Pacific Secondary School Scholarships Program - PNG Secondary School Students Apply Now

PNG Students Apply Now

To be considered for the Pacific Secondary School Scholarships Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Be a resident in, and citizen of, one of the seven participating Pacific island countries.

Not be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia.

At the time of application, be enrolled in and attending school. If you are selected, you must continue to attend school until you move to Australia to start your scholarship.

Be at least 15 years of age as at 1 March 2020 and have not turned 18 years of age on or before 31 December 2020. This means you must still be 17 years of age at 31 December 2020.

Have the signed approval of one of your parents or legal guardians and a written report from them explaining how they will support your performance and well being while you are on scholarship in Australia. If you are selected for an interview, you must bring the written approval of both parents or legal guardians.

Submit two written reference reports from your principal and a community representative, and a school report. 

Meet the English language requirements for direct entry to a New South Wales or Queensland state government public high school in Australia. This means you have completed schooling taught in English for a minimum of two years.

If you have not studied under an English language curriculum, you may be required to undertake an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test and meet the relevant minimum score, or agree to attend an Intensive English Centre in New South Wales or a High School Preparation Course in Queensland if selected.

Meet any country-specific eligibility criteria, if required.

PNG STUDENTS APPLY NOW

Background 

The new Pacific Secondary School Scholarships Program is a prestigious Australian Government financial award. The scholarships provide an exciting opportunity for high performing Pacific island students to attend an Australian secondary school, gain a quality education and develop leadership skills. 

The Program builds on the Australian Government’s strong commitment to deepen education links between Australia and the Pacific.

By completing senior secondary school in Australia, students will have the necessary academic and leadership skills to pursue further education, training or employment pathways upon return to their home country or elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region. 

Students will also develop lifelong connections with Australia and their fellow Pacific alumni.

PNG STUDENTS APPLY NOW

Chinese Government Scholarships 2023 Youth of Excellence Scheme

The Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea, under the Government of the People's Republic of China, is offering 200 scholarships for suitable prospective Masters Candidates around the world. 

The scholarship program aims to provide opportunities for talented individuals to pursue their academic dreams in China. In this article, we will provide information on how to apply for the scholarship.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Chinese Government Scholarship 2023, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Be a citizen of a country other than China.

2. Be in good health both physically and mentally.

3. Have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent.

4. Be under the age of 35.

5. Have a strong academic background and a good command of English.

List of Eligible Institutions

The scholarship program is available for Master's degree studies at the following universities in China:

1. Peking University

2. Tsinghua University

3. Fudan University

4. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

5. Zhejiang University

6. Xi'an Jiaotong University

7. Harbin Institute of Technology

8. Nanjing University

9. University of Science and Technology of China

10. Tianjin University

Application Procedure

Interested applicants must visit the website link provided below for more information on the scholarship program, including eligibility requirements, the list of eligible institutions, scholarship benefits, and the application procedure.

Please visit: https://www.campuschina.org/content/details3_79044.html

The deadline for application submission is 30th April 2023. Applicants who meet the requirements as stated in the application information should apply.

Scholarship Benefits

The Chinese Government Scholarship 2023 covers the following expenses:

1. Tuition fees

2. Accommodation fees

3. Monthly stipend

4. Comprehensive medical insurance

Queries and Further Information

For further information and queries regarding the scholarship program, interested applicants can contact the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea via:

• phone: 3012006 or 3012048 or 
• email: chinese@dherst.gov.pg.

Australia Awards in PNG Download Application Forms 2024

Australia Awards is seeking suitable applicants to apply for the Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education short course.

Download the application forms 

The course is targeting employees from the Department of Education and other education agencies who are in roles where they have responsibility for teaching, designing and implementing STEM Education policies and programs including at the national, sectoral and provincial levels.

To apply for this short course, applicants must:

• Demonstrate direct involvement in STEM Education in your area of work
• Have a minimum of five years of professional teaching or curriculum development experience (which could be in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Advanced Mathematics, ICT, Agriculture, Biology, Fine Arts, Design Technology, Science, Applied Science or Engineering)
• Have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent and teacher registration
• Have a minimum academic English proficiency level equivalent to IELTS 6.5/TOEFL 575 (shortlisted applicants may be required to undertake a test facilitated by Australia Awards).
• Have the commitment to prepare and implement an innovative work-based project as part of the course requirement

The applicant must engage actively and foster networks with multiple stakeholders, including in Australia, and disseminate learning from the course with students, colleagues and peers in your respective organisations.

Applications close in November every year.

Download a Graduate Certificate in STEM Factsheet list below and click HERE.

• Graduate Certificate in STEM Application Form_GoPNG (Word)
• Graduate Certificate in STEM Application Form_GoPNG (PDF
• Graduate Certificate in STEM Application Form_Private Sector & Civil Society (Word)
• Graduate Certificate in STEM Application Form_Private Sector & Civil Society (PDF)

Source: Australia Awards in PNG

TESAS: Grade 12 Guide to Securing a Tertiary Institution Government Scholarship

You were a Grade 12 student. Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is above 2.00. Yet you were not selected to continue higher education. Potentially, you can enter a tertiary institution in the country.

