Administration
Post-secondary Administrator
Joyleen Sienes
Postsecondary Administrator
Department of Education
FSM National Government
Post-secondary and Scholarship
Please visit our National Scholarship & Financial Assistance Program guideline to learn more about the priority fields that receive favorable considerations of the Scholarship Board in selecting applicants in both the academic and career fields. Our page also provide the application form and the description of each program provides by the OPES. Finally, we accept any comment on our page and/or each of the programs that are offered by our Office of Postsecondary Education and Scholarship.
Kamagar gaad, Kinissou chapur, Menlau kalaimwun, Kulo mualalap & Thank you very much.
GUIDELINE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF
THE NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
This Guideline for the administration of the National Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program, hereinafter refers to as the “Guideline”, is established to guide the administration, disbursement and reporting of the National Scholarship & Financial Assistance Program (NSFA) funds that are annually appropriated by the National Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia (CFSM) and the on-going “Sin Tax” Scholarship, as established pursuant to PL 13 – 60, as amended. The Guideline shall be used to guide the processes in selecting and awarding of eligible and highly qualified applicants for “certificate”, “undergraduate”, “graduate” and “post-graduate” levels scholarships and general students’ financial assistance and to maintain and report on the progresses of the NSFA Program.
This Guideline shall be further executed in accordance with applicable laws of the Federated States of Micronesia.
This Guideline is hereby approved and adopted pursuant to the authority vested in the scholarship fund allottee, pursuant to Title 55 of the FSM Code, Section §217.
Guidelines for the Administration of National Scholarship & Financial Assistance Program
I. General
The CFSM annually appropriates out of the national revenue a sum thereof to provide funds for scholarship and financial assistance for qualified students in the Federated States of Micronesia. The National Government further receives foreign assistances for scholarships and students’ financial assistances and/or related short-term and long-term trainings in foreign countries. Upon adoption, this Guideline shall provide the guiding principles and frameworks in the disbursements and reporting of these scholarships and financial assistances as shall be required by the funding sources and/or grantors and applicable laws of the Federated States of Micronesia.
II. Purpose
The purpose of the Guideline is to establish administrative and management requirements on the procedures, disbursements and reporting of the scholarship and financial assistance funds as shall be appropriated by the CFSM and further provided by foreign countries, private, corporate and philanthropic organizations. These financial assistance sources will be used to provide scholarships and financial aids for qualified students who shall be attending and/or currently attending accredited Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) at the certificate, undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels, including approved special training or summer programs.
III. Definitions
1) “Board” means the National Scholarship Board.
2) “Full-time student” means a student who is carrying a full-time academic work load in terms of course work or other required activities as determined by the institution.
3) “Good standing” means the eligibility of a student to continue in attendance at the institution where he or she is enrolled as a student in accordance with the institution’s standards and practices.
4) “Institution of higher education” means an educational institution which:
(b) is legally authorized to provide a program of education beyond secondary education;
(c) provides an educational program for which it awards a bachelor’s degree or provides not less than a two-year program which is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree;
(d) is a public or other nonprofit institution; and
(e) is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency or is an institution whose credits are accepted on transfer by not less than three institutions which are so accredited for credit on the same basis as if transferred from an institution so accredited.
IV. Administration
The Administrator of the Post-Secondary Education under the Office of the Secretary, FSM Department of Education, shall by virtues of his/her basic roles and responsibilities, be the officer of the National Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program, as herein established by this Guideline and shall further be responsible for the administration of the said program pursuant to all statutory requirements as herein provided. The Officer shall execute this National Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program, hereinafter refers to as “NSFAP”, in accordance with the decisions and deliberations of the National Scholarship Board, and hereinafter refers to as “Board”, as established by Public Law 19-90.
V. Types of Assistance by Definition
1) Scholarship Awards – Any applicant within a 3.0 to 4.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) for undergraduate and 3.5 to 4.0 GPA for graduate shall be considered and labeled as scholarship applicant.
2) Financial Assistance Awards – Any applicant within a 2.00 to 2.99 GPA for certificate and undergraduate and 3.00 to 3.49 GPA for graduates shall be considered and labeled as financial assistance applicant.
VI. The National Scholarship Board
The Scholarship Board shall be composed of five voting members nominated by the President and confirmed by the CFSM to operate the Scholarship Board. One member shall represent the National Government, and one member each for each of the four states. Three (3) members of the Board shall constitute as a quorum to conduct its official activities.
1. Officers – The Board shall duly elect its officers: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary. (Refer to Appendix A as herein attached for the roles and responsibilities of the Board’s officers.)
