1. What is Tertiary Education Loans Scheme (“TELS”) and the Quota System?
Tertiary Education Loans Scheme (“TELS”) is a fund intended to provide finance to Fijian students who have qualified for higher education at approved institutions but are unable to support themselves financially.
The Scheme provides student’s zero or low interest loans to eligible Fijians to enable them access to higher education, in line with the Fijian Government’s vision of “Building a Smarter Fiji”.
For the new financial year (1 August 2020-31 July 2021), a maximum of 4000 students will be funded under the various TELS Schemes. The quotas are as follows:
- TELS for Technical College of Fiji Students-1000
- All other TELS categories -3000
The quota will be reviewed on annual basis and the same will be published in the advertisments for the following year applications.
2. Is it true that everyone that gets an offer letter from the Higher Education Institution qualifies for TELS?
No. Each of the Tertiary Education Loans Scheme has its own set of eligibility criteria. Only students who meet the respective category of TELS eligibility criteria are approved for TELS.
It is important to note that each Higher Education Institution has its own eligibility criteria and based on the criteria, they may make offers to students. While an offer letter is a mandatory document for TSLB Offer under any scheme, the applicants first need to meet the eligibility criteria as per Q&A’s 9 to 31 to qualify for TELS.
3. Is TELS available for Overseas Studies?
No. TELS is restricted to studies at an eligible program at any qualifying local higher education institution only.
Under no circumstances, TELS will be approved for any overseas studies. This applies to any regional campuses of an institution based in Fiji also.
4. Is TELS available for Post-Graduate Studies?
No. All funding under TELS is strictly restricted to qualifications up to First Bachelor’s Degree locally only.
Under no circumstances any funding for Post Level Qualifications (Post-Graduate Certificate, Post –Graduate Diploma, Masters, PhD etc.) will be approved by TSLB.
5. Does TELS support Foundation Studies/Bridging programs/courses?
No. Foundation Studies or bridging programs/courses are not funded under TELS.
6. What are the other programs/course which are not funded by TSLB under any category of TELS?
- Unclassified Undergraduate Programs;
- Short Courses;
- Programs not attracting sufficient cross credits for the next level of studies in the same program category. E.g. from Diploma in Accounting to Bachelors in Accounting or Bachelor of Commerce with Accounting as a major This includes but is not limited to Pacific TAFE programs (Early Childhood program offered by Pacific TAFE is eligible for TELS funding);
- Franchise programs;
- Double Degrees;
- Professional Accreditation Courses e.g. FIA, CPA, CISCO etc.; and
- Program not registered/accredited with Fiji Higher Education Commission.
7. How many categories of TELS are there and what are these categories?
Currently there are 9 categories of TELS as follows with each category having its own eligibility criteria for application:
- TELS for New Students
- TELS for Existing Tertiary Students
- TELS for Technical College of Fiji (Administered by Fiji National University)
- TELS for Private Sector Employees
- TELS for Public Sector Employees
- TELS for Pilot Training (suspended from 2021 till further notice!!!)
- TELS Accommodation Support Scheme
- TELS for Graduates Seeking to upgrade to MBBS (suspended from 2021 till further notice!!!)
- TELS for Students Completing Year 12 in 2017 or thereafter - FNU Engineering Programs Only.
8. Which local higher education institutions are currently eligible for students funding under TELS?
i. University of Fiji
ii. Fiji National University
iii. The University of the South Pacific
iv. Corpus Christi Teachers College
v. Fulton University College
vi. Sangam Institute of Nursing
vii. Centre for Applied Technology and Development
viii. Technical College of Fiji (Administered by Fiji National University)
ix. Pacific Flying School-Pilot Training
x. Advanced Aviation Training-Pilot Training
9. What is the eligibility criteria to apply for TELS for New Students?
All applicants for this scheme must satisfy all of the following application eligibility criteria;
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date.
- Must have completed Year 13 in 2011 or thereafter locally and scored a minimum of 250/400 in the Fiji Year 13 Examination / Fiji Seventh Form Examination (FSFE) or it’s equivalence as determined by the Board; or
- Completion of full Foundation Studies (bridging or completion of few foundation studies courses only does not meet the definition of full foundation studies) with a GPA of 2.8/4.5 or 3.10/5.0 or above; and
- Must have a final offer letter from a local qualifying HEI in an eligible program
10. What are the documents that I need to submit with my TELS for New Students application?
The list of documents required for TELS for New Students Applications are as follows:
Required Document |
Description |
Document Type |
Birth Certificate |
Either scanned copy of original or scanned copy of certified true of copy |
Mandatory |
TIN Letter/Joint Card |
Scanned |
Mandatory |
Bank Statement |
Bank account should be under your name. Scanned |
Mandatory if applying for allowances and preference is for receipt of allowances in Bank Account |
Medical Report |
To be scanned and attached only of ticket Yes for Medical History |
Non-Mandatory |
Year 12 Result |
Scanned copy of the original |
Mandatory |
Year 13/Foundation studies/Equivalent if Year 13 Result |
Scanned copy of provisional result for Year 13 and Official results for others. This can be uploaded after the application closing date |
Mandatory |
Higher Education Institution Offer letter |
Scanned copy. Do not attach any provisional offer letter. This can be uploaded after the application closing date
In case you have already done courses for the program for which you are seeking funding, enrollment/registration evidence can be attached. You need to submit full results as well |
Mandatory |
Evidence of Parent/Self/Guardians Income |
For single applicants- compulsory to declare and attach 2 parent’s/guardians income details. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
Mandatory |
For married applicants –compulsory to declare at least one. That is your spouse. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
If your parents/guardians are working , you must attach their recent salary slip. |
If your parents/guardians are running own business , most recent FRCS Tax assessment notice should be attached. |
If your parents are deceased, attach death certificate. |
If your parents are divorced, attach divorce certificate . |
If you are looked after by a single parent, attach Statutory declaration prepared and signed by the single parent for the second income detail. |
Passport Size Photo |
Up to 5 MB. |
Mandatory |
11. What is the eligibility criteria to apply for TELS for Existing Students?
All applicants for this scheme must satisfy all of the following application eligibility criteria:
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date;
- Must have enrolled for any TELS eligible higher education program in years prior to 2014 and wishes to apply for financial assistance to complete their program of study;
- Applicants must show satisfactory progress (GPA above 2.0) in the previous year (s); and
- Must have the program offer letter or full academic transcript and program audit certificate from the institution clearly outlining the number of courses required to complete the program, number of courses successfully completed and number of courses remaining.
12. What are the documents that I need to submit with my TELS for Existing Students application?
The list of documents required for TELS for Existing Students Applications are as follows:
Required Document |
Description |
Document Type |
Birth Certificate |
Either scanned copy of original or scanned copy of certified true of copy |
Mandatory |
TIN Letter/Joint Card |
Scanned |
Mandatory |
Bank Statement |
Bank account should be under your name. Scanned |
Mandatory if applying for allowances and preference is for receipt of allowances in Bank Account |
Medical Report |
To be scanned and attached only of ticket Yes for Medical History |
Non-Mandatory |
Existing Highest Qualification Certificate/Transcript |
Scanned copy of existing highest qualification results and transcripts. |
Mandatory |
Higher Education Institution Offer letter |
Scanned copy. Do not attach any provisional offer letter. This can be uploaded after the application closing date
In case you have already done courses for the program for which you are seeking funding, enrollment/registration evidence can be attached. You need to submit full results as well |
Mandatory |
Evidence of Parent/Self/Guardians Income |
For single applicants- compulsory to declare and attach 2 parent’s/guardians income details. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
Mandatory |
For married applicants –compulsory to declare at least one. That is your spouse. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
If your parents/guardians are working , you must attach their recent salary slip. |
If your parents/guardians are running own business , most recent FRCS Tax assessment notice should be attached. |
If your parents are deceased, attach death certificate. |
If your parents are divorced, attach divorce certificate . |
If you are looked after by a single parent, attach Statutory declaration prepared and signed by the single parent for the second income detail. |
Passport Size Photo |
Up to 5 MB. |
Mandatory |
Completion Letter/Graduation Certificate |
For existing TSLB funded students who have completed a level of studies and wish to apply for TELS to upgrade their qualification in the same area as the existing qualification. |
Mandatory |
Bond Clearance letter |
For those students whose existing qualification was attained under any Fijian Government Scholarship Scheme (MEA, FAB, PSC etc.) |
Mandatory |
13. What is the eligibility criteria for TELS for Technical College of Fiji?
All applicants for this scheme must satisfy all of the following application eligibility criteria;
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date;
- Must be of the age 17 years of above at the time of application;
- Must be accepted into any of the programs (other than short courses) offered by Technical College of Fiji.
14. What are the documents that I need to submit with my TELS for TCF Students application?
The list of documents required for TELS for TCF Students Applications are as follows:
Required Document |
Description |
Document Type |
Birth Certificate |
Either scanned copy of original or scanned copy of certified true of copy |
Mandatory |
TIN Letter/Joint Card |
Scanned |
Mandatory |
Bank Statement |
Bank account should be under your name. Scanned |
Mandatory if applying for allowances and preference is for receipt of allowances in Bank Account |
Medical Report |
To be scanned and attached only of ticket Yes for Medical History |
Non-Mandatory |
Existing Highest Qualification Certificate/Transcript |
Scanned copy of existing highest qualification results and transcripts. |
Mandatory |
TCF Offer letter |
Scanned copy. Do not attach any provisional offer letter. This can be uploaded after the application closing date. |
Mandatory |
Evidence of Parent/Self/Guardians Income |
For single applicants- compulsory to declare and attach 2 parent’s/guardians income details. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
Mandatory |
For married applicants –compulsory to declare at least one. That is your spouse. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
If your parents/guardians are working , you must attach their recent salary slip. |
If your parents/guardians are running own business , most recent FRCS Tax assessment notice should be attached. |
If your parents are deceased, attach death certificate. |
If your parents are divorced, attach divorce certificate . |
If you are looked after by a single parent, attach Statutory declaration prepared and signed by the single parent for the second income detail. |
Passport Size Photo |
Up to 5 MB. |
Mandatory |
15. What is the eligibility criteria for TELS for Private Sector Employees?
All applicants for this scheme must satisfy all of the following application eligibility criteria:
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date;
- Applicant must be in employment at the time of application and remain in employment during the course of studies (Leave with/Without Pay letter from the employer is acceptable),
- Applicant must not be earning a gross income of more than $25,000 per annum;
- Must be seeking to attain an academic qualification (first higher education qualification) or upgrade an existing qualification (in the same area of studies and only if the earlier qualification was not funded under TELS or any other Fijian Government Schemes) up to the maximum of first Bachelor’s degree at an eligible institution either as a part-time or full-time student.
