DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 23 Queensway GIBRALTAR H. M. GOVERNMENT OF GIBRALTAR SCHOLARSHIP AWARD SCHEME NOTES. for NEW SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS

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1 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 23 Queensway GIBRALTAR H. M. GOVERNMENT OF GIBRALTAR SCHOLARSHIP AWARD SCHEME NOTES for NEW SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION FORM Department of Education STUDENT INFORMATION TUITION FEES

2 These are paid directly by the Gibraltar Government upon being invoiced by the University. All new students take with them a letter from the Department of Education instructing universities to invoice the Gibraltar Government accordingly. WHAT ARE YOU ENTITLED TO? MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE This is paid in three equal instalments at the beginning of each term. RETURN RAIL/AIR PASSAGE This will be paid with the first instalment. EXTRA WEEKS You may claim for any weeks that you have to do over the statutory 31. Students need to submit a personalised course calendar endorsed by the Institution for the year in question in order to have the extra weeks funded. The payment of these extra weeks will be carried out together with the third instalment. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT ALLOWANCE This is a one-off payment to students in the first year of a designated course. The designated courses are: Architecture, Art & Design, Home Economics, Medicine, Dentistry, Music, Ophthalmic Optics, Physical Education and other subjects with the approval of the Director of Education. Please note that this allowance cannot be claimed in respect of purchases of books. MARITAL ALLOWANCE Married students are eligible for a marital allowance if evidence is produced that the spouse is not in paid employment. FIELD TRIPS OR VISITS You may claim for certain expenses which you may incur whilst taking part in field trips or visits to places away from your place of study. However, the claim must be sent to the Department before the expense is incurred and must be accompanied by a letter from your Course Director/Tutor stating that the visit is compulsory and an integral part of the course being sponsored. Where the student has a choice of location we will only fund the cheapest option. The letter from the Course Tutor should include a breakdown of the expenses to be incurred by the student. ACCESS AND HIGH RENT FUND Students in rented accommodation or experiencing extreme hardship may apply for Access Funding by filling in the required form which may be obtained from the Department. Access funding does not form part of any mandatory payments under the Awards Scheme and, therefore, each application will be considered totally on its own merits and taking regard of the student's overall financial situation as well as the level of rent being paid. This is only available to students whose parents combined income does not exceed 35,000. HOW IS THE GRANT PAID TO YOU? 2

3 First year students receive the first instalment at the Department of Education. All future payments are made directly into a Bank Account in Gibraltar or in the UK. If you change your Bank Account, the Department must be notified of your new Bank Account number immediately so that delay is avoided. The responsibility to inform the Department is YOURS. WHAT IF YOU HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE THE UK TO STUDY? Students studying outside the UK for a period of at least one term need to obtain permission from the Department before arrangements are made. An official letter from the place of study stating that this is a compulsory requirement of the course being undertaken must accompany the letter seeking authorisation. Students are also asked to note that maintenance allowances vary according to location. Therefore, you are advised to notify the Department as soon as possible if delay is to be avoided and you are to receive the proper rate. WHAT ARE YOUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS? All Award Holders, except the Gibraltar Scholarship Holders, will have signed an agreement with Government before leaving for the UK. This agreement includes the following clause :- CLAUSE 6 If the student shall at any time commit any breach of any covenant or obligation imposed by this Agreement, including any extension thereof of variation thereto made in pursuance of the preceding clause, the student will be liable, on demand being made by the Government, to forthwith repay to the Government the whole of the amount of the monetary grant awarded, including the amount of any award made relevant to any extension of variation as foresaid, together with any and all further expenses the Government may have incurred on behalf of the student relevant in any way to the said course. This in effect means that Award Holders are committed to complete the course they have obtained the award for and that Government will not incur any extra expenditure on any student other than that contracted. A student who fails to complete his/her course is liable to reimburse Government with all moneys spent on him/her including any Tuition Fees paid by the Department. Any Award Holder leaving his/her course or wanting to transfer to a different institution/course to that for which the award was originally bestowed must be aware that this implies the termination of this award and that Government is no longer liable to continue funding it. However, Government will consider requests for changes given reasonable notice and justification. In the case of an Award Holder authorised to re-start a different course, all moneys spent on him/her prior to leaving the original course, will have to be reimbursed to Government before commencement of the new course. 3

4 HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO RECEIVE YOUR GRANT? Each year you will receive a CONTINUATION OF AWARD FORM for completion. This should reach the Department, duly completed, not later than the end of June or early July preceding the next academic year. Failure to return this form will result in your award being frozen by the Department and you will receive no grant for the ensuing year. The importance of accuracy in completing the form cannot be stressed enough. Please contact the Department if you do not receive a form by mid-june. WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU NEED ADVICE WHILST AT UNIVERSITY? Life away from home will be a new experience for most students and problems will undoubtedly be experienced along the way. Students needn t feel they are on their own, however, since advice is readily available on many of the problems they come up against. First contact should be the personal tutor assigned to each student when they enrol. Students are encouraged to quickly establish a working relationship with their tutors. Help is also available from the student services/affairs office in University. Trained counsellors usually offer a round the clock help/advice facility which is completely confidential. Remember, of course, that the Department of Education will continue to support and assist students throughout their time of study in the UK. Problems relating to student finance should initially be referred to the Executive Officer leading the scholarship section, Mrs. Rosina Mauro at rosina.mauro@gibraltar.gov.gi. A more serious problem can also be referred to Mr. Darren Grech, Senior Education Adviser, at darren.grech@gibraltar.gov.gi. WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FINAL YEAR? Upon successful completion of your course, you will either be held to your agreement and offered a job in the Government service, or you will be released from your contract. In order to avoid delay, you are requested to send to the Department a copy of your RESULT SLIP as soon as you receive this and also inform the Department in a covering note what your intentions are for the future. LEAVING A COURSE 4

5 Students should endeavour to do the following:- Contact the Department of Education straight away Obtain official notification from their university Obtain medical notes or certificates from a UK doctor, if illness is a factor, notwithstanding any medical documentation they may have from a local doctor HOW DO YOU GET FURTHER INFORMATION OR CLARIFICATION? Any further information or clarification of the above may be obtained from:- ROSINA MAURO EXECUTIVE OFFICER SCHOLARSHIP SECTION DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 23 QUEENSWAY GIBRALTAR TEL: (350) rosina.mauro@gibraltar.gov.gi 5