Before you embark on this new journey you need to do the following:
Step 1 – UCAS Application
The UCAS process is completed in your secondary school with the help of your teachers. You should have already completed this process and received offers through UCAS TRACK. Offers will either be Conditional, Unconditional or Rejection.
Step 2 – Scholarship Application process
Invitations for applications will be announced in the local press. Your schools will also inform you of this through their usual platforms. The application forms are available online at: www.education.gov.gi.
Step 3 – Submission of Form A of the Mandatory application
The Scholarship Award application has two stages and requires the submission of two separate forms:
Stage 1:
Mandatory Application (Form A) – This form must be completed if you have undertaken Level 3 courses (A-Levels or equivalent) within the last 2 years (i.e. applicable to school leavers and students on gap years). Note – Form A has a deadline.
Once completed and submitted electronically, the Scholarship Team will process the application. This entails checking that the form is fully completed and that the necessary documentation has been attached. If any further documentation is required, this will be requested by email.
When we have received the application form and all the required documents, you will receive an email informing you that we have begun the eligibility check process.
Documents required for eligibility clearing are:
- Current Applicant’s ID card
- Current Utility bill (Electricity and Water only)
If consumption levels are less than £10 on the utility bills provided, we will ask for further evidence such as:
- Electricity and Water bills for the last six months.
- Deeds of Assignment (Purchase Agreement) or Tenancy/Rental Agreement).
The Scholarship Team, may on occasions, reach out to other Government Departments such as CSRO, Housing and Land Property Services to establish eligibility.
Stage 2:
Step 4 – Submission of Form B of the Mandatory Application
After you have received your A Level results you must complete the Mandatory Form B. This form requires you to provide proof of your A-level results and a letter from the University confirming your university place.
Once this form is received and all the evidence has been checked, the Scholarship Team will prepare your Scholarship Award Scheme Contract.
Step 5 – Contract is issued
An ‘Agreement with the Award Holder and Government’ (the Scholarship Contract) will be prepared. This is an official document that confirms that you are a Gibraltar Government Sponsored Scholarship Student. The Agreement is issued online via the Hello Sign App. This is to be signed electronically by yourself, your guarantor and a representative of HMGoG, before you leave Gibraltar.
Please read the document carefully and ensure that all the details are correct. If there are any errors in the document, you must contact the Scholarship Team immediately. It is important that, before you enter into this contractual agreement, you understand that non-compliance with the responsibilities could render you liable to return funds to HMGoG. It is, therefore, imperative that you familiarise yourself with the conditions of the contract and your responsibilities as a Sponsored Student before you accept the terms of the Agreement.
Note:
- If you are completing a foundation course you will be issued with a contract for one year.
- If you are completing an undergraduate course you will be issued with a contract for three years.
- If you are completing an undergraduate course with a compulsory placement year, you will be issued with a three-year contract and then, upon completion of the placement your initial contract will be amended and you will be required to sign an Amendment of Contract.
When all parties have signed the agreement, you will receive an email with the following attachments:
- A copy of the signed Gibraltar Government Scholarship Award Scheme Agreement between Award Holder and Government.
- Where applicable, a specific tuition fees letter confirming that you are a Gibraltar Government sponsored student. We feel that this is important enough to reiterate that you will need to hand in this letter to your University to ensure that your University sends their bill for tuition fees directly to the DoE. If you do not do this, your University will be asking you for payment and may suspend your student portal/library services.
- A ‘To Whom it may Concern’ letter stating that you are a Gibraltar Government sponsored student. You may need to present this letter to local public service departments e.g. Housing, Tax, Judicial Courts.
Step 6 – Releasing of Payments
Once the Agreement is signed by all parties the Scholarship Team will commence the process of releasing assistive monetary grants for those embarking on studies abroad. As from mid-August, we will release funds, on a priority basis. The Team will try its utmost to prioritise grants for students who have the earliest start dates.
The first instalment of the maintenance grant together with the travel allowance will be deposited into the bank account which you detailed in your application form.
You should expect to receive the following amounts:
If you are studying in Inner London: £2,875.00.
If you are studying in Outer London: £2,338.33.
If you are studying outside of the United Kingdom: £2,033.33.
Your flight allowance: £1,197.15.
Your Travel allowance: This depends on your location and is based on British Rail prices.
The second and third maintenance instalments will be deposited into your bank account in December and in March.
If there are any changes to your bank details, you must notify the Department of Education immediately. If you do not do this, you may not receive the funds in time for the start of the new term. You must provide proof of your new account details e.g. bank statement, paying in book.