OF the more than 20,000 students awarded scholarships, loans and grants through the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (TSLS) this year, iTaukei students received the largest share of new scholarships, securing over 70 per cent of those awards.
In his ministerial statement to Parliament, Education Minister Aseri Radrodro confirmed a total of 20,746 students had received assistance through TSLS in 2025 – the highest number since 2020.
“This year marks the highest number of students supported since 2020,” Mr Radrodro said.
“We are not only preparing our students for jobs but also preparing them to be leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.”
Of the 8700 new scholarships awarded in 2025, iTaukei students received 6181, or 71 per cent, followed by Fijians of Indian descent with 2278 scholarships (26 per cent).
Rotuman students received 74 scholarships (0.85 per cent), 165 were awarded to other ethnic groups (1.9 per cent), and two scholarships (0.02 per cent) were awarded to Chinese students.
There was also a strong gender representation, with 55 per cent of new scholarships awarded to female students.
The minister described this as “a positive shift toward gender empowerment”.
Mr Radrodro also highlighted a significant increase in TVET scholarships and micro-qualification grants in sectors such as automotive, construction, tourism and small business operations — areas directly aligned with national workforce demands.
“The Government is proud that 53 per cent of all scholarship and grant recipients are women.
“This demonstrates our policies are having real impact where it matters most.”
Applications for Semester 2 and the second round of the Skills Qualification Scheme are now open.
