Study Grants Available for Public Officers and Their Children

Applications are now open for education grants for public officers and children of public-sector workers.

The awards, offered by the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, provide up to $150,000 for successful candidates towards tuition costs at a tertiary institution for the 2025/2026 academic year.

Applications officially opened on July 19 and close on August 31, 2025.

Public-sector applicants must be permanently appointed, temporarily employed, or on contract with at least two (2) years of continuous service. They, however, cannot be employed to an entity or be a member of a bargaining unit with a similar educational assistance programme.

Additionally, the public officer cannot be a recipient of any other Government of Jamaica/Ministry of Finance and the Public Service scholarship or grant for the current academic year.

The applicant must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 (for returning students) or be newly accepted into a registered institution. Applicants may also qualify if indebted to an institution after completing a programme of study within the past academic year.

As it relates to the eligibility criteria for the tertiary grant, applicants must be the child of a public-sector worker who meets the previously stated employment criteria and be a new or returning student at a local tertiary institution.

For returning students, they must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0. and be 25 years old or younger and unemployed at the time of application.

The process to apply is fully online, and no physical submissions will be accepted. Interested persons must complete the online application form at www.mof.gov.jm/scholarships, and submit the verification form and supporting documents via email before the deadline.

Required documents include proof of employment; academic transcripts; acceptance letters; tax registration number (TRN); proof of tuition costs; and for children of public-sector workers, a certified birth or adoption certificate.

The $150,000 is a partial grant and does not cover additional costs such as books, transportation, or accommodation. Funding is subject to the availability of resources.

There are no specific areas of study attached to the grants; however, programmes of study at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels must be fully accredited at institutions recognised by the University Council of Jamaica.

Children of public-sector workers must attend local tertiary institutions only.

The Strategic Workforce Planning and Improvement Branch, which has responsibility for the process, is encouraging all eligible public servants and their children to take advantage of this opportunity.

The awards, which were established following the signing of a Heads of Agreement between the Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU), aim to support the professional development of public-sector workers and assist their children in accessing tertiary education.

The programmes reflect the Government’s commitment to investing in Jamaica’s human capital by easing the financial burden of higher education for dedicated public servants and their families.