NATIONAL TOPPERS SCHOLARSHIP

October 23, 2022

  1. What are the scholarship schemes available for academic year 2023?
  • National Toppers Overseas Scheme.
  • National Toppers Local Scheme.
  • Skills Qualification Scheme at FNU.
  • Students with Special Needs Scheme.
  • In-Service Scheme.
  • Master’s and PHDs Scheme.
  1. How many awards are available per each scholarship scheme for academic year 2023?
  • National Toppers Overseas Scheme - 40 Awards (30 awards for Degree, 5 awards for Postgraduate Diploma for Public Sector Employees) and 5 awards for TVET).
  • National Toppers Local Scheme - 770 Awards.
  • Skills Qualification Scheme at FNU - 200 Awards.
  • Students with Special Needs Scheme - 20 Awards.
  • In-Service Scheme - 140 Awards (100 awards for Public Sector Employees and 40 for Private Sector Employees and State-owned Enterprise.
  • Master’s and PHDs Scheme - 30 awards (20 awards for Masters qualification and 10 awards for PHD qualification).
  1. What are the eligibility criteria for the scholarship schemes available for academic year 2023?
  • National Toppers Overseas Scheme
  • National Toppers Local Scheme
  • Skills Qualification Scheme at FNU
  • Students with Special Needs Scheme
  • In-Service Scheme
  • Master’s and PHDs Scheme
  1. What are the priority areas for the scholarship schemes available for academic year 2023? Click here for more information
  • National Toppers Overseas Scheme
  • National Toppers Local Scheme
  • Skills Qualification Scheme at FNU
  • Students with Special Needs Scheme
  • In-Service Scheme
  • Master’s and PHDs Scheme
  1. Is it possible to apply for an area of study not listed in the scheme’s priority areas under any of the scholarships schemes available for academic year 2023?
  • An area of study not listed under the priority areas of the scholarship schemes imply that it’s not available for studies during that academic year.
  1. Which overseas countries are tenable for National Toppers Overseas Scheme?
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  1. What is the link to apply for scholarships schemes available for academic year 2023?
  • Visit TSLS website via tsls.com.fj to access the TSLS online application system.
  1. How to proceed to login and make an online application using the TSLS online application system?
  • Once clicked on the icon “Apply Online” the applicants must first register. To successfully register the applicants must have a valid email address (Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail). Applicants can create a new password for application purpose and will be required to activate their account by signing in their email account.
  • Once activated fill the personal details and submit to successfully log in and proceed with the application.
  1. What to do if the applicants TIN is not validated on the TSLS Online Application System?
  • Enter the TIN and click outside the box for API Validation.
  • Ensure the internet connectivity is stable.
  • Clear browsing history and login.
  • Visit FRCS for activation.
  • Email TSLS IT Helpdesk.
  1. What do Red Highlighted fields mean on the TSLS Online Application System?
  • This means that the fields are mandatory and the system will not allow to proceed further unless updated.
  1. Once registered how can an applicant proceed to apply for a scheme using the TSLS Online Application System?
  • Log in using the registered username and password to view the landing page. From the landing page click on “Click here to apply” icon on the top right-hand corner.
  • Upon successful click the applicant can choose between Fijian Scholarships Scheme or Study Loan scheme.
  1. What is the maximum file size to upload a document on the TSLS Online Application System?
  • Maximum file size should not exceed 5MB and must be scanned in pdf, png, or jpg format.
  1. Is it mandatory to upload Medical Report?
  • No, an applicant with medical conditions will only be required to upload a medical report.
  1. What does it mean when a preferred programme of choice is not on the TSLS Online Application System drop-down menu?
  • This means that the programme is not part of the priority area and as such has not been listed as a drop down.
  1. Is it mandatory for an applicant to enter all 3 programme choices under each scheme?
  • Yes, it is mandatory for applicant to enter 3 programme choices per scheme. This is to ensure that if an applicant doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria for the first scheme, same application can be rejected and assessed for second and cycle repeats till the applications is approved based on the eligibility criteria or declined.
  1. Can an applicant use Provisional Offer Letter from a Higher Education Institution (HEI) to apply using the TSLS Online Application System?
  • No, applicants are required to upload their official (final) offer letter from the HEI on the online application system.
  • In case if the applicant does not have their official (final) offer letter, they can still proceed with submitting their application without the official (final) offer letter being uploaded. The applicants will be required to upload their official (final) offer letter as soon as same is received from the HEI.
  1. Is it mandatory to upload official (final) offer letter by the HEI for each stated programme Choices?
  • Applicants are encouraged to load the official (final) offer letter of the first preferred choice of the study and of the preferred HEI.
  1. What account types can an applicant opt for to receive allowance?