- Applicant must submit to TSLB current and past employment contacts (3 most recent), recent pays lip and FNPF statement showing the last three contributions by the current/former employer(s).
Applicants who resign from work post the approval of the scheme risk losing the financial support under TELS.
16. What are the documents that I need to submit with my TELS for Private Sector Employees application?
The list of documents required for TELS for Private Sector Employees Applications are as follows:
Required Document |
Description |
Document Type |
Birth Certificate |
Either scanned copy of original or scanned copy of certified true of copy |
Mandatory |
TIN Letter/Joint Card |
Scanned |
Mandatory |
Bank Statement |
Bank account should be under your name. Scanned |
Mandatory if applying for allowances and preference is for receipt of allowances in Bank Account |
Medical Report |
To be scanned and attached only of ticket Yes for Medical History |
Non-Mandatory |
Existing Highest Qualification Certificate/Transcript |
Scanned copy of existing highest qualification results and transcripts. |
Mandatory |
Higher Education Institution Offer letter |
Scanned copy. Do not attach any provisional offer letter. This can be uploaded after the application closing date
In case you have already done courses for the program for which you are seeking funding, enrollment/registration evidence can be attached. You need to submit full results as well |
Mandatory |
Evidence of Parent/Self/Guardians Income |
For single applicants- compulsory to declare and attach 2 parent’s/guardians income details. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
Mandatory |
For married applicants –compulsory to declare at least one. That is your spouse. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
If your parents/guardians are working , you must attach their recent salary slip. |
If your parents/guardians are running own business , most recent FRCS Tax assessment notice should be attached. |
If your parents are deceased, attach death certificate. |
If your parents are divorced, attach divorce certificate . |
If you are looked after by a single parent, attach Statutory declaration prepared and signed by the single parent for the second income detail. |
Passport Size Photo |
Up to 5 MB. |
Mandatory |
Employment Contract/Letter |
Upload three most recent |
Mandatory |
Pay slip |
Scan and upload at least 3 most recent pay slips. |
Mandatory |
FNPF Account statement |
Scan and upload the FNPF account Statement (Not Statement of Account). FNPF statement MUST clearly shows that last contribution made by the current employer. |
Mandatory |
Leave Letter |
Scan and Upload with pay slip if your employer has granted Leave with or Without Pay if you are applying for a full time student. The letter should clearly state the terms and conditions of leave of employment |
Mandatory |
17. What is the eligibility criteria for TELS for Public Sector Employees?
All applicants for this scheme must satisfy all of the following application eligibility criteria;
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date;
- Applicant must be in employment at the time of application and remain in employment during the course of studies (Leave with/Without Pay letter from the employer is acceptable),
- Must be seeking to attain an academic qualification (first higher education qualification) or upgrade an existing qualification (in the same area of studies and only if the earlier qualification was not funded under TELS or any other Fijian Government Schemes) up to the maximum of first Bachelor’s degree at an eligible institution either as a part-time or full-time student.
- Applicant must submit to TSLB current and past employment contacts (3 most recent), recent pay slips and FNPF statement showing the last three contributions by the current/former employer(s).
Applicants who resign from work post the approval of the scheme risk losing the financial support under TELS.
18. What are the documents that I need to submit with my TELS for Public Sector Employees application?
The list of documents required for TELS for Public Sector Employees Applications are as follows:
Required Document |
Description |
Document Type |
Birth Certificate |
Either scanned copy of original or scanned copy of certified true of copy |
Mandatory |
TIN Letter/Joint Card |
Scanned |
Mandatory |
Bank Statement |
Bank account should be under your name. Scanned |
Mandatory if applying for allowances and preference is for receipt of allowances in Bank Account |
Medical Report |
To be scanned and attached only of ticket Yes for Medical History |
Non-Mandatory |
Existing Highest Qualification Certificate/Transcript |
Scanned copy of existing highest qualification results and transcripts. |
Mandatory |
Higher Education Institution Offer letter |
Scanned copy. Do not attach any provisional offer letter. This can be uploaded after the application closing date
In case you have already done courses for the program for which you are seeking funding, enrollment/registration evidence can be attached. You need to submit full results as well |
Mandatory |
Evidence of Parent/Self/Guardians Income |
For single applicants- compulsory to declare and attach 2 parent’s/guardians income details. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
Mandatory |
For married applicants –compulsory to declare at least one. That is your spouse. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
If your parents/guardians are working , you must attach their recent salary slip. |
If your parents/guardians are running own business , most recent FRCS Tax assessment notice should be attached. |
If your parents are deceased, attach death certificate. |
If your parents are divorced, attach divorce certificate . |
If you are looked after by a single parent, attach Statutory declaration prepared and signed by the single parent for the second income detail. |
Passport Size Photo |
Up to 5 MB. |
Mandatory |
Employment Contract/Letter |
Can scan and upload your 3 most recent |
Mandatory |
Pay slip |
Scan and upload at least 3 most recent pay slips. |
Mandatory |
FNPF Account statement |
Scan and upload the FNPF account Statement (Not Statement of Account). FNPF statement MUST clearly shows that last contribution made by the current employer. |
Mandatory |
Leave /Study approval Letter |
Scan and Upload with pay slip if your employer has granted Leave with or Without Pay if you are applying for a full time student. The letter should clearly state the terms and conditions of leave of employment or approval for studies. |
Mandatory |
19. What is the eligibility criteria to apply for TELS for Pilot Training Students? (Suspended from 2021 till further notice!!!)
All applicants for this scheme must satisfy all of the following application eligibility criteria;
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date;
- Must be enrolled in either in Year 13/Full Foundation studies or such Equivalent Studies as determined by the Board at the time of applying for NTS. That is in the year before the award year;
- Must not be an Existing Pilot Training student.
- Must have an offer letter either from either Pacific Flying School or Advanced Aviation Training Ltd.
20. What are the documents that I need to submit with my TELS for Pilot Training Students application? (Suspended from 2021 till further notice!!!)
The list of documents required for TELS for Pilot Training Applications are as follows:
Required Document |
Description |
Document Type |
Birth Certificate |
Either scanned copy of original or scanned copy of certified true of copy |
Mandatory |
TIN Letter/Joint Card |
Scanned |
Mandatory |
Bank Statement |
Bank account should be under your name. Scanned |
Mandatory if applying for allowances and preference is for receipt of allowances in Bank Account |
Medical Report |
To be scanned and attached only of ticket Yes for Medical History |
Non-Mandatory |
Year 12 Result |
Scanned copy of the original |
Mandatory |
Year 13/Foundation studies/Equivalent if Year 13 Result |
Scanned copy of provisional result for Year 13 and Official results for others. This can be uploaded after the application closing date |
Mandatory |
Higher Education Institution Offer letter |
Scanned copy. Do not attach any provisional offer letter. This can be uploaded after the application closing date
|
Mandatory |
Evidence of Parent/Self/Guardians Income |
For single applicants- compulsory to declare and attach 2 parent’s/guardians income details. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
Mandatory |
For married applicants –compulsory to declare at least one. That is your spouse. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
If your parents/guardians are working , you must attach their recent salary slip. |
If your parents/guardians are running own business , most recent FRCS Tax assessment notice should be attached. |
If your parents are deceased, attach death certificate. |
If your parents are divorced, attach divorce certificate . |
If you are looked after by a single parent, attach Statutory declaration prepared and signed by the single parent for the second income detail. |
Passport Size Photo |
Up to 5 MB. |
Mandatory |
21. What is the eligibility criteria to apply for TELS for Students Completing Year 12 in 2017 or thereafter - FNU Engineering Programs Only?
All applicants for this scheme must satisfy all of the following application eligibility criteria;
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date;
- Must have successfully completed Fiji Year 12 (Fiji School Leavening Certificate Examination) in 2017 or any year thereafter locally and scored a minimum of 200/400 in the; and
- Must have an offer letter from Fiji National University for an approved/eligible engineering program.
22. What are the Fijian Government approved FNU engineering programs eligible for funding for students who have completed Year 12 in 2017 or any year thereafter?
Eligible FNU Engineering Program
Certificate III in Automotive Engineering |
Certificate III in Electrical Engineering |
Certificate III in Electronics Engineering |
Certificate III in Plant Maintenace Engineering |
Certificate IV in Biomedical Engineering |
Certificate IV in Electrical Engineering |
Certificate IV in Electronics Engineering |
Certificate IV in Plant Maintenace Engineering |
Certificate IV in Manufacturing Engineering |
Certificate IV in Aircraft Engineering (Avionics) |
Certificate IV in Automotive Engineering (Light Motor Vehicle) |
Certificate IV in Automotive Engineering (Heavy Commercial Vehicle) |
Certificate IV in Automotive Engineering (Heavy Mobile Plant) |
Certificate IV in Automotive Engineering (Motor Vehicle Electrical & Electronics)
|
Certificate IV in Automotive Engineering (Panel & Paints) |
Certificate IV in Automotive Engineering (Automotive Light Machinery) |
23. What are the documents that I need to submit with my TELS for Year 12 Students application for eligible FNU Engineering program?
