According to Scholarship Coordinator Chur L. Oiph in an interview, students have eight more working days to file their applications to the Palau National Scholarship office. “Deadline for application is end of July,” she said.
Oiph admits that this year’s turn out of applicants is a bit slow than last year’s. “But it is still too early to say,” said Oiph. “The number could jump up.”
So far, about 100 applications are in, and Oiph said they are expecting to double the number by the end of July.
“Usually kids wait until the last minute to file their applications,” she explained.
Compared to previous years, however, the number of applicants for this year is low. Last year Oiph said they awarded 229 scholarships to 309 applicants.
Oiph said that one big factor why students are hesitant to apply for scholarships is because one of the requirements to go back to Palau and work here for at least three years after graduation.
“They don’t want to be obligated to come back,” Oiph explained. “If they don’t they must pay back the government.”
Oiph said that they are also reminding everyone that they require parental residency from applicants. “Parents should be residing in Palau,” she said.
Another factor to consider, Oiph said, is that the government’s priority requirements in terms of fields are medicine, engineering and law.
“Education is important too, but it’s not a priority for Palau as articulated in the Republic of Palau Law 6-37,” Oiph said. “We really need teachers in Palau, but it is not among those that have been officially identified by the law as priorities,” she said.