An applicant may choose from one of the below account types for allowance disbursement:

  • M-Paisa
  • MyCash
  • Bank
  1. Is it mandatory to fill all account types for the purpose of receiving allowances?
  • Applicants can opt for one of the account types which shall be the most preferred options to receive allowances. Preference will be given to M-Paisa/MyCash for the purpose of allowance disbursement.
  1. Should applicants wait for Year 13 examination results and official (final) offer letter from HEI to commence online application?
  • Applicants can still proceed to apply using the TSLS Online Application System without the Year 13 examination result and official (final) offer letter from HEI.
  • As soon as the Year 13 examination result and official (final) offer Letter from HEI is received the applicant is required to upload the same on the online application system.
  1. Applicant comes from a single parent family; however, the Online Application System is requiring both the parents’ income details. What can the applicant do?
  • Parents are divorced/separated – need to upload pay slip or statutory declaration of the parent who is financially supporting the applicant together with documentation for divorce/separation.
  • Parent is deceased – need to upload pay slip or statutory declaration of the parent financially supporting the applicant together with a copy of the death certificate of the deceased parent.
  • Staying with Guardians - need to upload pay slip or statutory declaration of the guardians together with a separate statutory declaration confirming that the applicant is staying with the guardian since birth.
  1. Applicants’ parent/guardian do not have a pay slip. What can the applicant upload as evidence of income in such case.
  • In such cases where parent or guardian is unemployed or self-employed, Statutory Declaration needs to be completed by either by the parent or guardian and then uploaded on the online application system.
  1. How will an applicant be notified of the Scholarship Status?

The application status will be notified via the following:

  • Online Application System
  • Applicant’s registered Email

Applicants can refer below status for its implications:

  1. Drafted – This status will notify the applicant of any missing documents that yet to be uploaded on the application system.
  2. Processing – This status will notify the applicant that all documents has been loaded and the application is now being assessed by TSLS.
  3. Approved – This status will notify the applicant that the application is now approved, and details of the approval will be stated in the Confirmation Letter which will be available downloading on the application profile page.
  1. What is the timeframe provided to the Scholarship applicants to upload their signed bond form and offer letter?

 

Scholarship applicants are required to fill, scan, and upload their completed bond form and offer letter on the Online Application System within a maximum of 3 calendar days.

  1. After the offer for the Scholarship Scheme has been made by TSLS, can the awardee change programme/major/minor/institution of study?

If awarded under the following Scholarships Scheme, then the awardee may change the programme/major/minor/institution once:

  1. National Toppers Overseas Scheme
  2. National Toppers Local Scheme
  3. Students with Special needs
  4. In-Service Scheme
  5. Skills Qualification Scheme at FNU

Do note that change in programme/major/minor is possible within the same category, however, if you are changing your programme/major/minor from one category to another the assessment for change will be dependent on the MERs and availability of quota.

While assessing the applications, preference will be given to the awardees “First Choice” and any changes thereafter is entirely dependent on the availability of quota and MER’s.

  1. How many times can an awardee apply for change in either the programme/major/minor or institution during the award duration.