The list of documents required for TELS for Year 12 Students application for eligible FNU Engineering Program are as follows:
Required Document |
Description |
Document Type |
Birth Certificate |
Either scanned copy of original or scanned copy of certified true of copy |
Mandatory |
TIN Letter/Joint Card |
Scanned |
Mandatory |
Bank Statement |
Bank account should be under your name. Scanned |
Mandatory if applying for allowances and preference is for receipt of allowances in Bank Account |
Medical Report |
To be scanned and attached only of ticket Yes for Medical History |
Non-Mandatory |
Year 12 Result |
Scanned copy of provisional result for Year 12. This can be uploaded after the application closing date. Do not upload/enter any school based examination results such as Mid-Year or Annual Exam. |
Mandatory |
FNU Offer letter for an approved Engineering program |
Scanned copy. Do not attach any provisional offer letter. This can be uploaded after the application closing date
In case you have already done courses for the program for which you are seeking funding, enrollment/registration evidence can be attached. You need to submit full results as well. |
Mandatory |
Evidence of Parent/Self/Guardians Income |
For single applicants- compulsory to declare and attach 2 parent’s/guardians income details. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
Mandatory |
For married applicants –compulsory to declare at least one. That is your spouse. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
If your parents/guardians are working , you must attach their recent salary slip. |
If your parents/guardians are running own business , most recent FRCS Tax assessment notice should be attached. |
If your parents are deceased, attach death certificate. |
If your parents are divorced, attach divorce certificate . |
If you are looked after by a single parent, attach Statutory declaration prepared and signed by the single parent for the second income detail. |
Passport Size Photo |
Up to 5 MB. |
Mandatory |
24. What is the eligibility criteria to apply for TELS for Graduates Seeking to upgrade to MBBS?
All applicants for this scheme must satisfy all of the following application eligibility criteria;
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date;
- Must have a relevant undergraduate degree qualification which is accepted as an entry qualification into the MBBS program by the Higher Education Institutions;
- Must not be under any existing scholarship or loans bond. This is extended to donor funded scholarships as well; and
- Must have an offer letter for MBBS from an eligible local higher education institution.
25. What are the documents that I need to submit with my TELS for Graduates Seeking to upgrade to MBBS application?
The list of documents required for TELS for Graduates Seeking to upgrade to MBBS application are as follows:
Required Document |
Description |
Document Type |
Birth Certificate |
Either scanned copy of original or scanned copy of certified true of copy |
Mandatory |
TIN Letter/Joint Card |
Scanned |
Mandatory |
Bank Statement |
Bank account should be under your name. Scanned |
Mandatory if applying for allowances and preference is for receipt of allowances in Bank Account |
Medical Report |
To be scanned and attached only of ticket Yes for Medical History |
Non-Mandatory |
Existing Highest Qualification Certificate/Transcript |
Scanned copy of existing highest qualification results and transcripts. |
Mandatory |
Offer letter for MBBS program |
Scanned copy. Do not attach any provisional offer letter. This can be uploaded after the application closing date |
Mandatory |
Evidence of Parent/Self/Guardians Income |
For single applicants- compulsory to declare and attach 2 parent’s/guardians income details. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
Mandatory |
For married applicants –compulsory to declare at least one. That is your spouse. If you are employed, you will also need to declare your income. |
If your parents/guardians are working , you must attach their recent salary slip. |
If your parents/guardians are running own business , most recent FRCS Tax assessment notice should be attached. |
If your parents are deceased, attach death certificate. |
If your parents are divorced, attach divorce certificate . |
If you are looked after by a single parent, attach Statutory declaration prepared and signed by the single parent for the second income detail. |
Passport Size Photo |
Up to 5 MB. |
Mandatory |
Bond Clearance letter |
Bond clearance letter from FRCS for those students whose existing qualification was attained under any Fijian Government Scheme (MEA, FAB, PSC, TELS, NTS etc.). |
Mandatory |
26. What is TELS for Accommodation Support Scheme?
TELS Accommodation Support Scheme is the loan facility available for tertiary, vocational and technical eligible higher education institution students to meet other expenses such as accommodation and meals, bus fare and incidental & stationary. This scheme does not cover tuition and general services fees etc.
27. What is the eligibility criteria to apply for TELS Accommodation Support Scheme?
To be eligible for TELS for Accommodation Support scheme, all of the following criteria MUST be satisfied:
- Must be a Fijian Citizen;
- Must be an ordinarily resident in Fiji for at least three years before the loan commencement date;
- Must have a combined parental/guardian annual gross income of less than FJD$50,000; and
- Must satisfy the various allowance eligibility as per the “Study Where You Live (Zoning) Policy.
28. What is the “Zoning policy”? Does it apply to all TELS Categories?
Under Study Where You Live (Zoning) policy to qualify for TELS-Accommodation Support Scheme students seeking financial assistance from TSLB under TELS, must enroll at campuses within their locality.
A campus within their locality means that the program is offered by the institution of their choice at campuses close to their home on a full time basis and they can commute from home to attend classes or can complete their studies via alternative mode of studies without having to re-locate.
Students enrolling at campuses within their locality may be eligible for bus fare and incidental allowances only. No Food and Rent/Hostel Allowance will be paid.
In case a student still prefers to move to the main campus regardless of the program being offered in their locality, the allowance eligibility will be restricted to bus fare and incidental only.
The Zoning Policy applies to all TELS Schemes on an equitable basis.
29. What are the allowances type and the maximum rates that I can apply for under TELS for Accommodation Support Scheme?
- Hostel Fees with or without meals to a maximum of $2565/semester, $2138/trimester or $1140 per quarter.
- Rent- $250 per month.
- Bus Fare- $30/week;
- Food expenses- $50/week; and
- Incidental and Stationary allowance- $1000/annum. For Technical College of Fiji students, the maximum incidental allowance is $150/term(Quarter).
30. What is the best way/method for me to apply TELS Accommodation Support Scheme?
The best way to apply for this scheme is to apply for the same with whichever TELS scheme that you are applying for tuition. For example, if you are applying for TELS for New Students, combine this with TELS for Accommodation Support scheme.
What you need to do is in Step 3 of the TSLB Online Application System, where it requires you to select the scheme applying for, Select the second option “TELS TUITION AND ACCOMODATION SUPPORT SCHEME”.
By selecting “TELS Tuition and Accommodation Support Scheme” you will apply for both, Tuition and Allowances.
31. Can I apply for TELS Accommodation Support Scheme Only?
Yes. You can apply for TELS for Accommodation Support Scheme only if you can manage your tuition and other fees and charges either privately or some other form of funding. However, you must be enrolled for an eligible program and courses/units at a qualifying local higher education institution.
To apply for TELS Accommodation Support Scheme only, you need to select “Accommodation Support Scheme” in Step 1 of TSLB Online Application System.
32. What are the documents that I need to submit for my TELS Accommodation Support Scheme application?
In addition to all the required documents for the specific TELS category that you are applying for, the following additional documents needs to be submitted:
Allowance Type |
Mandatory Document to submit |
Hostel or Hostel with Meals |
Hostel Confirmation letter from the University. This can be submitted even after the close of application. |
Rent |
JP/Commissioner of Oath witnessed and FRCS Stamped Tenancy agreement. The tenancy agreement must include the exact location of the property, Landlords and Tenants TIN, Landlord and Tenants Phone Contact. |
Bus Fare |
Either a utility bill (Water, Electricity, Pay Channel, Telephone) Voter Registration Card/Driver’s License, Land Title, that clearly shows the residential address from where the student will be traveling for classes. E-Ticket Card Number (Red Card) is must. |
Food , Rent and Incidental/Stationary |
Bank Statement with an active bank account registered under your name or an active and registered M –Paisa number your name. For quicker receipt of allowances, submit your M-Paisa number. |
33. Can I apply for Allowances after receiving my bond form and TSLB provisional offer letter?
Yes: You can apply for allowances after receipt of your TSLB provisional offer letter and bond form by following the steps below:
- On your landing/profile page, Select the third Option “Reject ad Request for Different Choice”;
- Once you have clicked on this option, fill the requirements and upload mandatory documents;
- Once you have completed the requirements, click “Save Alternative Choice”.
- Your application will then be pushed back to the processing stage and once processed you can download your new TSLB offer letter and bond form. This may take 2-3 weeks as other new applications in the que will be priority over the applications marked as “Reprocessing”
34. Can I apply for allowances after receiving my TELS Confirmation Letter?
Yes. You can apply for the allowances after receipt of your TELS Confirmation Letter. However, all applications after the confirmation letter will be processed for the following academic term. For example, if you applied for tuition only for Semester 1, 2021 and have received confirmation letter for tuition only and the decide to apply for allowances, you will be paid allowances (if eligible) from Semester 2, 2021 only. You will miss out on allowance payment for semester 1.
You can apply using Form TSLB 04.
35. Can I apply for Accommodation Support Scheme if I am a Part-Time Student?
Strictly No: Allowances eligibility is restricted to full time students only.
36. Can I apply for allowances if I am a working student?
You can only apply for allowances if you are enrolled as a full time student, on full academic load and are on leave without pay.
In some cases, and at the discretion of TSLB, students enrolled a full time student, on full academic load and are on annual earning of less than $25,000.00 may be considered for allowances.
37. Can I apply for allowances (rent and food) if I am married and staying with my spouse and family during the course of studies?
No: TELS allowances are retracted for the benefit of the students only and does not extend to the families.
38. How much interest is charged for the amounts that I borrow under TELS?
Applicable interest rates on all TELS borrowing is dependent on the combined parents/guardians/self-annual income of the applicant and the rates are as follows:
Combined Parental/Guardian Income per annum (FJD) |
Interest Rate
(%) |
Up to $25,000 |
0 |
$25,001-$50,000 |
0.5 |
$50,001-$100,000 |
1 |
Above $100,000 |
2 |
39. How much of the loan that I borrow has to be repaid after graduating and getting into employment under the TELS Accelerated Repayment Incentive (“ARI”)?