2. Terms – The terms for the Board members shall be three (3) years or until replacement has been confirmed.
3. Function – The function of the Board shall include, but not limited to, the following activities:
a) To operate as the sole authority to make post-secondary scholarships, financial aid and grant awards from national appropriations designated for that purpose;
b) To develop detailed guidelines and regulations regarding the applications, evaluations, awards and monitoring process for post-secondary scholarships, financial aid and grant awards from the National Government, these guidelines and regulations shall include, but not be limited to: eligibility requirements, basis of award guidelines, priority and award class guidelines, priority areas of study, timing for applications and financial disbursements;
c) To operate and manage the evaluations, awards and monitoring of scholarships, financial aid and grant awards based on regulations it has developed, to provide for an unbiased, merit based awards system;
d) To plan for the expansion and improvement of the services and awards provided through the Scholarship Board;
e) To coordinate with the State and Municipal Governments regarding awards of post-secondary scholarships, financial aid and grants;
f) To promote the education and training of students in post-secondary programs; and
g) To ensure that proper and complete books of accounts reflecting all expenses, liabilities and post-secondary awards for scholarships, financial aid and grants are prepared.
VII. Custodian of Scholarship Funds
The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration shall be the custodian of all scholarship and financial assistance funds.
VIII. Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for a national scholarship and financial assistance award as shall be appropriated by the CFSM under the national revenue and further provided by the “Sin-Tax” provisions, an applicant must:
(a) Be a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia;
(b) Be a high school graduate or possess a General Education Diploma (GED);
(c) Have been accepted or currently enrolled as a certificate, undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate level studies in an accredited institute of higher education;
(d) Be in good standing at such institution of attendance if currently enrolled and has a cumulative GPA of a minimum of 2.0 for certificate and undergraduates and a cumulative GPA of a minimum of 3.0 for graduates and postgraduates or a GPA acceptable by the institution in attendance;
(e) Show proof of admission or attendance at such institution and as full-time student or based on the credits below:
| CREDITS | LEVEL OF STUDY |
|---|---|
| twelve (12) credits or more | certificate |
| twelve (12) credits or more | undergraduates |
| six (6) to nine (9) credits | graduates |
| three (3) credits per quarter/session | on-line graduates |
| six (6) credits per semester | post-graduates |
| six (6) credits for summer | undergraduates and graduates |
IX. Fields of Study
The National Scholarship Board establishes the fields of study for the National Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program and the following fields shall constitute the priority areas as herein provided in Table A: Priority Areas:
Table A
Tier 1:
Major | Level of study | Number of awards & years of study |
1. Health | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 awards for five years/6 awards for six years/5 awards for five years |
2. Legal and Justice Studies | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
3. Business Administration: accounting | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
4. Education: curriculum and instruction, assessment, evaluation and research, special education and teaching, teacher education, administration and leadership and professional development and teaching assistant aides | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
5. Economics: development economics, agricultural economics, development planning, international trade, banking, finance | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
6. Engineering: architectural, civil, computer , construction, electrical, electronics and communications engineering | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
7. Agriculture: agriculture sciences, food safety and security, applied sciences/technology related to rural development | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
8. Tourism | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
9. Environmental Studies: marine biology, oceanography, disaster risk management, renewable energy, meteorology, climate change adaptation, sustainable agriculture and integrated water management | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
10. Computer and Information Science | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
11. Marine Studies | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
Tier 2:
1. Sociology | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
2. Political Science | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
3. Telecommunications | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
4. Public Administration | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
5. Social Science | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
6. English | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
7. Kinesiology (Physical Exercise) | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
8. Communication | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
9. All other Business Administration fields | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
Tier 3:
All other majors | Undergraduate/Graduate/Postgraduate | 5 for 5 years/5 for 5 years//5 for 5 years |
Table B: Specialized & Career Related Areas
Major | Level of study | Number of awards & years of study |
1) Cosmetology | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
2) Office Administration | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
3) Customer Service Training | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
4) Construction/Electricity | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
5) Culinary Arts | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
6) Technician | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
7) Security | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
8) Mechanics/Heavy Equipments/Small Engine | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
9) Marine Navigation/Maritime | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
10) Land Surveys/Marine | Certificate | 2-4 awards for 6mos-2yrs. |
Certificate level of study for the following specialized and career fields may be considered for awards if all priority applications have been considered and awarded and funds are still available within the awarding fiscal year.
XI. Amount of Awards
The total amount of scholarship and financial assistance funds awarded per fiscal year shall not exceed the amount available in the national scholarship and financial assistance funds account as shall be appropriated for the fiscal year period, provided, each fiscal year awards shall include the continuation of scholarships and financial assistance for already selected award recipients. The National Board of Scholarship shall award eligible applicants based on the tiers and amounts available. Tier 1 applicants shall receive fifty percent (50%) of the amounts available; tier 2 applicants shall receive thirty percent (30%) of the amounts available; tier 3 applicants shall receive twenty percent (15%) of the amounts available and Table B applicants shall receive five percent of the amounts available.
