candidates who sat for National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA)examinations fall under two categories namely, School and Private candidates

4.4 Candidates of other examination bodies such as Cambridge, Ugandan, Malawian, Zambian, Kenyan etc will include the examination number of respective body and year as appearing on the certificate. A different link is provided for self registration for such applicants.

4.5 During self registration, prospective candidates will be required to provide their Mobile phone numbers and E-mail addresses.

4.6 There are four possible Applicant categories for both First time Applicants and Continuing Students from which to select, namely:

• Local Undergraduate

• Local Postgraduate

• Overseas Undergraduate

• Overseas Postgraduate

4.7 To assist the system to identify an applicant in case one forgets his password, applicants must select a secret question and provide a secret answer.

4.8 After successful registration, the system will display the username (based on the Examination Index Number) and Applicants' names as used during Form Four Exams.

5.0 LOGIN

The applicants must use the username and password given to the Online Application System when self registering to log in and continue with the loan application process.

6.0 CHANGING PASSWORD

• Provision has been made to enable applicants to change their passwords to another whenever they forget or need to enhance security.

• In case an applicant forgets the password, the system will ask for the secret question and answer previously selected, or by resetting to e-mail (if provided).

• The new password must be at least 6 characters in length.

7.0 HOW TO FILL THE LOAN APPLICATION FORM

7.1 The Loan application form consists of several subforms appearing on the left side menu after the applicant has logged in. The applicant is required to fill in all the subforms by providing information on each of the fields of the subform.

7.2 The order of filling the subforms is predetermined. The application process can be stopped at any given time and when the applicant logs in again, the process can be continued from where one left off.

7.3 Some of the fields are mandatory. An applicant will not be able to proceed to the next step if no information is supplied in any mandatory field. Some fields are optional, applicants are free to supply the information if available or leave them blank.

7.4 When a subform has been duly filled the applicant shall click on the Submit Button. The successfully submitted forms will move from the left hand side menu to the right hand side of the main application page.

8.0 ONLINE HELP MENU

On the right hand side of each subform, there is online help for items on the form. The applicant can click on the particular link one needs help with and a popup window with further explanation will be displayed.

8.1 A Help Desk has been established at HESLB Headquarters and at the Zonal Offices to provide assistance to applicants who encounter difficulties. Applicants can seek assistance through the telephone numbers appearing on OLAS Website. The help Desk will operate from Mondays through Friday from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm and on Saturdays from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm.

8.2 Applicants from Unguja and Pemba may seek assistance from the HESLB Zanzibar Zonal Office through the following telephone numbers: 024 2235122/ 024 2235123/ 024 2235124 & 024 2235125.

9.0 PRINTING THE LOAN APPLICATION FORM

9.1 Upon completion of filling all the subforms, the applicant will be required to print the Loan application packagefor the purpose of verification with Local Government authorities (for first time applicants). Continuing students who are loan beneficiaries are not required to print the Loan Application Package unless one needs to correct some information or for personal records.

9.2 First time applicants will additionally be required to do the following:

9.2.1 To have their application forms certified by a Public Notary (Advocate or Magistrate)

9.2.2 To have a Guarantor attach a passport size photo and certify with a Public Notary/Advocate or Magistrate

9.2.3 Attach relevant certified copies of documents as outlined in the following schedules

(a) For Undergraduate Programmes

S/N	DOCUMENTS TO BE ATTACHED	JUSTIFICATION
(i)	Birth certificates or affidavit	Citizenship
(ii)	Death certificates	orphanage/Single Parency
(iii)	Doctor's recommendation	Disabilities
(iv)	Official Letter of Retirement of the parent	Retirement of the parent
(v)	Certified copy of Academic Certificates of Form IV & Form VI and/or Equivalent qualifications	Academic qualifications
(vi)	Photocopy of the Guarantor's Voters Registration Card or Passport	Identification/verification of applicant

(b) For Postgraduate Programmes

S/N	DOCUMENTS TO BE ATTACHED	JUSTIFICATION
(i)	Birth certificates or affidavit	Citizenship
(ii)	Doctor's recommendation	Disabilities
(iii)	Certified copies of first degree/advanced diploma or second degrees	Academic qualifications
(iv)	Copies of Admission Letters	Proof of admission
(v)	Letter of Employer	Proof of employment with an academic instituton

10.0 SUBMISSION OF PRINTED, ATTESTED LOAN APPLICATION HARDCOPIES

10.1 Applicants will be required to submit application packages printed from the Online Loan Application System together with copies of the documents listed under 9.2.3 above to the Board by EMS to: The Executive Director, Higher Education Students' Loans Board, TIRDO Complex, Kimweri Road, Msasani, P.O. Box 76068, DAR ES SALAAM.

10.2 Applicants are advised to retain the receipt obtained from the Post Office, for future follow up and reference. The receipt provides evidence that the form was actually submitted on a given date.

11.0 CONTINUING STUDENTS

All continuing students will only be required to indicate online whether they will continue to require loans from the Board or not.

12.0 DEADLINE FOR LOAN APPLICATIONS

The 2012/2013 Loan application cycle officially opens on 1st May 2013 and closes 30th June 2013 for ALL categories of applicants.

13.0 APPEALS AGAINST MEANS TEST RESULTS

Applicants who are not satisfied with the Awarded Loan Amounts may appeal to the Board as stipulated in the HESLB Regulations of 2008 and as clarified below:-

13.1 All appellants must complete the relevant Online Appeal Forms, make a printout of the same and attach thereto the necessary supporting documents. The online Appeals forms are accessible at http://olas.heslb.go.tz

13.2 All appeals will attract a non-refundable fee of Tzs. 5,000 per appeal which should be paid through M-Pesa using the modality explained above and the Transaction ID generated should be input into the Online System prior to appealing online, otherwise the appeal will not be considered.

13.3 After successful completion of the Online Appeal Form, the appellant must download the form and attach the necessary documents and hand over to the respective Loan Desk Officer.

13.4 Appeals must be routed through the respective Deans of Students or Loan Desk Officers who will collect all appeal forms from his/her respective Institution and submit them under a covering letter to the Board. The Board will not accept any appeal that will be submitted directly by students to the Board. The deadline for submission of appeals is 90 (ninety) days after the commencement date of the academic year for the respective Higher Education Institution.