Loan repayment is subject to the TELS Accelerated Repayment Incentive (“ARI”) as announced in the 2018/2019 national budget.
TELS Accelerated Repayment Incentive is a heavily incentivized repayment scheme for TELS recipients who settle their loans early. Depending on the total amount owed, the length of time taken post-graduation and getting into paid employment, the scheme provides an opportunity for TELS recipients to have a significant portion of their student debt waived off by the Fijian Government.
TELS Accelerated Repayment Incentives are set in three steps, affording 10%, 25% and 50% discounts on the amount of the loan. ARI steps are determined based on the student’s total debt and how quickly their discounted portion of the loan is settled after their first day of employment post-graduation.
For example, if you are a new graduate with a student debt of less than $20,000 and settle 50% of the loan balance in less than 2 years, you will be entitled to a waiver of 50% (i.e. $10,000).
The following rates of repayments and discounts apply:
Total Debt Level (Upon Graduation) |
Discount applicable at various repayment periods |
50% |
25% |
10% |
Less than $20,000 |
< 2 years |
2-4 years |
4-6 years |
$20,000-$49,999 |
< 3 years |
3-6 years |
6-8 years |
$50,000-$99,999 |
< 4 years |
4-8 years |
8-10 years |
$100,000 plus |
< 5 years |
5-10 years |
10-12 years |
You need to check with FRCS on how exactly the discounts is calculated and the exact amount that you must pay to get the discount.
40. I am trying to apply for a program of study under TELS on TSLB online application, but the program/institution is not in the drop down menu. Why can’t I find my preferred program/institution in the drop down menu?
In case you cannot find any program/institution of your preference in the drop down menu on TSLB Online application portal, it means that the program/instruction is NOT an eligible program/institution for TELS funding.
You may choose to select another program which is in the drop down menu.
41. After the offer for TELS has been made by TSLB, can I change my program/major/minor institution?
Yes: You can apply to change your program/major/minor institution after receipt of your TSLB provisional offer letter and bond form by following the steps below:
- On your landing/profile page, Select the third Option “Reject ad Request for Different Choice”;
- Once you have clicked on this option, fill the requirements and upload mandatory documents;
- Once you have completed the requirements, click “Save Alternative Choice”.
- Your application will then be pushed back to the processing stage and once processed you can download your new TSLB offer letter and bond form. This may take 2-3 weeks as other new applications in the que will be priority over the applications marked as “Reprocessing”.
However, you can only apply for the change once only. If you end up rejecting and requesting for the changes more than once, your application will be totally rejected and you will miss out on the funding for the first academic term of your studies. You can re-apply (full new application) when application opens for the next academic term.
42. Can I request for change in program/major/minor/institution after I have commenced studies under TELS?
Yes. You can apply for change in either the Program/Major/Minor or Institution under TELS only once after the award confirmation letter has been issued using Form TSLB 04-02 provided you satisfy the following conditions:
- Non-Medical Students and Medical Students not on annualized program
- These are students who are enrolled who have been awarded in programs other than “Medical and Health” or for programs within the “Medical and Health” which are assessed and graded on a term by term basis instead of on an annualized basis.
- Students falling in this category are eligible to apply for change in either the major/minor/program and institution provided the request is made in writing to TSLB before the second year of the award. That is, you can request for the change either after one or two terms of studies under the award.
- No request for change will be considered after more than 2 terms of studies under TELS.
- Medical Students on Annualized assessed programs
- These are students who have been given the Loans scheme in the “Medical and Health” category and the courses that they are enrolled in are not graded at the end of each academic term but at the end of the annual academic year. E.g. MBBS program.
- Students falling in this category are eligible to apply for change in either the major/minor/program and institution provided the request is made in writing to TSLB before they commence the third year of the award. That is, you can request for the change either after year 1 or year 2 studies under the award.
- No request for change will be considered after more than 2 years of studies.
43. How many times can I apply for either a change in the program/major/minor or institution during my award period.
Strictly once only. Any application in excess of one prior approved application will be declined by TSLB.
44. What does either a change in program/major/minor /institution only once during the period of sponsorship mean?
This means that after the award confirmation letter has been issued, you can apply for either the program/major/minor/institution only once during the entire award period. In cases where you have been approved for a change in either the program, /major/minor or institution, you can no longer apply for any further changes.
As an example, if you applied for and got the major approved once, you cannot further apply for any more changes to either the program/major/minor or institution.
45. How can I apply for either a change in program/major/minor or institution once during the award duration?
Any application for change in either the program/major/minor or institution must be applied for using Form TSLB 04-02. The following mandatory documents must be submitted with the duly completed application form (TSLB 04-02):
- Full academic transcript of current program.
- Offer letter for new program/major/minor or institution.
- Cross Credit document for new program/major/minor or institution.
- Program structure for the new program/major(s)/minor or institution.
- Request letter stating the reasons for the change requested.
46. When will the allowances for each new academic term be paid?
All allowance payment is subject to the receipt of student’s enrollment report from their respective higher education institutions.
An enrollment report contains record of student’s enrollment/registration of courses/units for a particular academic term. It contains the course/unit codes that students are enrolled in and classifies the same as first attempt, second attempt, subsequent attempt and courses/units which are not part of the TSLB sponsored program.
Allowances will only be calculated and paid upon receipt of your enrollment reports. You can visit our website
www.tslb.com.fj and check under “Student Notices” for your enrollment reports as submitted by the higher education institutions. In case your name does not appear in the list and if you have already enrolled for the courses/units, you need to check with your institutions student services/academic office.
TSLB will pay the allowances progressively in two or more batches as enrollment reports are received. The first batch of allowances will be paid by the 4
th week of lectures.
It is in your interest to enroll for the courses/units at least one week before the commencement of lecture to get your allowances by week 1 of lectures. For all enrollments after Thursday a week before the lecture commences, allowances will be paid in week 4 of lectures.
47. How are the allowances calculated and paid?
Allowances for each academic term will be calculated based on the academic load. An academic load is defined as the number of allowance eligible courses a student is enrolled for in a term divided by the total number of courses the student is required to enroll in as a full-time student.
A study load of less than 50% of the full load in an academic term is deemed to be a part-time load and may lead to the termination of the award and or payment of the allowances on a pro-rata basis. Students who fail to register for full academic load will be paid allowances on a pro-rata basis.
TSLB reserves the right to pay your allowance in one or more batches. For example, 50% before the mid-term break and 50% after the break.
For speedy payment of allowances, TSLB is encouraging students to register for M-Paisa and submit the M-Paisa number to TSLB.
The following formula is currently to calculate the allowances for TELS students.
ALLOWANCE CALCULATION FOR TELS STUDENTS
Component |
Normal Academic Term |
Summer/Winter |
Rent Per Week (A) |
AA |
AA |
Bus Fare Per Week (B) |
AA |
AA |
Food Per Week (C) |
AA |
AA |
Total Per Week (D=A+B+C) |
AAAA |
AAAA |
No: of Weeks in Academic Term (E) |
XX |
XX |
Eligibility (F) |
F=D*E |
F=D*E |
Incidental Allowance Per Term (G) |
AA |
AA |
Total Eligibility (H) |
H= F+G |
H= F+G |
No: of Eligible Courses |
XX |
XX |
Term Full Load ** |
YYY |
YYY |
Academic Load (I) |
XX /YYY |
XX /YYY |
Total Payable (J) |
J= H*I |
J= H*I |
Less E-Ticket Card Balance from previous Term (For Bus fare Only) |
48. How is the Load Factor for each academic term calculated?
The Load Factor (“LF”) is calculated as the No. Of TSLB Eligible courses a student is enrolled in divided by the full academic load for a particular term as per the institutions academic program and regulations. Generally, for local studies, the maximum eligible courses for a term is 4. However, this varies amongst institutions and programs.
Load factors would generally be either 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 or 1.0 for programs where students are allowed to enroll for a maximum of 4 courses per term. For programs where students are only allowed to enroll for a maximum of 3 courses per term, the load factor would be 0.33, 0.67 and 1.0.
In instances where students are enrolled for more than the required number of courses (for example, students enrolling for 5 courses, when the allowable load is 4, the extra course enrolled in will not be counted for the purpose of the calculating the Load Factor.
At no point in time, the Load Factor can be Greater than 1.
A working example on calculating Load Factor is as follows:
- Suppose student A studies at Institution XYX for Semester 1, 2020.
- The required academic load for a Semester is 4 courses.
- Student A enrolls in 3 courses only and none are repeat/foundation courses.
- Student A’s Load Factor for the Semester will be calculated as follows:
• Academic Load= No: Courses Enrolled- No. First Repeat Unit (One per annum).
= 3-0=3
- Academic Load Factor = No: Courses enrolled/Required Academic Load
= ¾=0.75
As such a Load Factor of 0.75 will be used to calculate the Student A’s allowance for Semester 1 of 2021.
49. Which courses that I have enrolled for are excluded from the Load Factor calculation by TSLB to determine the amount of allowances I will receive per academic term?
The following are not included as eligible course(s) for the purpose of calculating the Load Factor and allowance payable for each academic term:
- Repeat courses failed before 1 August 2017 under any Fijian Government Scheme;
- More than one repeat course(s) per annum for courses failed after 1August 2017;
- Foundation courses which are not part of the student’s TSLB approved program; and
- Any courses which are not part of the TSLB approved program e.g. Free Courses offered by HEI’s (e.g. UU100 A at USP), Professional Accreditation courses e.g. FIA Courses).