Tire 1:
Grade | GPA | Amount |
Freshman | 3.50-4.00 | 4,000.00 |
3.00-3.49 | 3,500.00 | |
2.00-2.99 | 3,000.00 | |
Sophomore | 3.5-4.00 | 5,000.00 |
Junior | 3.00-3.49 | 4,000.00 |
2.00-2.99 | 3,500.00 | |
Senior | 3.5-4.00 | 6,000.00 |
3.00-3.49 | 5,000.00 | |
2.00-2.99 | 4,000.00 |
Tire 2:
Grade | GPA | Amount |
Freshman | 3.50-4.00 | 3,000.00 |
3.00-3.49 | 2,750.00 | |
2.00-2.99 | 2,500.00 | |
Sophomore | 3.50-4.00 | 3,500.00 |
Junior | 3.00-3.49 | 3,000.00 |
2.00-2.99 | 2,750.00 | |
Senior | 3.50-4.00 | 4,000.00 |
3.00-3.49 | 3,500.00 | |
2.00-2.99 | 3,000.00 |
Tire 3:
Grade | GPA | Amount |
Freshman | 3.50-4.00 | 3,000.00 |
3.00-3.49 | 2,750.00 | |
2.00-2.99 | 2,500.00 | |
Sophomore | 3.50-4.00 | 3,500.00 |
Junior | 3.00-3.49 | 3,000.00 |
2.00-2.99 | 2,750.00 | |
Senior | 3.50-4.00 | 4,000.00 |
3.00-3.49 | 3,500.00 | |
2.00-2.99 | 3,000.00 |
COM-FSM Dormitory/4th Year Applicants
Senior | 1,000.00 |
3.50-4.00 | 1,500.00 |
3.00-3.49 | 1,000.00 |
2.00-2.99 | 750.00 |
XII. The Application Process
1. The scholarship and financial assistance applicants shall secure application form (Appendix C: National Scholarship and Financial Assistance Application Form-Form NSB11-03) and return a completed form to the Office of the Postsecondary Education and Scholarship, FSM Department of Education, on or before June 30th of every year for fall and spring awards, December 31st for spring awards and May 31st for summer awards.
2. With the completed application forms, the applicants shall provide proofs of citizenship, proofs of school admissions or attendance and official high school or college transcripts.
3. The Administrator of Postsecondary Education, FSM Department of Education, shall secure all applications and validate the accuracies of information provided in the application forms.
XIII. Scholarship Award Process
1. The Administrator of Post-Secondary and Scholarship shall review all applications, sort them accordingly and submit completed applications for consideration for scholarship and financial assistance award to the Board at least two (2) weeks after the end of each deadline.
2. The Board shall review completed scholarship and financial assistance applications based on the selection criteria, priority areas for studies and availability of funds, and submit their recommendations for awards to the President or Secretary for approval. If the President or Secretary shall return any or more of the selections and requiring further work of the Board, the Board shall complete the review and re-submit such applications as soon as possible or remove any application that may be declared as incomplete or ineligible.
3. Upon review and approval of the President and/or Secretary, the Administrator of the Post-Secondary Education and Scholarship or the Student Services Coordinator shall process the payment request for the first fifty-percent (50%) of all the approved awards to be processed by the Department of Finance & Administration, payable to the awarded recipients and the institutions they would attend or are attending.
4. The Department of Finance and Administration shall process two-party checks, payable to the awarded students and the institutions in attendance. In the case where awarded recipients have shown proof that they have been taxed by the institution of attendance, a one party-check shall be made payable to the student. The remaining fifty-percent of the awards shall be issued based on the recipients’ continued eligibility as herein provided under Section IX of this Guideline.
XIV. Notification of Awards
1. The Administrator of the Office of Post-Secondary Education and Scholarship shall notify the selected and approved recipients and the Director of Financial Aid of the institutions in effect through an official letter or email that shall congratulate the recipients and provide the information on the amount of scholarships and/or financial assistance awards to be provided.
2. The official letters to the selected graduate and post-graduate levels recipients shall include the Scholarship & Financial Assistance Agreement Form (Appendix B: SAF-Form NSB-11-01) and the Scholarship Award cover letters for their reviews and signatures on the award agreement (Form NSB11-01) and to return the signed SAF to the Office of Post-Secondary Education and Scholarship, under the Office of the Secretary, FSM Department of Education through priority mail or e-mail.
3. The official letters to the selected certificate and undergraduate level recipients shall include the Scholarship Award Acceptance (SAA) letters for their reviews and signatures and to return the signed SAA to the Office of Post-Secondary Education and Scholarship under the Office of the Secretary, FSM Department of Education through priority mail or e-mail.
