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|DHIVEHI
High Achievers' Scholarship policy amended to allow programme changes
19 Dec 2024
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High Achievers' Scholarship ceremony 2024 --- Photo: President's Office
The High Achievers' Scholarship, awarded to students with the highest marks in higher secondary examinations, now allows students to change their programme of study under the scholarship.
Under Article 7 of the rules gazetted on December 18, 2024, three specific circumstances are outlined under which students may change their programmes while studying under the scholarship.
Firstly, a programme change may be permitted if no payment has been made to the higher education institution for the original programme.
Secondly, if a request for a programme change is made after a payment has been made to the institution, the following conditions must be met:
- The proposed change must occur before the end of the first semester of the programme
- The cost of any completed portion of the original programme must be agreed upon and deducted from the total cost of the new programme
- A clear and compelling reason for the programme change must be presented to the relevant officials
- The programme change must not conflict with any provision of the scholarship policy
- The change must be the first and only request for a programme
- The new programme's total cost must not exceed the total cost of the original programme
Additionally, the amended rules introduce the possibility of pursuing a Master’s degree without obtaining a Bachelor’s degree first. According to the amendments, students may directly enter a Master’s degree programme under the following conditions:
- The total duration of the scholarship will remain four years, and only the remaining period at the point of transfer will be funded under the scholarship
- The student must have been studying under the scholarship when the amended rules came into effect
- This must be the first time the student is requesting a programme change
- The programme change must not conflict with any provision of the scholarship policy
Previously, the rules gazetted in 2019 stipulated that no programme changes were allowed once any payments had been made. However, many students have since requested to change their programmes due to various circumstances, prompting the amendments.
Other amendments were also introduced to address the previously unclear wording and provide greater clarity.
The updated policy can be found in gazette.gov.mv.
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