50. How many weeks’ allowances am I paid for each academic term for my higher education institution?
The current number of weeks by term and institution for which TELS Accommodation Support Scheme allowance is calculated and paid is as follows:
HEI |
Term |
Weeks |
HEI |
Term |
Weeks |
USP |
Semester 1 |
22 |
UOF |
Semester 1 |
22 |
Semester 2 |
18 |
Semester 2 |
18 |
Summer |
4 |
Summer |
4 |
Winter |
4 |
Winter |
4 |
|
FNU |
Semester 1 |
22 |
CCTC |
Semester 1 |
21 |
Semester 2 |
18 |
Semester 2 |
16 |
Trimester 1 |
16 |
|
Trimester 2 |
16 |
PFS |
Monthly |
4 |
Trimester 3 |
15 |
|
Quarter 1 |
9 |
AATL |
Monthly |
4 |
Quarter 2 |
9 |
|
Quarter 3 |
9 |
Fulton |
Semester 1 |
21 |
Quarter 4 |
8 |
Semester 2 |
16 |
Summer |
4 |
Summer |
4 |
|
SIT |
Year 1 - Semester 1 |
21 |
TCF |
Quarter 1 |
9 |
Year 1 - Semester 2 |
25 |
Quarter 2 |
9 |
Year 2 - Semester 1 |
19 |
Quarter 3 |
9 |
Year 2 - Semester 2 |
28 |
Quarter 4 |
8 |
Year 3 - Semester 1 |
22 |
|
|
Year 3 - Semester 2 |
25 |
|
|
51. What are the maximum allowances payable to me at various load factors under the loan scheme?
The maximum allowance payable for each academic term during the duration of the award depends on a number of factors such as:
- The categories of allowances and the rate of allowances that you applied for;
- The categories of allowances and the rate of allowances approved by TSLB;
- Your load factor for each academic term;
- The number of weeks for which the allowances is paid for each academic term; and
- The bus fare allowance is also dependent on the amount of unutilized bus fare allowance on the last day of final examinations from the previous academic term.
As an example if a semester based student is on maximum rate of allowances (Food $50/week, Rent $250/month or $52.50/week and bus fare $30/week and incidental of $500/Semester) and maximum of 4 courses is allowed per term, the maximum TELS allowances payable for a Semester with 22 weeks’ payments based on the various load factor will be as follows:
Component |
MAXIMUM PAYABLE SEMESTER BASED STUDENTS |
Load Factor 0.25 |
Load Factor 0.5 |
Load Factor 0.75 |
Load Factor 1.0 |
Rent Per Week (Max) (A)-$250/Month |
62.5 |
62.5 |
62.5 |
62.5 |
Bus Fare per week (Max) (B) |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
Food Per Week (Max) (C) |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
Total Per Week (D=A+B+C) |
142.5 |
142.5 |
142.5 |
142.5 |
No: Of Weeks (E ) |
22 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
Total Maximum for Food, Bus Fare and Rent (F) |
3135 |
3135 |
3135 |
3135 |
Add Incidental Allowance (G) |
500 |
500 |
500 |
500 |
Maximum Eligibility for the Term (H=F+G) |
3635 |
3635 |
3635 |
3635 |
No: of Eligible Courses(E) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Term Full Load **(F) |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
Load Factor (G=E/F) |
0.25 |
0.5 |
0.75 |
1 |
Total Payable |
908.75 |
1817.5 |
2726.25 |
3635 |
In cases where the students are allowed to enroll for a maximum of three courses only, the following maximum allowances will be payable at various Load Factor using the same scenario as above will be as follows.
Component |
MAXIMUM PAYABLE SEMESTER BASED STUDENTS |
Load Factor 0.33 |
Load Factor 0.67 |
Load Factor 1.0 |
Rent Per Week (Max) (A)-$250/Month |
62.5 |
62.5 |
62.5 |
Bus Fare per week (Max) (B) |
30 |
30 |
30 |
Food Per Week (Max) (C) |
50 |
50 |
50 |
Total Per Week (D=A+B+C) |
142.5 |
142.5 |
142.5 |
No: Of Weeks (E ) |
22 |
22 |
22 |
Total Maximum for Food, Bus Fare and Rent (F) |
3135 |
3135 |
3135 |
Add Incidental Allowance (G) |
500 |
500 |
500 |
Maximum Eligibility for the Term (H=F+G) |
3635 |
3635 |
3635 |
No: of Eligible Courses(E) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Term Full Load **(F) |
3 |
3 |
3 |
Load Factor (G=E/F) |
0.33 |
0.67 |
1 |
Total Payable |
1211.67 |
2423.33 |
3635 |
52. How do I redeem my E-Ticket card so that I can start utilizing my bus fare allowance?
- Visit any E-Transport Top-Up Agent/Vodafone Fiji outlet with your E-Ticket card to redeem your bus fare allowance.
- Inform the Agent representative that you have received TSLB travel allowance which you need to be redeemed to your card.
- The agent will press the “redeem” on option on the POS and you would be asked to tap and hold your card for few seconds to get the balance written on your card.
- Once, the balance is transferred, you will receive a paper receipt that will advise you of the amount of allowance received from the TSLB and your new balance on the card.
- You are now good to use the card on the buses. Happy Ride!!
53. What should I do if I have lost my E-Ticket card after redeeming the funds transferred by TSLB?
In case you have lost your E-Ticket card after redeeming the funds transferred by TSLB, you need to take the following steps:
- Visit a Vodafone outlet nearest to you.
- Report to Vodafone staff that your card is lost.
- Vodafone staff will issue you with a replacement card (Check with the Vodafone on the cost of the replacement card).
- After few days Vodafone will transfer the credit balance (if any) to your new card.
- Fill Form TSLB 04 and submit your new E-Ticket card number to TSLB for your financial records to be updated and disbursement of all future bus fare allowance by TSLB.
It is important to note that neither TSLB nor Vodafone Fiji will be responsible for loss of any funds as a result of you losing your card and usage by someone else. Nor will TSLB be responsible for any delay in transfer of the funds from the lost card to the new card.
54. What should I do if I have lost my E-Ticket Card before redeeming the bus fare allowance transferred by TSLB?
In case you have lost your E-Ticket card before redeeming the funds transferred by TSLB, you need to take the following steps:
- Fill TSLB Form 04 with all the required details and the new E-Ticket card number and hand deliver to the TSLB Office nearest to you. TSLB will not accept and process any forms submitted email or fax.
- TSLB staff will amend your record on TSLB system and provide you with an approved copy of your application.
- Your new E-Ticket card number will be submitted to Vodafone for the transfer of your balance from your old/lost card to new number.
- You will then need to visit any e-Transport Top-Up Agent/Vodafone Fiji outlet with your E-Ticket card to redeem your bus fare allowance.
The whole process of the transfer from your lost card to the new card may take 4-6 weeks and neither TSLB nor Vodafone Fiji Ltd will be responsible for the delay. It is your responsibility to store and keep your card safely to avoid the same being lost or damaged.
55. What is my responsibility in relation to the M-Paisa/Bank account details I have submitted to TSLB for the receipt of my allowances other than the bus fare allowance?
TSLB will process and pay your eligible food, rent and incidental allowance in the M-Paisa or Bank account submitted by you to TSLB either as part of your initial application or subsequent changes via the use of Form TSLB 04.
TSLB will continue to disburse your allowances every academic term in the M-Paisa or Bank account nominated by you. As such it is important that you MUST ensure the following:
- The M-Paisa number that you have submitted to TSLB is registered under your name and is always kept active. The number needs to remain active as you will receive SMS notification as soon as allowance is disbursed to your m-paisa account; or
- The bank account details that you have submitted to TSLB is registered under your name and is always kept active. The account must remain active throughout the duration of your studies.
In case you have submitted to TSLB the M-Paisa or Bank Account that belongs to someone else, the impact will be as follows:
- TSLB will still process and pay your allowances in this account as the number was submitted by you and TSLB will take no responsibility for the error or omission;
- The funds will be transferred to someone’s account as per your nominations;
- You will then need to contact the account holder on your own and request/him or her to transfer the funds to you. TSLB will not involve itself in any discussion or negotiations with the account holder.
- In case the account holder refuses to transfer the funds to you, you will need to take appropriate action against the person.
- TSLB will not process and pay another batch of allowance to you as reimbursement of the allowances paid to another person’s account which was provided to TSLB by you. However, the same will be added to your student account statement and recovered from you.
- You will need to fill Form TSLB 04 and submit to TSLB for updating your finance records and processing of all future allowances.
In case you have submitted the M-Paisa or Bank Account number to TSLB which is not registered/active or is inactive/wrong/dormant, the following will be the consequences:
- TSLB will still process and pay your allowances in this account as the number was submitted by you and TSLB will take no responsibility for the error or omission;
- The funds may either be returned to TSLB account or remain in the bank or m-paisa trust account. As such TSLB may or may not be aware that your allowances have been returned to TSLB account.
- In case TSLB is made aware of your allowances being returned to TSLB, we will contact you to fill Form TSLB 04 and submit to TSLB with your correct account details.
- Once you have submitted the correct account details and only after the allowances have been returned to TSLB, your allowance will be re-processed and deposited to your correct account.
- All fees and charges incurred by TSLB for the returns and re-processing will be deducted from your allowances before payments is made to you. This will also be added your account statement as well.
- The whole process of re-processing the allowances may take between 4-6 weeks and TSLB takes no responsibility for the delay in receipt of your re-processed allowances.
- In case TSLB is not made aware of your returns, you will fail to receive the allowances unless you flag the matter to TSLB. Once you flag the matter, TSLB will contact Vodafone or your nominated bank and seek clarification and if the funds are still sitting in their account, a request to transfer the funds to TSLB account will be sent.
- After the allowance is refunded/rolled back to TSLB account, the same will be processed and paid to you within 4-6 weeks.
As such it is in your interest to provide correct account details to TSLB and ensure that the same remains active throughout your tenure as a TSLB sponsored student.
Should you wish to change any of your finance details, you need to fill Form TSLB 04 and submit to TSLB. Completed Form TSLB 04 must be hand delivered to TSLB office nearest to you. TSLB does not accept emailed or faxed forms.
