61. What are the requirements that I must satisfy and meet before being granted any release to travel overseas?
The following requirements needs to be submitted or sorted out by directly contacting FRCS.
- Duly completed form IRS458 available on www.tsls.com.fj or www.frcs.org.fj.
- Request letter addressed to CEO of FRCS.
- Letter from TSLS to confirm outstanding loan or bond service amount.
- Guarantee of Bond (Overseas Travel) Form – TSLS 11.
- Guarantor’s TIN letters or photocopy of FRCS/FNPF Joint Card.
- Guarantor’s recent pay slip or Bank Statements
- For students in employment, a letter from the employer must be submitted.
- Copy of the return air ticket with the travel itinerary.
- Copy of the Passport.
- Visa details.
- The student may be required to pay a certain percentage of the dues to the Fijian government.
- FRCS reserves the right to impose any other conditions.
You need to visit FRCS website
https://www.frcs.org.fj for exact requirements and any changes that may be announced
.
62. Can my TELS be terminated? If so how and what happens after my TELS is terminated?
TELS can be terminated either by you or TSLS. You may terminate TELS by filling and submitting Form TSLS 04. You can terminate the scholarship with or without providing any reason(s) to TSLS. However, providing the reason will allow TSLS to discuss options that you may have in case you are terminating the same due to reasons that may be affecting your academic performance.
TSLS may terminate your TELS on the same grounds as those listed in Question No. 56.
Should the award be terminated by TSLS, or you wish to terminate the award, you will be required to repay the total monetary value the Fijian Government has expended upon your studies from the commencement date till date of termination of your award with the applicable penalty rate at the time of termination in one single payment or under any other arrangement with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (“FRCS”). FRCS’s discretion is unfettered.
The current penalty rate for TELS termination is 10% of the total cost incurred by TSLS till the point of termination on your studies.
63. Can I apply for TELS again or any other Fijian Government or Donor Funded Scholarships administered by TSLS if my TELS has been terminated or if I have not completed my current bond obligation?
No. You can only apply for TELS again or any other Fijian Government or Donor Funded Scholarships administered by TSLS where your TELS has been terminated unless you have fully paid off the total amount due on termination with the appropriate rate of penalty.
To be eligible to apply you need to pay off your existing debt to FRCS and submit your FRCS bond clearance letter to TSLS with your application.
64. Can I Upgrade my program under TELS?
No, if in case your existing qualification was funded under any of the Fijian Government Scholarship or Loan Scheme. Starting from 2021, there will be no successive upgrade of qualifications. You may apply for a successive upgrade only if you have completely served the current bond or paid off in total of the amount that has been expanded on your studies. Once this is cleared, then only may you apply for a successive upgrade in the same area of studies, not prior to that. For example, a student funded by TSLS under TELS for Certificate in Accounting, can apply for TELS to continue his/her studies in Diploma in Accounting after completing the Certificate level program and either paying off for the amount utilized while completing the Diploma completing the bond service.
However, even after bond service and total amount clearance, TELS is not available for upgrade of following as follows:
- Above Degree level qualification. That is post graduate qualification;
- Another qualification at the same level. E.g., a person with a Diploma level qualification wishing to enrol for another Diploma level qualification;
- Those wishing to teaching training qualification after completing a plain degree qualification such as Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Science etc. Such courses include Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Education etc.; and
- Professional accreditation courses such as FIA, CPA, CISCO etc. after or while doing a degree program.
65. Am I bonded as a TELS student?
All TELS recipients will be bonded for the actual amount paid by TSLS for Tuition, Accommodation, or any other costs for the funded program.
66. What does the bond mean?
After graduation, and getting into employment, you will have to repay the Fijian Government the actual amount paid for your tuition and allowances, together with any interest accrued at the rate of 20% of your Gross Income per annum. The total amount that you need to repay depends on how quickly you pay your debt and the amount of discount you get under the TELS Accelerated Repayment Incentive.
Remember it is your responsibility to notify FRCS about your employment details and start repaying your debt.
You will not be allowed to leave the country without the FRCS Travel clearance unless your determined debt is fully repaid and bond clearance letter issued.
67. Do I require guarantors for signing the bond for TELS?
No. Students are self-guarantors.
68. What happens if I submit any false information to TSLS or FRCS?
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that any information submitted to TSLS/FRCS at any stage during the application, application processing, course of studies and post-graduation to provide true and complete information.
