Published 19 January 2022
Basseterre
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Agriculture, animal husbandry, aviation, computer science, international affairs, journalism and health-related fields are among some of the areas the Virgin Islands Board of Education will in 2022 be providing financial aid for people who want to pursue higher education.
The board announced on Monday that its Territorial Scholarship Fund and Special Legislative Grant Financial Aid Program application period has commenced and it will conclude on April 18.
“The VIBE offers territorial scholarship fund loan/grants, special legislative grants, and in-service training grants to bona fide residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands at the time of application, notwithstanding that applicant might have been living outside of the U.S. Virgin Islands temporarily while pursuing a course of study,” said a news release posted on the board’s website and Facebook page.
To be eligible, the release said that an applicant must be a graduate of a VI high school or authorized home instruction program; must have a financial need; must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 or 2.5 (for certain grants); must be accepted to, or attending an accredited college, university, or trade/vocational school, and must be attending school full-time. Access the online application here.
Under the Territorial Scholarship Fund and Special Legislative Grant Financial Aid Program, there are more than 20 different kinds of scholarships offering financial aid ranging from $625 per semester to $5,000 per year.
Government employees can apply for the Morris F de Castro fellowship which provides the successful applicant with, among other things, one year leave of absence. There is one award for the St. Thomas-St. John District and one for the St. Croix District.
“If the recipient’s salary is less than $45,000, he or she may receive the remaining funds in a grant. The fellowship is awarded for one year. Maximum award $45,000. Applicant must be an employee or official in active service of the government of the Virgin Islands at the time of application. Applicant must take one year’s leave of absence during the period that the fellowship is awarded,” explains the financial aid website.
The applicant must be nominated by either the governor of the Virgin Islands, the president of the Legislature, the presiding judge of the District/ Supreme Court, Superior Court, Magistrate Court, the administrator of St. John, or the head of the applicant’s department.
There is also financial aid for children with exceptional capabilities and its value is $2,000 per year, not exceeding four years. The child must have a physical or mental disability and must have demonstrated exceptional abilities and the need for educational training not available within the Virgin Islands public schools.
Also available as a Special Legislative Grant is the valedictorian/salutatorian financial aid. “Each salutatorian from an accredited secondary school approved by the Department of Education, whose major is not offered at the University of the Virgin Islands, shall receive $2,000,” said the website.
