Financial grant support available for tertiary students

Tertiary-level students who are facing challenges in financing their tuition are being urged to apply for support through the Ministry of Education and Youth's Tertiary Students' Assistance Programme (TSAP).

To access the grant funding, applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 35 years on or before December 31 in the year of application; be a full-time student; be accepted to or registered in a tertiary-level programme at a University Council of Jamaica (UCJ)-approved tertiary institution; and be able to complete voluntary community service hours, in accordance with the guidelines established upon approval. Returning students are required to have a minimum grade point average of 2.2. The ministry, in a bulletin, said that the maximum award available to students for each academic year is $299,999.

Applicants are being advised that should any single award or the sum total of multiple awards exceed $300,000, the candidate will be bonded to work in Jamaica for a prescribed period of time. The length of the bond period will be determined by the bands outlined in the Bonding Policy of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service. Applications for the financial assistance grants open on April 1 and close on June 30. Students are required to submit their application via the ministry's TSAP portal at https://tsap.moey.gov.jm/Home/. Only shortlisted applicants will be called for an interview.

Supporting documents when submitting application should include: letter of acceptance (new students only); status letter (continuing students); progress report (transcript) for continuing students only; evidence of outstanding balances or tuition fees from the institution; certified copy of a recent passport photograph; job letter, if employed; a certified copy of the birth certificate; and a certified copy of the tax registration number (TRN).

Evidence of need in the form of two reference letters from a principal or teacher, pastor, guidance counsellor or a representative from Student Support Services, member of parliament, or a justice of the peace should also be submitted. Applications without appropriate supporting documents will not be processed. For further information, please call 876-612-6051/876-612-6054 or email grants@moey.gov.jm.