The False Information Act 2016 ('Act') establishes liability for the provision of false Information to any officer, agent or representative of the Government or an entity. Section 2 provides the definition of 'entity' as an organization that receives funding from the Government and which the Attorney-General prescribes by notice in the Gazette.
Section 2 also provides the definition of 'false information' as meaning information which is false, Incorrect, untrue or misleading in whole or part, substance or form.
Section 4(1) of the Act provides that a person must not knowingly make a false representation to any officer, agent or representative of the Government or entity for the purpose of obtaining a benefit. Section 4(2) further provides that any person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $20000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or to both.
Section 7 of the Act further provides the meaning of 'knowingly' as if the person is aware that the information the person is providing false information, is aware that the information the person is providing is likely to be false information and is reckless in that regard or provides any information and is reckless as to whether that information is false information.
Section 8 of the Act provides that Part 7 of the Crimes Act 2009 apply to offences under this Act and section 9 of the Act provides that absolute liability applies to the offences under this Act in accordance with section 25 of the Crimes Act 2009.
Section 10 of the Act provides for the recovery of the benefit from a person convicted of an offence under the Act and section 11 provides for the recovery of the benefit from a third party.
TSLS /FRCS reserve the right to terminate the award and execute the recovery action should it be established that the student furnished false information at any stage of schemes application and benefit.
69. When does the application for TELS open? When does it close?
Application opening and closing date will be published in the local media, TSLS website and official social media after the budget announcement each year. This will normally be in July of each year.
Application closing date will strictly be 31 December of each year. TSLS will not receive or consider any late application for TELS under any circumstances unless the closing date is extended.
70. How do I apply for TELS?
You need to apply using the TSLS Online application portal available on
www.tsls.com.fj using the following steps:
- Scan and get all the required documents ready before starting the process of applying online in the pdf, png, or jpg format. Scan and save each document separately and ensure that each scanned document does not exceed 5MB in terms of file size.
- Visit www.tsls.com.fj and register for TSLS online application. Applicants cannot apply online unless registered first.
- Once registered fill the appropriate information.
- Upload all the required documents.
- Submit the online application.
- Applicants for NTS need not fill another TELS application as all unsuccessful applications for NTS will be considered for TELS if they have met the required marks/GPA in Year 13 or equivalent studies.
- Students will not be able to submit the form unless all mandatory fields are filled with the exception of Year 13 results and final offer letter. Year 13 results and final offer letter from the institutions need to be uploaded before the application processing closing date.
71. Can I apply without my Year 13 results and Offer letter from the institutions as Year 13 results are only released in December while Offer letters may be received after the closing date of 31st December each year?
Yes. You can and must to apply before 31st December each year even if you do not have Year 13 results or the offer letter from the institution or both. TSLS online application system is designed in such a way that you can apply with these essential documents and upload the same even after the closing date.
So, you need to ensure that you have applied and completed all aspects of the application, except Year 13 results and offer letters before the application closing date.
Your application will only be processed after you have uploaded the Year 13 results and offer letter from the institutions. However, you will not miss out on the award if you have met the qualifying criteria and uploaded these 2 essential documents before the last day of application processing.
You need to log into TSLS website
www.tsls.com.fj for TELS application processing opening and closing date for each year.
72. Can I attach my provisional offer letter from the institution for my TELS application?
No. You must never attach your provisional offer letter with your TSLS application. In case you do this, your offer letter will be removed, your application moved to incomplete state or even totally rejected by TSLS.
73. How would I be notified the outcome of my TELS application?
You will be notified on the outcome of your application in January of the new year. The notification will be sent to the email address that you used to register and apply for the scholarship.
You must also login into your TSLS account on TSLS website
www.tsls.com.fj and check on your application status on your home/landing page. In case your application was successful, your application status will change from “Processing” to “Approved” and you will be given the option to download your “TELS Offer Letter” and “Bond Form”.
In case you were not successful with the application, your application status will change Processing” to “Rejected” on your home/landing page.
74. How do I fill the bond form and offer letter if I have received the provisional offer letter?
After your application is processed and if you are successful with your TELS application, a copy of the personalized TELS Provisional Offer Letter and Bond Form will be available on your TSLS Home/Landing page.
