GOJ Financial Aid for Higher Education

Individuals often seek higher education in order to improve their earning potential, expand knowledge base or just to have a sense of accomplishment. However, due to the costs of tuition fees, books, stationery, food, transportation and clothes, pursuing tertiary studies can be challenging.

The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) tabled a budget of $912 billion for the 2022/23 fiscal year. Of that amount, the Education Ministry gets the largest budgetary allocation of $122 billion with Higher Education and Training being allocated $20.6 billion.

The Government assists students through various grants, scholarships, and special loans. Some of these include:

•  Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission (J-TEC)
  The Commission provides up-to-date student resources such as an extensive scholarship database for both local and international scholarships, as well as hosts regular seminars on accessing financial aid.

•  Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MOFPS)
  This Ministry, through its Scholarship and Assistance Unit, provides partially and fully funded scholarships to individuals wishing to pursue programmes that will contribute to national development. These scholarships are funded through the GOJ’s partnership with countries within the Organization of American States (OAS), China, and organisations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).

• Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund
  The CHASE fund provides scholarships and grants to Jamaican citizens who are pursuing studies in line with its mandate to develop the health, education and cultural sectors.

• Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB)The SLB offers loan financing to Jamaican students pursuing tertiary education. Most recently, the SLB announced that wards of the State will be able to access student loans without a guarantor. Additionally, the SLB, under its Grant-In-Aid programme offers funding that does not require repayment to several full-time students.

• Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH)
  The PATH programme offers post-secondary grants for students who are PATH beneficiaries and are registered in approved institutions including universities, teachers’ and community colleges and the HEART/NSTA Trust.

• Jamaica 4-H Clubs
  Through the Youth in Agriculture Scholarship and the Rio Tinto Alcan Legacy Fund (RTALF), young adults between the ages of 18 to 35 can access funding for their agricultural education.
  The Youth in Agriculture Scholarship is offered to persons studying or involved in agriculture, who have applied and have been accepted to the College of Agriculture, Science & Education (CASE), Ebony Park HEART Academy, Northern Caribbean University and Knox Community College. Additionally, the RTALF scholarships or bursaries are provided to students pursuing agricultural education who reside or were born in the parishes of Manchester, St. Ann and St. Catherine.

• National Health Fund (NHF)
  The NHF EduCare Grant Programme provides assistance to students currently enrolled in degree programmes relating to the delivery of healthcare and have completed their second year of study.

• Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC)
  The BGLC Tertiary Education Grant provides assistance with tuition fees for full-time undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited tertiary institution. The assistance is available to students at any level of their undergraduate study.

For additional information, contact:

Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission
14 Gibraltar Camp Way
UWI, Mona
Telephone: 876-977-5115 or 876-970-0114
Email: jtec@moey.gov.jm
Website: https://jtec.gov.jm/
Scholarship Database: https://jtec.gov.jm/scholarship-database/
Social Media: Instagram

Ministry of Finance and the Public Service
30 National Heroes Circle
Kingston 4
Telephone: 876-922-8600
Email: custserv@mof.gov.jm or mofps.pr@mof.gov.jm
Website: https://mof.gov.jm/
Scholarship Platform: https://mof.gov.jm/scholarships
Social Media: Instagram Twitter

Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund
8 Belmont Road
Kingston 5
Telephone: 876-908-4134 or 876-908-4144
Email: https://chase.org.jm/contact-us/
Website: https://chase.org.jm/
Scholarship Platform: https://chase.org.jm/scholarships/
Social Media: Instagram

Students’ Loan Bureau
Sagicor Sigma Building
1st & 2nd Floors
63-67 Knutsford Boulevard
Kingston 5
Telephone: 876-619-4752
Toll Free: 1-888-991-2603
Email: info@slbja.com
Website: https://www.slbja.com/default.aspx
Scholarship Platform: https://www.slbja.com/scholarship.aspx#
Social Media: Instagram Twitter

Ministry of Labour & Social Security
14 National Heroes Circle
Kingston 4
Tel: 876-922-8000-13 (Social Security Division)
Email: prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Website: www.mlss.gov.jm
Scholarship Platform: https://www.mlss.gov.jm/departments/path/
Social Media: Instagram Twitter

Jamaica 4-H Clubs
95 Old Hope Road
Kingston 6
Telephone: 876-927-4052
Email: jamaica.4h@cwjamaica.com
Website: https://jamaica4hclubs.com/
Scholarship Platform: https://jamaica4hclubs.com/youth-in-agriculture/
https://jamaica4hclubs.com/scholarships/rio-tinto-aclan-scholarship/
Social Media: Instagram Twitter

National Health Fund
NHF EduCare Grant Programme
Health Promotion and Public Relations
25 Dominica Drive
Kingston 5
Telephone: 876-906-1106
Email: info@nhf.org.jm
Website: https://www.nhf.org.jm/
Scholarship Platform: https://www.nhf.org.jm/educare
Social Media: Instagram Twitter

Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission
78cef Hagley Park Road
Kingston 10
Telephone: 876-630-1353
Email: info@bglc.gov.jm
Website: https://www.bglc.gov.jm/
Scholarship Platform: https://www.bglc.gov.jm/?q=Education_Grant https://www.bglc.gov.jm/sites/default/files/FrequentlyAskedQuestions-EducationGrant2021UPDATED.pdf
Social Media: Instagram Twitter