February 3, 2025
5 January 2024 – Press Release
The Acting Board Chairperson of Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (TSLS), Dr. Penuel Emi is urging
Year 13 students who recently sat exams to discuss and agree with their parents or guardians on their choice of programme to study through Fiji Government funded scholarships. This also applies to Year 12 students recently sat exams and would like to pursue Skills Qualifications (TVET) under the Scholarships for Skills Qualification schemes. Each year, TSLS record notes, that a quite a number of students request for change of programme and cease sponsorship to discontinue studies.
A student wishing to change the programme must seek prior approval from TSLS before changing the
programme with the Tertiary Education providers. A student is allowed only one change of programme
within the first year and the programme should be within the same discipline or national priority area of
choice.
From 2019 to 2023, a total of 791 students changed programmes and the reasons given was due to students being forced to undertake a programme which is not of their own choice, choose programme under peer pressure, while some students did not have prior knowledge of the programme content and possible job roles. Furthermore, students opted for a programme only to secure a scholarship, some opted for a programme which provided a pathway for migration. The Acting Chairperson is advising that as per the policy the change of a programme after a year prolongs the years of bonding and is an additional cost to the taxpayers of the country
In the TSLS 2023 records the lowest change of request of 35 only was noted. This attributed to a massive
awareness on scholarship schemes through the TSLS readily available Community Awareness Handbook
and collaborations by Tertiary Education providers. TSLS would like to thank the Tertiary Education
providers in providing academic counselling and looks forward for the same and better provisions this
year. By providing information on possible job roles and career pathways, pertinent to qualifications will
add value to students in selecting programmes. The acting Board Chaiperson is urging the Tertiary
Education providers to provide the accurate information on the programmes funded under various
scholarship schemes to students. Please refer to readily available 2024 Community Awareness Handbook
of TSLS.
In addition, TSLS has a record of 1082 students from 2019 to 2023 who have terminated or ceased their
sponsorships. The reasons given by students is that they have obtained overseas student visa, learning and teaching subject based challenges and at times, this results in students requesting change of programme in the second and third year which is not permitted. Some students have stated having personal issues which varies. Whilst the student cease their sponsorship, they are obligated to serve the country, commensurate to the investment by the taxpayers or pay back the equivalent if their service to the country is not provided via any form of paid employment.
Dr. Emi states that online application is open, and the processing of applications will start after the release
of the Year 13 results and once the applicants have loaded their final study offer letters from the preferred
Tertiary Education provider. The first cut-off closing date for complete online application will be Friday the
2nd of February.
For any further queries or more information please contact on email communications@tsls.com.fj or phone 8921240.
Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service
ENDS