You need to download and fill the documents as follows:
- Offer letter- read and initial all pages on the bottom right-hand corner. Then enter your details and sign off on the last page of the letter and get the same witnessed and scan and save the whole document (all pages). The offer letter can be witnessed by anyone elder than you who can read and understand English.
- Bond Form – fill and sign only pages and 1 and 3 only. Do not fill anything on Schedules 1 and 2 of the bond form.
After filling and signing the bond form, scan and save the entire (all pages) of the bond form.
You need to upload the entire scanned copy of the bond form and offer letter (no more than 5MB for each) and upload on TSLS account on your landing/profile page.
75. How much time do I have to complete the bond form and offer letter and submit the same to TSLS?
You must sign and scan every page of the bond form and offer letter and upload on your landing/home page on TSLS website www.tsls.com.fj within 7 days from the date shown on your offer letter.
In case you fail to sign and upload the bond form and offer within 7 days from the date of offer, your application will be rejected and you will be required to re-apply when application opens for the following term. You will miss out on the financial assistance for the term for which you initially applied.
76. When and how is my TELS confirmed?
Once you have uploaded your completed and signed offer letter and bond form, TSLS will carry out its assessment.
Upon assessment of your signed offer letter and bond if the documents are in order, you will receive another email to indicate that your award has been confirmed.
The application status on your landing page will change from “Approved” to “Confirmed”.
Log into your online application portal and download and print your confirmation letter from your profile page. This will be uploaded by TSLS at the same place where you downloaded your offer letter and bond form from.
Once this is done, your application processing is completed and there is no need for you to come to TSLS in relation to your application matters.
77. What should I do after I have received the award confirmation letter from TSLS?
Enrol for courses in the program stated in your TSLS TELS Confirmation letter and start your classes at the institutions of your choice and TSLS will pay the allowances in the nominated bank account/m-paisa number and bus fare (TELS) in your E-ticket Card Number and Tuition directly to the Institution.
In case your university requires, provide a copy of your TSLS confirmation letter to the Finance Team of your University.
78. Will my tuition and allowances be paid if I have been given the award offer by TSLS but have not returned the signed offer letter and bond form to TSLS?
Your fees and/or allowances will not be disbursed until we receive your offer letter and bond document, duly and satisfactorily completed and the award confirmation letter is issued by TSLS.
The process of tuition and allowance payment is as follows and unless all steps are completed, neither tuition nor any allowances will be paid by TSLS:
- TSLS issues the successful applicants provisional offer letter and bond form;
- Successful applicants to complete the bond form and offer letter, sign the required pages, scan the entire documents, upload on their landing/home page on TSLS website www.tsls.com.fj.
- TSLS staff assess the bond form and offer letter.
- TSLS issues the award confirmation letter;
- TSLS sends the tagging list (list of TELS sponsored students to the institutions);
- Higher Education Institutions send the enrolment report to TSLS;
- Based on the enrolment report received, TSLS staff process and pay your allowances;
- Higher Education Institutions bill TSLS for your tuition and hostel fees if approved for Hostel;
- TSLS processes and pays your tuition and hostel if approved for Hostel.
79. What are my requirements after I have completed my program of studies?
Upon completion of studies, the awardee must submit and keep TSLS updated on the following:
- Program Completion Letter from the Higher Education Institution; and
- Complete Academic Transcript and Certificate upon Graduation.
Upon receipt of the above documents, TSLS will change your student status from “Active” to “Graduate” and no further tagging will be sent to your institution and allowance paid.
You must also immediately submit to FRCS, a copy of the employment contract or appointment letter for the purpose of bond service monitoring.
Bond clearance letter will be issued by FRCS upon production of evidence by the awardee for the completion of the years of service required.
For any change(s) in employment, notification in writing must be submitted to FRCS.
80. How do I notify TSLS of any changes that I wish to make to my personal, academic and finance details with TSLS?
You need to fill Form TSLS 04 and submit to TSLS to notify of any changes to your personal, academic or finance details.
TSLS/FRCS will send all correspondences regarding the Scholarship to the email address or other contact details as per the awardees’ application form. As such you must immediately notify TSLS/FRCS of any changes to your contact details.
Likewise, TSLS will pay all allowances on the M-Paisa/E-Ticket or Bank account details as such any changes needs to be communicated to TSLS using Form TSLS 04, otherwise delays in payments will occur.
Completed Form TSLS 04 must be hand delivered to TSLS office nearest to you. TSLS does not accept emailed or faxed forms.