56. Am I eligible for an Extension of the Award?
Yes. You can apply for an extension of the award should you fail to complete the program with the duration stipulated in your award confirmation letter. However, there will only be a maximum of 1 extension granted in any case after assessment, provided the following conditions have been met:
a. Should be a graduating term (meaning the student will finish their last few units in that term and graduate)
b. Must present a satisfactory pass rate of 75% or above.
Whether any extension is granted or not will be at the sole discretion of TSLB.
Any application for extension should be made using Form TSLB 04-01. Duly completed Form TSLB 04-01, with the following mandatory documents and must be hand delivered to the TSLB office nearest to you. Emailed and faxed copies of the application will not be processed by TSLB:
- Full Academic Transcript;
- Program Audit Certificate;
- Program Outline for the remaining courses/units (Year and Term in which these will be offered, and how you plan to complete); and
- Letter explaining the reason(s) for not completing the program within the sponsored duration, along with any evidences such as medical certificates/letter from university.
Request for extension may be granted on the following grounds:
- Change in either the program/major/minor or institution granted by TSLB;
- Medical grounds backed up with medical reports acceptable to TSLB;
- Delays caused by natural disasters or any other pandemic;
- Bereavement for an immediate family member; and
- Deployment for national duties
Any request for extension where student negligence resulting in the program not being completed is established, will not be approved.
57. What is the maximum extension period that I may be granted?
The maximum extension period that may be granted for any student will be for 1 academic term only and this would be for an immediate term after the approval date).
58. Will I be paid allowances for any period of extension?
Whether or not any allowances will be approved during any period of extension will depend on the balance of any eligible allowances after the completion of the initial award duration.
As an example, if you are on maximum rate of allowances for food, bus fare, incidental and rent students on semester basis, the maximum payable allowance per term is $3635 for Semester 1 and $3065 for Semester 2. This amounts to $7600 per annum. In case a student is enrolled for a three-year program and TELS confirmation letter states that the award is for 3 years, this means that the student is entitled to a maximum allowance of $20,100 ($7600/annum * 3 years) in three years.
So if the student has already been paid $20,100 in 3 years, then he/she may not be entitled to any further allowances but Tuition only. However, let’s say that in 3 years, the student was only paid $19,000 by TSLB, then allowance of $1,100.00 may be paid during the period of extension.
However, no new allowances will be approved during any period of extension.
59. Can my TELS be suspended or terminated.
All TELS loan will be reviewed on a term to term basis and the award will be immediately suspended or terminated if a student:
- Fails to meet the required pass, which is a minimum of 50% in first term, minimum of 75% in second term and 100% thereafter per academic term;
- Fails to maintain and take full academic load as per the enrollment/registration criteria of the Higher Education Institute of your choice for each academic term within the duration of the program,
- Fails to meet the minimum attendance required by the Higher Education Institutions for the sponsored program;
- Is academically suspended/terminated by the Higher Education Institute;
- Abandons his/her studies;
- Is deregistered for any reason including disciplinary action instituted by the Higher Education Institute;
- Changes his/her programme/majors/minor/institution without the prior written approval of TSLB;
- Is convicted for any offence during the duration of the award;
- Provides false and misleading information to TSLB with the objective of gaining financial advantages;
- Fails to follow TSLB’s grievance resolution mechanism in airing any concerns/complaints or grievances;
- Engages in any conduct during the period of sponsorship that brings disrepute to TSLB or the Fijian Government; and
- Is required to repeat consecutively a term/years’ work in order to complete your programme.
60. Can I repeat any courses under TELS?
Payment for any repeat course(s) under TELS will only be made if all of the below conditions are satisfied:
- Only for one course per annum; and
- Only for one course per annum for courses failed after 1 August 2017.
In deciding on which repeat unit to fund under TELS in case of multiple repeat courses of a student, TSLB will consider the cost of the repeat courses. Preference will be given to the lowest cost unit.
Any course(s)/unit(s) enrolled in by the students which are substitute courses(s)/unit(s) for failed courses would be deemed as repeat courses for the purpose of making a decision on tuition payment for repeat courses and any associated allowances.
For any more than 1 repeat course(s)/unit(s) per annum of subsequent repeat of course(s)/unit(s), the students will have to fund both, tuition and allowances privately or alternative funding arrangement.
61. How will my academic progress be monitored and evaluated by TSLB?
Your academic progress will be monitored and assessed by TSLB during each academic term and also at the end of each academic term.
TSLB will directly obtain the details in relation to your attendance to lectures and tutorials, submission of assignments, quizzes etc., discipline and also all examinations from your course coordinators and the academic office.
After receipt of the required information from the institutions, the results, attendance and disciple matters etc. will be independently assessed by TSLB staff and those students identified and classified as “At Risk” will be subject to the procedures as per Q&A N0: 57.
62. What happens if I fail to meet the academic requirements as per the terms and conditions of my award?
If your academic performance falls below the required average, the procedure detailed below will be followed:
- If you applied for and were granted special consideration (or if other extenuating circumstances apply), and this was approved by TSLB, no action will be taken and you will receive your TELS payment as per usual;
- You will be notified in writing by TSLB that your performance is under review and that you are on probation. You will be paid whilst you are on probation;
- Should you meet the required minimum pass rate in the term you are on probation, the probation status will be removed in the following term and you will be paid.
- Should you fail to meet the required minimum pass rate in the term on probation, the scheme will be suspended for the following term. You will not receive payments while on suspension.
- Should you meet the required minimum pass rate in the term on suspension, the scheme will be reinstated for the following term and payments will resume? No retrospective payments will be made for the period of suspension.
- Should you fail to meet the required minimum pass rate in the term on suspension, the scheme will be terminated and no further payments may be made.
A maximum of one probation and one suspension will be considered during the scheme duration as stated in the offer letter.
In case your TELS gets suspended due to poor academic performance you are eligible for reinstatement in case you undertake courses privately and meet the academic requirements for reinstatement within a period of one year since the suspension.
63. Can I travel overseas during my studies and bond service period?
Yes. However, you need to first apply to Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (“FRCS”) for temporary overseas travel release before finalizing your travel.
You must obtain written clearance from FRCS by meeting all requirements should you wish to travel abroad during the study or bond period by giving at least 7 days’ advance notice to FRCS.
In case you fail to apply for the travel release, you may be prevented from departing Fiji and neither TSLB nor FRCS will be responsible for any losses suffered.
In case you have fully served the bond period or paid off in lieu of the bond service period, you need to obtain the final clearance letter from FRCS and check that your name has been permanently removed from the Immigration Controversial List.
64. What are the requirements that I must satisfy and meet before being granted any release to travel overseas?
The following requirements needs to be submitted or sorted out by directly contacting FRCS.
- Duly completed form IRS458 available on www.tslb.com.fj or www.frcs.org.fj.
- Request letter addressed to CEO of FRCS.
- Letter from TSLB to confirm outstanding loan or bond service amount.
- Guarantee of Bond (Overseas Travel) Form – TSLB 11.
- Guarantor’s TIN letters or photocopy of FRCS/FNPF Joint Card.
- Guarantor’s recent pay slip or Bank Statements
- For students in employment, a letter from the employer must be submitted.
- Copy of the return air ticket with the travel itinerary.
- Copy of the Passport.
- Visa details.
- The student may be required to pay a certain percentage of the dues to the Fijian government.
- FRCS reserves the right to impose any other conditions.
You need to visit FRCS website
https://www.frcs.org.fj for exact requirements and any changes that may be announced
.
65. Can my TELS be terminated? If so how and what happens after my TELS is terminated?
TELS can be terminated either by you or TSLB. You may terminate TELS by filling and submitting Form TSLB 04. You can terminate the scholarship with or without providing any reason(s) to TSLB. However, providing the reason will allow TSLB to discuss options that you may have in case you are terminating the same due to reasons that may be affecting your academic performance.
TSLB may terminate your TELS on the same grounds as those listed in Q&A No. 54.
Should the award be terminated by TSLB, or you wish to terminate the award, you will be required to repay the total monetary value the Fijian Government has expended upon your studies from the commencement date till date of termination of your award with the applicable penalty rate at the time of termination in one single payment or under any other arrangement with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (“FRCS”). FRCS’s discretion is unfettered.
The current penalty rate for TELS termination is 10% of the total cost incurred by TSLB till the point of termination on your studies.
66. Can I apply for TELS again or any other Fijian Government or Donor Funded Scholarships administered by TSLB if my TELS has been terminated or if I have not completed my current bond obligation?
No. You can only apply for TELS again or any other Fijian Government or Donor Funded Scholarships administered by TSLB where your TELS has been terminated unless you have fully paid off the total amount due on termination with the appropriate rate of penalty.
To be eligible to apply you need to pay off your existing debt to FRCS and submit your FRCS bond clearance letter to TSLB with your application.
67. Can I Upgrade my program under TELS?
No, if incase your existing qualification was funded under any of the Fijian Government Scholarship or Loan Scheme. Starting from 2021, there will be no successive upgrade of qualifications. You may apply for a successive upgrade only if you have completely served the current bond or paid off in total of the amount that has been expanded on your studies.Once this is cleared, then only may you apply for a successive upgrade in the same area of studies, not prior to that. For example, a student funded by TSLB under TELS for Certificate in Accounting, can apply for TELS to continue his/her studies in Diploma in Accounting after completing the Certificate level program and either paying off for the amount utilized while completing the Diploma completing the bond service.
However, even after bond service and total amount clearance, TELS is not available for upgrade of following as follows:
- Above Degree level qualification. That is post graduate qualification;
- Another qualification at the same level. E.g. a person with a Diploma level qualification wishing to enroll for another Diploma level qualification;
- Those wishing to teaching training qualification after completing a plain degree qualifications such as Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Science etc. Such courses include Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Education etc.; and
- Professional accreditation courses such as FIA, CPA, CISCO etc. after or while doing a Degree program.
