The Tertiary Scholarships and Loan Service Board has identified that there is 20 percent more interest this year compared to the previous year.
TSLS CEO Hasmukh Lal says 9,994 people have applied so far.
Lal says of these 4,484 have completed their applications, 3,956 are incomplete, 1,554 have only registered, 1,444 have confirmed while 1,878 have had their offers given.
He says overseas scholarships are given for programmes which are not offered by local universities and are in the national priority areas.
The CEO says overseas students after graduating are required to return to Fiji and provide service to the country.
He says graduates are required to provide service of 2.5 times the duration of study.
The bonding for overseas scholarships has changed from 1.5 times of the duration of the study to 2.5 times to allow equitable return on investment through service to the country.
Previously, the bonding for both local and overseas students were 1.5 times the duration of the study and this created disparity on average return on investment as the cost for a local student is around $35,000 for a (3 year degree) while the fees for an overseas student is $350,000.
Lal says increasing the bond service duration brings in equitable return on investment.
