Department of Education FSM : National Scholarship Program Federated States of Micronesia

Organization : Department of Education
Type of Facility : FSM National Scholarship Program
Country: Federated States of Micronesia

Website : http://www.fsmed.fm/index.php/2013-10-11-02-09-57/scholarship-guidances

FSM National Scholarship Program :

Guidelines for the Administration of National Scholarship Program funds

Related : Department of Education FSM School Accreditation System Federated States of Micronesia : www.statusin.org/8215.html

I. General Background:
Public Law No. 13-60 establishes a postgraduate scholarship fund from revenue generated by the “sin tax” imposed on cigarette sales in the FSM.

II. Purpose:
The purpose of these guidelines is to establish administrative management procedures for the use of post-secondary scholarship funds appropriated under PL 13-60. These scholarship funds will be used to provide scholarships for post-graduate students who are accepted for enrollment or are currently enrolled at US accredited postsecondary institutions and other comparable institutions in other countries.

III. Administration of the Post-Graduate Scholarship Funds:
The Administrator for the Post-Secondary and Scholarship Unit within the Division of Education, Department of Health, Education and Social Affairs shall be the Administrator of the Post-Graduate Scholarship funds with the immediate supervision of the Assistant Secretary of the Division of Education.

IV. Post-Graduate Scholarship Board:
The President shall utilize the existing five-member Scholarship Board for a term of two (2) years, provided the members are residing in Pohnpei and that the National Government and the four States are equally represented.

The Scholarship Board will conduct its official business when 3 members are present. Functions of the Board shall include, but not limited to, the following activities:
1. Recommends priority areas for post-graduate studies to the President for review and approval. Such priority areas may be amended every 3 years;
2. Based on the established priority areas and the availability of funds, review scholarship applications, select and recommend to the President qualified applicants for a scholarship award, and determine the amount and the number of awards per school-year;
3. Ensure that scholarship recipients adhere to the terms set forth in Section VI and VII of these administrative guidelines.
4. Establish and recommend policies and procedures for the expenditures and accountability for the Post-secondary Scholarship Program Funds.

V. Custodian of Scholarship Funds:
The Secretary of Finance shall be the custodian of all scholarship funds.

VI. Scholarship Eligibility criteria:
To be eligible for a national scholarship award, an applicant shall:
1. Be a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia.
2. Have been accepted or currently enrolled in a postgraduate studies program.
3. Have earned his/her BA/BS degree or its equivalence.
4. Be in good academic standing with a GPA acceptable to the institution in attendance or a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better.
5. Show proof of attendance at or admission to a post-graduate program on a full-time basis or carry at least 9 credit hours per semester.

VII. Priority Field of Study:
Until the Scholarship Board establishes priority areas for post-graduate studies, the following shall be deemed the priority areas:

Major Level of study Number of awards & years of study
1. Medicine Post-graduate 6 awards for six years
2. Law Post-graduate 2 awards for 2 years
3. Accounting Post-graduate 2 awards for 2 years
4. Education Post-graduate 2 awards for 2 years
5. Economics Post-graduate 2 awards for 2 years
6. Engineering Post-gradate 2 awards for 2 years
7. Agriculture Post-graduate 2 awards for 2 years
8. Fisheries Post-graduate 2 awards for 2 years
9. Tourism Post-graduate 2 awards for 2 years
10. Aviation Post-graduate 2 awards for 2 years

Other fields of study may be considered for awards if all applications in the priority areas have been considered and funds are still available.

VIII. Terms of Scholarship:
Prior to receiving a FSM National Scholarship award, the recipient shall sign an agreement that has become a part of the application for scholarship providing that:
1. He/she shall not change the major field of study for which he/she was initially awarded a scholarship. If the student changed his/her major to a non-priority field, his/her eligibility for scholarship will be terminated;

2. He/she will complete the course of study within the prescribed period of study for the priority area he/she is awarded a scholarship;

3. At the end of each quarter/semester/trimester, he/she shall provide original, certified copy of his/her transcript of records to the Division of Education, Department of HESA. The GPA shown on the transcripts and a letter requesting further scholarship assistance will determine continuing eligibility for scholarship.