68. Am I bonded as a TELS student?
All TELS recipients will be bonded for the actual amount paid by TSLB for Tuition, Accommodation, or any other costs for the funded program.
69. What does the bond mean?
After graduation, and getting into employment, you will have to repay the Fijian Government the actual amount paid for your tuition and allowances, together with any interest accrued at the rate of 20% of your Gross Income per annum. The total amount that you need to repay depends on how quickly you pay your debt and the amount of discount you get under the TELS Accelerated Repayment Incentive. Refer to Q&A No. 38 for full information on TELS Accelerated Repayment Incentive.
Remember it is your responsibility to notify FRCS about your employment details and start repaying your debt.
You will not be allowed to leave the country without the FRCS Travel clearance unless your determined debt is fully repaid and bond clearance letter issued.
70. Do I require guarantors for signing the bond for TELS?
No.
71. What happens if I submit any false information to TSLB or FRCS?
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that any information submitted to TSLB/FRCS at any stage during the application, application processing, course of studies and post-graduation to provide true and complete information.
The False Information Act 2016 ('Act') establishes liability for the provision of false Information to any officer, agent or representative of the Government or an entity. Section 2 provides the definition of 'entity' as an organization that receives funding from the Government and which the Attorney-General prescribes by notice in the Gazette.
Section 2 also provides the definition of 'false information' as meaning information which is false, Incorrect, untrue or misleading in whole or part, substance or form.
Section 4(1) of the Act provides that a person must not knowingly make a false representation to any officer, agent or representative of the Government or entity for the purpose of obtaining a benefit. Section 4(2) further provides that any person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $20000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or to both.
Section 7 of the Act further provides the meaning of 'knowingly' as if the person is aware that the information the person is providing false information, is aware that the information the person is providing is likely to be false information and is reckless in that regard or provides any information and is reckless as to whether that information is false information.
Section 8 of the Act provides that Part 7 of the Crimes Act 2009 apply to offences under this Act and section 9 of the Act provides that absolute liability applies to the offences under this Act in accordance with section 25 of the Crimes Act 2009.
Section 10 of the Act provides for the recovery of the benefit from a person convicted of an offence under the Act and section 11 provides for the recovery of the benefit from a third party.
TSLB /FRCS reserve the right to terminate the award and execute the recovery action should it be established that the student furnished false information at any stage of schemes application and benefit.
72. When does the application for TELS open? When does it close?
Application opening and closing date will be published in the local media, TSLB website and official social media after the budget announcement each year. This will normally be in July of each year.
Application closing date will strictly be 31 December of each year. TSLB will not receive or consider any late application for TELS under any circumstances.
73. How do I apply for TELS?
You need to apply using the TSLB Online application portal available on
www.tslb.com.fj using the following steps:
1. Scan and get all the required documents ready before starting the process of applying online in the pdf, png, or jpg format. Scan and save each document separately and ensure that each scanned document does not exceed 5MB in terms of file size.
2. Visit www.tslb.com.fj and register for TSLB online application. Applicants cannot apply online unless registered first.
3. Once registered fill the appropriate information.
4. Upload all the required documents.
5. Submit the online application.
6. Applicants for NTS need not fill another TELS application as all unsuccessful applications for NTS will be considered for TELS if they have met the required marks/GPA in Year 13 or equivalent studies.
7. Students will not be able to submit the form unless all mandatory fields are filled with the exception of Year 13 results and final offer letter. Year 13 results and final offer letter from the institutions need to be uploaded before the application processing closing date.
74. Can I apply without my Year 13 results and Offer letter from the institutions as Year 13 results are only released in December while Offer letters may be received after the closing date of 31st December each year?
Yes: You can and must to apply before 31st December each year even if you do not have Year 13 results or the offer letter from the institution or both. TSLB online application system is designed in such a way that you can apply with these essential documents and upload the same even after the closing date.
So you need to ensure that you have applied and completed all aspects of the application, except Year 13 results and offer letters before the application closing date.
Your application will only be processed after you have uploaded the Year 13 results and offer letter from the institutions. However, you will not miss out on the award if you have met the qualifying criteria and uploaded these 2 essential documents before the last day of application processing.
You need to log into TSLB website www.tslb.com.fj for TELS application processing opening and closing date for each year.
75. Can I attach my provisional offer letter from the institution for my TELS application?
No: You must never attach your provisional offer letter with your TSLB application. In case you do this, your offer letter will be removed, your application moved to incomplete state or even totally rejected by TSLB.
76. How would I be notified the outcome of my TELS application?
You will be notified on the outcome of your application in January of the new year. The notification will be sent to the email address that you used to register and apply for the scholarship.
You must also login into your TSLB account on TSLB website www.tslb.com.fj and check on your application status on your home/landing page. In case your application was successful, your application status will change from “Processing” to “Approved” and you will be given the option to download your “TELS Offer Letter” and “Bond Form”.
In case you were not successful with the application, your application status will change Processing” to “Rejected” on your home/landing page.
77. How do I fill the bond form and offer letter if I have received the provisional offer letter?
After your application is processed and if you are successful with your TELS application, a copy of the personalized TELS Provisional Offer Letter and Bond Form will be available on your TSLB Home/Landing page.
You need to download and fill the documents as follows:
- Offer letter- read and initial all pages on the bottom right hand corner. Then enter your details and sign off on the last page of the letter and get the same witnessed and Scan and save the whole document (all pages). The offer letter can be witnessed by anyone elder than you who can read and understand English.
- Bond Form – fill and sign only pages and 1 and 3 only. Do not fill anything on Schedules 1 and 2 of the bond form.
After filling and signing the bond form, scan and save the entire (all pages) of the bond form.
You need to upload the entire scanned copy of the bond form and offer letter (no more than 5MB for each) and upload on TSLB account on your landing/profile page.
78. How much time do I have to complete the bond form and offer letter and submit the same to TSLB?
You must sign and scan every page of the bond form and offer letter and upload on your landing/home page on TSLB website www.tslb.com.fj within 7 days from the date shown on your offer letter.
In case you fail to sign and upload the bond form and offer within 7 days from the date of offer, your application will be rejected and you will be required to re-apply when application opens for the following term. You will miss out on the financial assistance for the term for which you initially applied.
79. When and how is my TELS confirmed?
Once you have uploaded your completed and signed offer letter and bond form, TSLB will carry out its assessment.
Upon assessment of your signed offer letter and bond if the documents are in order you will receive another email to indicate that your award has been confirmed.
The application status on your landing page will change from “Approved” to “Confirmed”.
Log into your online and download and print your confirmation letter from your profile page.This will be uploaded by TSLB at the same place where you downloaded your offer letter and bond form from
Once this is done, your application processing is completed and there is no need for you to come to TSLB in relation to your application matters.
80. What should I do after I have received the award confirmation letter from TSLB?
Enroll for courses in the program stated in your TSLB TELS Confirmation letter and start your classes at the institutions of your choice and TSLB will pay the allowances in the nominated bank account/m-paisa number and bus fare (TELS) in your E-ticket Card Number and Tuition directly to the Institution.
In case your University requires, provide a copy of your TSLB confirmation letter to the Finance Team of your University.
81. Will my tuition and allowances be paid if I have been given the award offer by TSLB but have not returned the signed offer letter and bond form to TSLB?
Your fees and/or allowances will not be disbursed until we receive your offer letter and bond document, duly and satisfactorily completed and the award confirmation letter is issued by TSLB.
The process of tuition and allowance payment is as follows and unless all steps are completed, neither tuition nor any allowances will be paid by TSLB:
- TSLB issues the successful applicants provisional offer letter and bond form;
- Successful applicants to complete the bond form and offer letter, sign the required pages , scan the entire documents, upload on their landing/home page on TSLB website www.tslb.com.fj
- TSLB staff assess the bond form and offer letter.
- TSLB issues the award confirmation letter;
- TSLB sends the tagging list (list of TELS sponsored students to the institutions);
- Higher Education Institutions send the enrollment report to TSLB;
- Based on the enrollment report received, TSLB staff process and pay your allowances;
- Higher Education Institutions bill TSLB for your tuition, hostel and general service fees;
- TSLB processes and pays your tuition, hostel and general service fees.
82. What are my requirements after I have completed my program of studies?
Upon completion of studies, the awardee must submit and keep TSLB updated on the following:
- Program Completion Letter from the Higher Education Institution; and
- Complete Academic Transcript and Certificate upon Graduation.
Upon receipt of the above documents, TSLB will change your student status from “Active” to “Graduate” and no further tagging will be sent to your institution and allowance paid.
You must also immediately submit to FRCS, a copy of the employment contract or appointment letter for the purpose of bond service monitoring.
Bond clearance letter will be issued by FRCS upon production of evidence by the awardee for the completion of the years of service required.
For any change(s) in employment, notification in writing must be submitted to FRCS.
83. How do I notify TSLB of any changes that I wish to make to my personal, academic and finance details with TSLB?
You need to fill Form TSLB 04 and submit to TSLB to notify of any changes to your personal, academic or finance details.
TSLB/FRCS will send all correspondences regarding the Scholarship to the email address or other contact details as per the awardees’ application form. As such you must immediately notify TSLB/FRCS of any changes to your contact details.
Likewise, TSLB will pay all allowances on the M-Paisa/E-Ticket or Bank account details as such any changes needs to be communicated to TSLB using Form TSLB 04, otherwise delays in payments will occur.
Completed Form TSLB 04 must be hand delivered to TSLB office nearest to you. TSLB does not accept emailed or faxed forms
84. What should I do if I am facing issues that are affecting my academic progress or I am struggling to cope up with my studies?
You must immediately contact the TSLB Student Counsellor on email address counselor@tslb.com.fj to arrange for an appointment to meet and discuss your issue. This will help TSLB understand your issue and suggest ways to overcome the same.
Remember leaving it too late or making an attempt to explain your reason(s) for poor academic performance after the final examinations will not help you as the same will not be considered by TSLB.