I do not want to raise your hopes too high. If you have a GPA below 2.00 - 2.50 you will find it very hard to enter a tertiary institution. This post aims to help the Grade 12 students who have a GPA between 2.00 and 3.00 and dropped out of the education system. 

• If you do not know your GPA, see how to calculate it ⇦. 

• You can also find out why your choice on SLF has a big impact on selection⇦.

In fact, there are many students who tried again and were fortunate to enter universities and colleges in the country. You can also do the same to secure yourself not only space but also a government scholarship - HECAS.

Research the program of your choice thoroughly

First, research the program of your choice thoroughly. The students' services and administration officers will provide the necessary help.  Start with the answers to the following questions before completing and submitting the application form:

• What is the minimum GPA requirement? This question will help you to identify whether you are a hot, warm or cold applicant.
• How many spaces are available? Knowing the number of intakes every year gives the applicant a picture of the space there are. According to the 12 Grade stats, five students are applying for every space available under government scholarships.
• When is the closing date for submission? Getting the time right is important too - your application must not be too early nor too late.
• What to do when you've made submission? Always follow up with the Students Services or Administration for updates. 
• What if you are not selected having applied? Do not stop there. If you have done the first three steps properly (and are convinced you are the likely candidate), go to the institution and demand the reason why your application was rejected. This must be done before the start of the academic year.

Make every effort to secure a government scholarship

Second, make every effort to secure a government scholarship for the program on successful application. It is tight to get a Higher Education Contribution Assistance Scheme (HECAS) scholarship especially if you are a non-Grade 12 school leaver. That means that you will have to sponsor yourself during the first year of your study. 

Once the door is opened for you, get in, do well academically and apply for a second-year scholarship. Make no mistake, you must perform well and maintain your GPA in the first year. 

Importantly, on successful completion of semester one ask your lecturers, Admin and Student Services staff for help with completing an application for securing your scholarship. 

Complete the application form for tertiary students scholarship offered by the PNG government and submit the application around May/June to the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) in Port Moresby.

Follow up with DHERST Scholarship Office 

Always follow up immediately and on regular basis to find out about your applications. Thimon is one of the best persons to help you. His email is Thimon.Bune@dherst.gov.pg. 

To ask for application forms call 301 2052  or email ask@dherst.gov.pg. More information on government yearly scholarships ( TESAS, AES, and HECAS) can be found on the DHERST website. 

About PNG Insight
PNG Insight is an education blog. It aims to highlight the key developments in the education sector in Papua New Guinea. Started in 2014 on Google's blogger (now self-hosted on WordPress), PNG Insight strives to be a platform for critical thinking and discussions; and a source of information.

You can follow us on Twitter (@PNG_Insight) for the information on Education and Development in Papua New Guinea.

GPA: How To Calculate Grade Point Average and Why You Should Know It

I thought it would be a good idea to disseminate this information to students, especially Grade 12 students, at this time of the year. 

Your grades are awarded a number from 0.0 (FAIL) to 4.0 (A). Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the product of grade points and credit points by the total credit Points. 

Here is a post about DHERST Selections that provides information for Schools Leavers and Non-School Leavers.

This may sound complicated but in fact, it is straightforward if you have your transcript ready. 

You can either use online calculators or use the formula to work out your GPA. I prefer to use the formula on an Excel spreadsheet to calculate my GPA.

Three stand-out reasons why you should know your GPA 

• if you are looking for a job, it is useful to know your GPA; 
• or if you are applying for a scholarship, many overseas institutions will ask for your GPA;
• or as a new student or continuing student, you should be mindful to stay above a GPA of 2.0, in some cases 2.25 - these are magic numbers! Fall below and you are out, or your parent self-sponsor you.

GPA for HECAS

To be eligible for a Higher Education Contribution Assistant Scheme (HECAS), the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) recommends that you score a minimum of 2.0 or higher. UNITECH has raised this to 2.25.

That means that universities are not places for students scoring a GPA below 2. Questions should be asked as to how they get their foot in if they had. 

If you are an academically bright student, you could qualify for the government's rewarding scheme called the Academic Excellence Scholarship Scheme (AES) with a GPA of 3.6 for first-year students. That means that any grade 12 student with straight As is a candidate for AES) or 3.7 for second to final years.  

If you need assistance, talk to your institutions' students service division. 

PNG Unis GPA Info

An updated version of this post discusses the following GPA topics in detail:

• Calculate Grade 12 GPA
• GPA for PNG Universities Selection
• Why you should know the University GPA
• GPA Uni Entry, Scholarship or Work
• TESAS Info for Students
• Grade 12 Guide to TESAS
• How to apply for TESAS Non-school Leavers
• Apply for TESAS after admission

Click here for more information.

About PNG Insight

PNG Insight is an education blog. It aims to highlight the key developments in the education sector in Papua New Guinea. Started in 2014 on Google's blogger (now self-hosted on WordPress), PNG Insight strives to be a platform for critical thinking and discussions; and a source of information.

You can follow us on Twitter (@PNG_Insight) for information on Education and Development in Papua New Guinea.