Ritika Pratap 
The government plans a significant expansion of its tertiary scholarship and loans scheme, aiming to sponsor over 13,000 new students in the upcoming financial year.
This initiative, backed by a substantial budget allocation of $153 million, will also continue support for 11,593 ongoing students.
Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service Board Chair, Ro Teimumu Kepa, has applauded the increased assistance, highlighting its potential to broaden access to higher education across the nation.
Ro Teimumu says the scheme will enable students from other divisions to access funding to pursue further studies.
“We will be able to help more students, not only in the urban areas, universities or overseas scholarships as well, but also for the rural, maritime and remote areas because that is where many of the people reside, go school there and we need to help them.”
Ro Teimumu is advising students to explore all opportunities to access education grants, even when they do not meet the cut-off mark.
“What they should do, is that they can go online but in some areas they are not able to get because of the lack of network coverage, they can come to the office and find out what extra schemes and grants are available for them.”
The government has revised local allowance rates for tertiary students. Under the new rates: Students on the Merit Based High Achievers Local Scholarships Scheme will receive $7,600.
Students from other scholarship schemes who are based outside the campus city will receive $5,600.
Students with special needs will receive $8,600.
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