4. He/she agrees to return to the FSM to provide services in his/her field of specialty for 1 year for every year she/he was on scholarship;
5. Failure to return to the FSM or when the student decided to work overseas, he/she shall pay to the FSM Government at least 50% of the amounts invested in his/her education.

IX. Amount of Awards:
The total amount of scholarship funds awarded per year shall not exceed the amount available in the national scholarship funds account for the current year, provided, each year award(s) shall take into consideration the continuation of scholarships for already enrolled recipients.

X. Information Dissemination:
The Post-Secondary Administrator shall send copies of these guidelines and information on availability of scholarship funds, priority areas, and selection criteria, etc. to all State Departments of Education, COM-FSM Campuses, and other Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) in the Pacific and the United States. Such dissemination shall be done using the President’s website, by emails and other means of communication.

The Post-Secondary Administrator shall make the Application Form available to the State Departments of Education and other institutions of higher education by having it posted on the FSM Government website and by providing copies to FSM students upon request.

XI.The Application Process:
1. The scholarship applicant shall secure an Application Form and return a completed form to the Division of Education, Department of HESA prior to the beginning of any semester to be considered for that semester and/or the academic school year.

2. With the completed application form, the applicant shall provide proof of FSM citizenship (a copy of the photo page of passport), school admissions or attendance, a copy of his/her college transcripts, and three reference letters.

3. Part E of the Application Form must be certified by the institution’s Director of Financial Aid or his/her designee in order for the amount requested to be considered official.
4. The Division of Education personnel review application and correspond to students to ensure that their applications for financial assistance are complete.

XII. Scholarship Award Process:
1. The Post-Secondary Administrator and his/her staff shall review applications on file and submit only completed applications for Board‘s consideration for scholarship.

2. The Board reviews the applications in light of the selection criteria, availability of funds, priority areas for studies and submits their recommendations for awards to the President. If the President returns the selections requiring further work of the Board, the Board shall complete the review and resubmit such applications as soon as possible.

3. Upon review and approval of the President, the Post-Secondary personnel shall process request for the first half of the award to be processed by the Department of Finance & Administration.
4. The FSM Treasury issues to the Division of Education a two-party check for each recipient for the first half of the award, payable to the student and the institution in attendance.

XIII. Notification of Award:
The Postsecondary Administrator shall notify the recipient and the Financial Aid Director of his/her institution of the scholarship award amount by mail, email or telephone. The second half of the award will be issued based on the recipient’s continued eligibility. The postsecondary administrator sends students’ scholarship awards to their institutions to settle their financial obligations for that semester or year.

XIV. Issuance of award check:
1. The Division of Education transmits student’s scholarship check to his/her institution via Registered /Certified mail.

2. Issuance of the second half (2nd half) of the student’s scholarship award will be contingent upon the following:
a. Receipt of original transcripts for the previous term,
b. That the student carried a full-time load in previous term, and
c. That the student is in good academic standing for the previous term.

3. Upon satisfaction of the above requirements, the Division of Education will request issuance of the student’s second half of his/her award from FSM Department of Finance and Administration.
4. Upon issuance of scholarship check from the DOFA, the Division of Education will transmit it to the institution of student’s attendance.

XV. Monitoring:
1. The Division of Education will monitor student progress by mail, email and/ or on-site visits to ensure that students are adhering to the scholarship program requirements.

The monitoring process will include name of student, his/her institution, amount of scholarship disbursed, signed scholarship agreement form, scholarship acceptance form, name of Financial Aid Director or a designee, document of scholarship check receipt, and documentation on funds obligations and disbursement from institution. Also, to collect postsecondary school enrollment data and students’ needs and challenges to improve the National Scholarship program.

XVI Applicability of Law:
The Division of Education and the National Scholarship Board will insure that the scholarship program funds are expended in accordance with the provisions of PL 13-60, other laws appropriating scholarships and the FSM government fiscal and financial management act.

The Division of Education and the National Scholarship Board will provide annual reports on funds expenditures to the FSM President and the Speaker of the COFSM.

XVII. Effective Date:
These guidelines shall take effect upon the approval by the President of the Federated States of Micronesia.

FSM Department of Education:
Address: P.O. Box PS 87, Palikir, Pohnpei, FM 96941
Tel: (691) 320 2609
Fax: (691) 320 5500
Webmail: https://webmail.fsmed.fm