The awardee can change either their programme/major/minor or institution only once.

  1. Can an awardee request for change in program/major/minor/institution after commencement of studies under any Scholarships Scheme?

No change in programme/major/minor/institution will be approved after commencement of third academic term.

Where the selection for a scholarship is also based on interviews, aptitude tests or any other form of formative assessment, a change in initial programme confirmation is not permitted.

A change in the programme from the awarded discipline area to another discipline will not be granted.

  1. What happens to the sponsorship if the awardee fails to attain the minimum GPA requirements under the scholarship?

In case an awardee fails to meet the minimum required GPA then the following procedures will apply:

  1. The awardee will be notified in writing by TSLS that his or her performance is under review and that he or she is on probation. The written notice will be issued to the awardee via their student and personal email. The awardee will be paid while on probation. This must only apply to one academic term in which the awardee has failed to attain the required cumulative GPA.
  2. Should the awardee meet the required minimum cumulative GPA in the term he or she is on probation, the probation status must be removed in the following term.
  3. Should the awardee fail to meet the required minimum cumulative GPA in the term on probation, the award must be suspended for the following term. The awardee will not receive payments while on suspension under the scholarship funding however, the awardee has an option to apply for funding of eligible units under the study loans using the prescribed form.
  4. Should the awardee meet the required minimum cumulative GPA in the term on suspension, the award must be reinstated for the following term and payments must resume. No retrospective scholarship payments are to be made for the period of suspension.
  5. Should the awardee fail to meet the required minimum cumulative GPA in the term on suspension, the award terminates, and no further payments are to be made.

A maximum of one probation and one suspension may be considered during the award duration as stated in the offer letter and bond form.

  1. Can an awardee withdraw the units enrolled in?

Request for withdrawal may only be considered under any of the following circumstances:

  1. Medical conditions - which prevents an awardee from attending classes for a prolonged period of time, supported by a medical report for the duration of the period, from a registered medical practitioner.
  2. National duties - where the awardee has been selected for national duties (sporting activities, military, or police duties overseas etc.) which requires leave of absence from the country, provided approval is granted by FRCS.
  3. Bereavement - due to the death of an immediate family member.

In case an awardee intends to withdraw from the eligible institution or from a course after the payment of tuition and/or allowances for the academic term, the sponsorship funds must be withdrawn from the awardees account and the awardee will be required to refund any payments already made.

No withdrawals on the ground of poor academic progress in an enrolled course or unit will be approved under any circumstances.

  1. Can an awardee postpone/defer their scholarship?

TSLS may consider deferment of an award if an awardee attendance at an eligible institution is affected on the following grounds:

  1. For medical reasons.
  2. Peacekeeping deployment.
  3. National duties.
  4. Any other reason as deemed appropriate by TSLS.

A scholarship may be deferred for a maximum of one academic year.

  1. Can an awardee repeat units/courses under the Scholarships Scheme?

TSLS may fund for only one repeat unit or course per annum for existing scholarship awardee under study loan if the awardee makes an application using the approved form for courses or units failed after 1 August 2017.

Any subsequent repeat of a unit or course already funded by TSLS twice must be borne by the awardee.

Where there are multiple courses or units to repeat, preference is given to the lowest cost unit or course when deciding which repeated unit is to be funded under study loan.

  1. Awardees sponsorship duration has ended however few units/courses are still pending. How can the awardee be sponsored for my remaining units/courses?

An awardee who fails to complete the programme within the duration stated in the award confirmation letter, may apply for an extension of award.

TSLS will receive and assess applications for the extension of the award on the following grounds:

  1. Change in either the programme, major or minor or institution granted by the TSLS.
  2. Medical grounds backed up with medical reports acceptable to the TSLS.
  3. Delays caused by an Act of God.
  4. Awardee is in his or her graduating term of studies.
  5. Bereavement for an immediate family member.
  6. Deployment for national duties.

