-2tueC8X2YFxJIx5lsDA8FRKbHHz.webp)
The Ministry of Education and Youth is committed to supporting Jamaican students in their pursuit of higher education through various funding opportunities, including grants, financial assistance, and the prestigious Annual Jamaica Scholarship. This guide outlines the application process, eligibility criteria, and important regulations for prospective applicants.
Application Period and Submission Guidelines
The application period for funding commences April 1 and closes June 30.
Applicants are encouraged to SUBMIT their applications even if they are awaiting Status/Tuition letters and Transcripts. All other required documents for consideration should be uploaded promptly.
Please note the following:
- Students awaiting CSEC, CAPE, and acceptance letters from their institution of choice will be provisionally processed. The release of their results is awaited, but submission of all other documents must be completed by June 30.
- Continuing students without transcripts, statement of fees, and status letters may submit all outstanding documents by June 30.
Important Notice
ONLY SHORTLISTED STUDENTS AND/OR COMPLETED APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED.
Contact Information
For further questions or concerns, please send an email to the respective addresses:
- JAMVAT: jamvat@moey.gov.jm
- Financial Assistance/Grants: grants@moey.gov.jm
- All scholarships and Inservice inquiries: scholarships@moey.gov.jm
The Annual Jamaica Scholarship
The Ministry of Education and Youth will award scholarships to first-year University students who wish to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in any faculty at the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology. Before completing the application form, please carefully read the following regulations.
General Information
Supporting Documents Required:
- Certified copy of the candidate’s Birth Certificate or evidence of date of birth.
- Letter/Evidence confirming the candidate's eligibility based on domicile or citizenship:
- Born in Jamaica and domiciled in Jamaica for the five years prior to the award, OR
- Born overseas to parents who are Jamaican citizens and domiciled in Jamaica for the five years prior to the award, OR
- Naturalized and domiciled in Jamaica for the five years prior to the award.
- N.B. Short periods of absence from Jamaica shall be disregarded.
- Character reference letter from a member of the community (e.g., Education Officer, Principal, Minister of Religion, or Justice of the Peace).
- One (1) academic reference letter.
- Certificate of fitness from a Registered Medical Practitioner.
- Certified copies of Educational records/certificates.
- Applicants for the JAMAICA CENTENARY SCHOLARSHIP (Female) must submit a certificate or letter showing attendance at a Public Primary School (Infant School excluded) for at least three (3) years.
Conditions of Award:
Successful candidates will be required to sign a bond agreeing to work in Jamaica, specifically in a Government-owned institution, for a period not exceeding five (5) years.
Regulations Governing Jamaica Scholarships
The candidate must meet the following criteria:
- Pass not less than three core subjects at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) level plus Communications Studies/Caribbean Studies by the Caribbean Examination Council held in June the last preceding year (hereafter referred to as the “qualifying examination”). Students must sit both units of the core subjects.
- The Minister shall have been informed by the Caribbean Examination Council (Headquarters) that the candidate is the most deserving of a Jamaica Scholarship among those who took the qualifying examination and can be considered for the award under these Regulations.
- Be born in Jamaica or born overseas of parents who are Jamaican citizens or have been naturalized and have been domiciled in Jamaica during the five years prior to the award (short periods of absence from Jamaica shall be disregarded).
- On the first day of June in the year of the qualifying examination, the candidate shall not be over the age of nineteen (19) years.
- Be a person of good character.
- Have given or produced, as the case may require, to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education:
- Notice in writing that he/she is a candidate for a Jamaica Scholarship for the next succeeding year.
- Good and sufficient evidence that the requirements specified in sub-paragraphs (c), (d), (e), and (f) have been satisfied.
- The provisions of sub-paragraphs (a) to (g) of paragraph (1) shall apply to a female candidate as they apply to a male candidate.
Note on Scoring:
The Standard Marks for each Advanced level syllabus are out of a maximum of 200. The value of each core subject (unit 1 and 2) has a value of 200 marks. Therefore, the maximum standard mark for the scholarship is 600, and it is each candidate’s aggregate mark that determines his/her success. Communication Studies/Caribbean Studies is zero-rated, meaning the subject carries no numeric value.
Subject Combination Options:
Students may sit a combination of Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and GCE ‘A’ Level subjects as follows:
- Students can sit three (3) core GCE ‘A’ Level subjects and Communication Studies or Caribbean Studies (CAPE), OR
- Students can sit three (3) core Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) subjects and General Paper.
Important Warning:
Any misleading or fraudulent information given will disqualify an applicant from accessing the programme.