The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport announced that it will select 9,818 candidates for scholarships to study for their bachelor’s degree without paying 100 per cent of the tuition fees for the academic year 2021-2022.

Ros Soveacha, education ministry spokesman, said that the 9,818 scholarships were divided among four priority groups: 6,029 general students, 1,387 female students, 1,797 poor students and 605 students from remote areas.

Soveacha said that those who receive the scholarships are selected through two different approaches. First, candidates will be selected automatically through the computer system based on the overall results of the high school diploma exam for the academic year 2020- 2021.

Second, candidates who passed the high school diploma exam in the academic year 2020-2021 and have not yet received a scholarship can take the entrance exam at higher education institutions in the subjects they wish to study and qualify for a scholarship that way.

Cambodian Higher Education Association chairman Heng Vanda said that as rector of the Vanda Institute he has always provided scholarships to the education ministry who then assigned them to students.

He said they have also provided scholarships to some leaders in government for dispersal and also directly to poor students who applied to the school to continue their studies for a bachelor’s degree.

“I personally also provide scholarships for poor students who cannot afford to continue their studies. We will provide them with food and internships while studying at the institute,” he said.

He added that Vanda Institute – which is focused on training students in accounting, banking and financial skills – has been enrolling undergraduate students for the academic year 2021-2022 since December 2021.