Any extension granted by TSLS must not exceed one academic year.

  1. How can an awardee terminate the award?

Should an awardee choose not to continue with his/her studies under sponsorship, he/she may decide to terminate the award by filling the TSLS 04 form and submitting the same to TSLS.

Upon termination of award the awardee will be required to repay the total amount expended by the Government to the date of termination of the award with the applicable penalty rate at the time of termination. The total amount must be repaid in one single payment or under any other arrangement with FRCS.

  1. Are Summer/Winter classes sponsored by TSLS?

TSLS will pay for tuition and allowances for all eligible units/courses the awardee is enrolled for provided the award duration has not ended.

Awardee is required to apply for sponsorship for the units/courses enrolled during summer/winter classes using the TSLS approved form.

  1. When will the payment process at TSLS begin on disbursement of allowances?

To be eligible for allowances the applicants must be approved and confirmed for the offered programme. Upon confirmation tagging is done by TSLS and the HEI will send the enrollment report based on the tagging.

TSLS will process the allowances subject to the enrolment report submitted by the HEI followed by the disbursement.

  1. When will the allowances for each new academic term be paid?

All allowance payment is subject to the receipt of awardees’ enrolment report from their respective higher education institutions.

An enrolment report contains courses/units for a particular academic term that awardee is enrolled in and classifies the same as first attempt, second attempt and subsequent attempt.

TSLS will pay the allowances progressively in two or more batches as enrolment reports are received. The first batch of allowances will be paid by the 4th week of lectures.

  1. How is the allowance calculated and paid?

Allowances for each academic term will be calculated based on the load factor. A load factor is defined as the number of allowance eligible courses an awardee is enrolled for in a term divided by the total number of courses the awardee is required to enrol in as a full-time student.

The following are not included as eligible course(s) for the purpose of calculating the allowance:

  1. Repeat courses/units.
  2. Foundation/bridging courses which are not part of the awardees TSLS approved programme.
  3. Any courses/units which are not part of the TSLS approved programme e.g., Free Courses/Units offered by HEI’s (e.g., UU100A at USP) and Professional Accreditation courses e.g., FIA Courses).

Awardees who fail to register for full academic load will be paid allowances on a pro-rata basis.

TSLS reserves the right to pay your allowance in one or more batches. For example, 50% before the mid-term break and 50% after the mid-term break.

ALLOWANCE CALCULATION FOR NTS LOCAL/SSSN/SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS AWARDESS

 

Component Semester Based Quarter Based
Book (Max) (A) 500 250
Incidental (Max) (B) 500 250
Accommodation and Meals (Max) (C) 2400 1200
Maximum Eligibility (D=A+B+C) 3400 1700
No: of Eligible Courses(E) XXX XXX
Term Full Load **(F) YYY YYY
Load Factor (G=E/F) XXX /YYY XXX /YYY
Total Payable D multiplied by G D multiplied by G
  1. Do the Scholarship awardees receive Bus fare and how can they apply?

The Scholarships awarded by TSLS is a privilege and as such all the allowance, tuition and other payments disbursed under the Scholarships Scheme form part of the privileges therefore, neither can the awardees remove any of the approved privileges nor add any new allowances.

The awardees may utilize either Accommodation and Meals/Living Allowance or Incidental allowance towards topping up their e-ticket card.

  1. How many years an awardee is supposed to serve the Scholarship bond?

Upon successful graduation the awardee will be required to serve in Fiji for years sponsored multiply by 1.5. For example, if an awardee is sponsored for a 3-year programme then the bond service will be 3 years multiply by 1.5 which is 4.5 years of service in Fiji.

  1. How can an awardee access TSLS Account Statement to find out the total amount stipulated towards my studies?

Awardees are required to fill in the Request for Account Statement form and submit the same to TSLS. Upon receipt the accounts personal will verify and update the awardee with the total amount stipulated on the studies by TSLS.

Skip to content