4. Any delay and/or failure to return the signed SAF and/or SAA could cause the delay in receiving the award checks or constitutes grounds for the termination of the awards.
XV. Disbursement of Award Checks
Upon receipt of the signed SAF and the SAA letter from the awarded applicants, the Administrator of the Post-Secondary Education shall conduct the following:
1. Transmit the award check to the student’s stated institution –via- Registered/Certified mails.
2. Issue the remaining 50% award at the beginning of the following semester based on the following conditions:
a. Receipt of original transcript for the previous semester;
b. Recipient fulfills credits requirements stated under Section VIII; and
c. Recipient maintains good academic performance.
3. Continue issuing of award checks and notices of warning to certificate, undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate scholarship and financial assistance based on terms outlined under section X. Any financial assistance recipient who shall be granted the second opportunity to upgrade his/her GPA but fails to do so within the granted period shall be suspended.
4. Any scholarship recipient who shall be granted the second opportunity to upgrade his/her GPA but fails to do so within the granted period shall then be labeled and treated as a financial assistance recipient and given the appropriate amount of awards for financial assistance.
5. Ensure that each award shall be expended for education purposes only to defray the cost of tuition, room and board and school supplies and resource material.
XVI. Data Collection & Dissemination
The Office of Post-Secondary Education and Scholarship shall establish its database system and incorporate it into the FSM EMIS (FedEMIS). The Office shall further establish the procedures and processes as shall be applicable to receive and disseminate data on scholarship and financial assistance recipients from the National and States Governments on a regular basis. Such data that will be collected & disseminated shall follow these dates:
1. Awardees Data
a) December for Fall Semester and April for Spring Semester
2. Graduated Scholarship Recipients
a) June of every year
3. All other FSM students attending IHE outside the FSM
a) July 30th
XVII. Monitoring and Evaluation
The Administrator of the Office of Post-Secondary Education and Scholarship shall monitor and evaluate students’ progresses by mail, email and/ or on-site visits to ensure that students are adhering to the NSFAP requirements. The Administrator shall further collect and evaluate postsecondary school enrollment data, students’ needs and challenges to improve the NFSAP at the National Government and provide recommendations to the State Governments to improve their scholarship programs.
XVIII. Reporting
The Administrator of the Post-Secondary Education and Scholarship shall be responsible to prepare and submit progress data report January and June of every year to the Board for submission to the President and to the CFSM.
XIX. Foreign Scholarships
Any official notices of foreign scholarship from any foreign country as shall be communicated through the Department of Foreign Affairs which shall in turn relay the information to the FSM Department of Education shall be disseminated to the State Scholarship Coordinators by the Administrator for the states’ timely and appropriate responses.
XX. Statutory Requirements
The National Scholarship Board and the Office of Post-Secondary Education and Scholarship shall ensure that the scholarship and financial assistance funds are expended in accordance with mandated requirements of applicable FSM laws.
XXI. Effective Date
This Guideline shall take effect upon the approval of the Chairman of the National Scholarship Board.
TYPES OF SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE AT FSM DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The National Scholarship is just reinstated by the congress this FY 2008-2009. National Scholarship came under subsidies and grants. The purpose of this National Scholarship is to assist our FSM students who are studying in undergraduate level. It can also be given to graduate level students.
The Sin-tax Scholarship money comes from tax collection. 25% of tax collected from tobacco products is earmarked for this scholarship. The main purpose of this sin-tax scholarship is to assist our FSM students who are pursuing their studies at the graduate level or those seeking their Masters and Doctorate degrees. The only undergraduates who are eligible for sin-tax scholarship are those majoring in Aviation.
MORE SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
Federal Student Aid-USA
Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. At the office of Federal Student Aid, our 1,200 employees help make college education possible for every dedicated mind by providing more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds each year to more than 15 million students paying for college or career school. We are proud to sponsor millions of American minds pursuing their educational dreams.
Australian Development Scholarship
Australia Awards Scholarships, formerly known as Australian Development Scholarships (ADS), are scholarships for international students who wants to study in Australian Universities. Scholarship holders are required to return to their country of citizenship for two years after they have completed their studies to contribute to the development of their country. Australian Development Scholarships are available for vocational education and training courses, undergraduate degrees, postgraduate degrees, and PhD degrees.
New Zealand Scholarships – Micronesia
New Zealand Scholarships contribute to equitable economic growth and poverty reduction in your country. Through Scholarships for tertiary education and skills development, New Zealand contributes to a growing population of well-educated and highly-skilled people with the necessary abilities and qualifications to make a real and positive difference to their country and communities and who will generate and sustain economic growth for your country.