TSLB prefers early intervention on matters affecting a student’s welfare and academic performance and as such you must contact TSLB Student Counsellor immediately for any issue affecting your academic performance.
85. Can I work part-time while being on TELS as a full time student? (Apart from the Employees Schemes)
Yes. You may work part-time while being on TELS upon prior written approval from TSLB. However, you cannot decrease your academic load (that is enroll for fewer courses/units) while working on a part-time basis. Also engaging in employment should not affect your academic performance as this may lead to direct termination of your sponsorship.
You must seek prior written approval from TSLB before engaging in any part-time employment during any academic term while under TELS. You must submit a letter of request to the Section Head of your respective university. For Scholarships email on
scholarships@tslb.com.fj . For TELS USP,
telsusp@tslb.com.fj . For TELS FNU, email on
telsfnu@tslb.com.fj . For all other HEI’s email on
telsheis@tslb.com.fj. In the letter of request, you must include the place of employment, days and hours of employment and the duration of employment.
You can engage in Part-Time employment during your Semester breaks without any written approval from TSLB.
No full time employment can be accepted while on TELS.
Exception to this rule applies to TELS for Private Sector or TELS for Public Sector Employees who are required to remain in employment during the entire course of TELS Funding (unless they have been granted leave of employment by the employers).
86. Can I postpone/defer my TELS?
You may apply for postponement /deferment of the scholarship during the course of studies using Form TSLB 04 if the attendance at the Higher Education Institute is affected due to the following reasons ONLY:
- Medical ground- supported by medical report (not sick sheets for few days only) by a registered medical practitioner;
- Military/Security deployment;
- National duties;
- Death in immediate family (spouse, children, parents living with the students, siblings only); or
- any other reason(s) as deemed appropriate to TSLB.
You cannot apply for deferment before commencing studies under TELS as all Loans Scheme are tenable from academic term one of the academic year for which the award has been approved.
No deferment of studies will be approved in a retrospective manner. All such applications will be treated as the case of abandonment of studies and will result in termination of TELS and loss of the funding.
For an award to be deferred, the awardee must attend at least one full-time year of studies prior to the proposed deferment and meet the minimum criteria for renewal of the award during the academic term (s) attended prior to the application for deferment
Enrolment at any other Higher Education Institute or acceptance of another award during the deferment period will result in an automatic cancellation of the award unless prior written approval from TSLB is obtained.
Deferment of studies without prior written approval from TSLB will be deemed as abandonment of studies and will result in an automatic termination of the award by TSLB.
TSLB’s general policy is that awards may be deferred for a up to one academic and approval is dependent on the availability of remaining scholarship funds.
No deferment of studies will be allowed for vacation or employment purposes (unless employment of a national duty in nature)
87. What happens to my TELS if I am either suspended or terminated by the university?
The following is relevant in relation to your TELS due suspension or termination from the program of studies by your institution:
- Suspension/Academic Exclusion- your TELS also gets suspended by TSLB without notice to you. During the period of suspension, you cannot change your program/major/minor or institution nor can you apply for another category of TELS. However, if the suspension exceeds one year, then your TELS will be terminated by TSLB.
- Termination- termination by institution will result in automatic termination of your TELS by TSLB without any notice. You cannot apply for change of your program/major/minor or institution once your award is terminated. Upon termination, recoveries action by FRCS will commence. You cannot apply for another category of TELS or any other Schemes administered by TSLB unless you have full paid off your debt under existing TELS and produce a bond clearance letter from FRCS.
88. Can I withdraw late from the course(s)/unit(s)? That is after the normal withdrawal period of my Institution without any withdrawal penalty?
TSLB does not encourage withdrawal from course after the allowances or tuition or both have been paid unless the request for withdrawal is on grounds accepted to TSLB. The accepted grounds include medical, national duties, death of an immediate family member, extensive losses due to natural disasters or a national epidemic or pandemic that restricts a student from attending classes or no alternative mode of teaching or learning is available.
Any request for withdrawal must be made using Form TSLB 04 available on
www.tslb.com.fj
Should you intend to withdraw from the HEI or from a course after payment of tuition and/or allowances for the academic term, the award will be withdrawn and the awardee will be required to refund the payments already made before any approval is authorized by TSLB. Remember for late withdrawals, your tagging for the course(s)/unit(s) will be withdrawn by TSLB and you have to pay of these courses privately with any later withdrawal penalty.
The following requirements must be submitted by you to TSLB if you wish to withdraw from a course(s) after the normal withdrawal period (without any penalty by the HEI) of the HEI’s:
- Letter from the Course Coordinator/HEI which clearly highlights the academic progress till the point of planned withdrawal. The letter must include the course work marks/grades;
- Medical Report indicating that the awardee is not able to continue with the studies if the planned withdrawal is on medical grounds; and
- Any additional documents which TSLB may request on a case by case basis.
No withdrawal on the grounds of poor academic progress will be approved by TSLB.
89. What happened if my allowances have been overpaid by TSLB due to certain issues or if my tuition for an ineligible course has been wrongly tagged?
TSLB relies solely on the reports submitted by the respective institutions for the processing of tuition and allowances. As such errors and omissions in processing and payment of allowances may result from errors and omissions in the report submitted by the institutions.
Common errors and omissions noted in the past includes:
- Changes in the number of courses/units in the enrollment report largely attributed to students either adding or dropping courses after the receipt on initial enrollment reports;
- Incorrect classification of courses/units in the enrollment in terms of first attempt courses, eligible repeat courses, subsequent repeat courses etc.;
- Incorrect courses being tagged by HEI’s in contradiction to TSLB’s terms and conditions of tagging;
- Change in program/major/minor/institution by students or HEI’s without prior written approval from TSLB.
In case(s) where either wrong allowances or tuition has been tagged/paid by TSLB, the following recoveries action by will be taken:
- For Tuition, the institution will immediately be asked to un-tag the student from the ineligible course(s)/unit(s) and if any fees have already been paid to be reimbursed to TSLB and the student be billed privately for such course(s)/unit(s).
- For allowances, instructions will be issued to the bank to put a hold to the allowances not yet withdrawn and only on TSLB’s instruction the funds to be released. Students will immediately be contacted to reimburse the excess allowance to TSLB by depositing the same in the official TSLB Scheme account. TSLB may also contact the institution and request that the students account be placed on TSLB hold.
- Where the excess allowance payment cannot be recovered in a particular term, the recoveries will be initiated in the following academic term. That is any unrecovered excess allowances from the previous term will be deducted from the following term(s) allowances unless the full amount is recovered.
- In case any excess payment cannot be recovered and the student has completed his/her studies, all excess payment will be added to your outstanding loan and recovered under the normal TELS recoveries process and criteria.
90. Will TSLB release any information about me to any other person /authority not authorized by law?
No information about any student will be disclosed to any other person in any circumstances unless any statute requires for the information to be disclosed.
The only natural party/person to whom student information will be disclosed by TSLB are the bond guarantors (only financial information) and the information.
Under no circumstances TSLB will disclose any information about any student to any other third party, including but not limited to the parents/guardians/friends/spouse/ or any other family members.
However, TSLB may disclose student information to any relevant Government Organizations and business parties for the purpose of effectively carrying out its mandated functions.
All existing TSLB sponsored students and applicants must produce theirTIN Card or Letter to TSLB Staff number before any service is rendered
91. How can I access my TSLB Account Statement to find out how much I owe to the Fijian Government?
To access your account statement, following the following easy steps:
- Visit FRCS website www.frcs.org.fj.
- Click on Our Portals and select “StudentInfo”.
- Click on Register and enter your TIN Number, valid email address, Expiry Date for Joint Card and create your Password.
- Click on Register and an email notification will be sent to your email.
- Follow the link in email to activate your account by entering your TIN number and password created while registering.
- Every time you wish to view your payment details, use your TIN Number and Password to login.
92. How to contact TSLB should I have any queries or concerns about the Tertiary Education Loans Scheme?
- All new applications MUST be made using the TSLB Online Application Portal available on www.tslb.com.fj. Full information about the schemes, the eligibility criteria and required documents are available on our website. For any queries on the online application email on it@tslb.com.fj
- For all queries on allowances, tuition, tagging and any other general enquiries, students must use the TSLB Online Chat Services on TSLB website www.tslb.com.fj from Mondays to Fridays from 8. 00a.m to 5.00p.m.
- For all other general queries and enquiries after 5. 00p.m from Mondays to Fridays and in the week ends, including Public Holidays, students/all other Fijians must email on enquiries@tslb.com.fj and we will respond on the next working day.
- For all account statements, email on accounts@tslb.com.fj
93. What is the application assessment and selection criteria?
The Selection for each category of the scheme will be guided by the specific application eligibility criteria.
Applications will only be approved by TSLB for applicants who meet the application eligibility criteria and the application is complete in all aspects.
Where a quota for the scheme has been set by the Fijian Government, the order of priority for the processing of the applications for scheme until the quota is met, other than for the Tertiary Education Loans for Technical College of Fiji will be as follows:
(a) Tertiary Education Loans Scheme for New Students.
(b) Tertiary Education Loans Scheme for Year 12 students for approved FNU Engineering programs.
(c) Tertiary Education Loans Scheme for Existing Students.
(d) Tertiary Education Loans Scheme for Public Sector Employees.
(e) Tertiary Education Loans Scheme for Private Sector Employees.
For TELS for Technical College of Fiji Scheme, the order of priority for the processing of the applications for scheme until the quota is met, shall be as follows:
(a) Applicants who have completed Certificate I or the equivalence as determined by the Board and are of the age of 17 and above.
(b) Applicants who have completed Year 13 or the equivalence as determined by the Board and are of the age 17 and above;
(c) Applicants who have completed Year 12 and are of the age 17 and above.
(d) Applicants who have completed Year 11 and are of the age 17 and above.
(e) Applicants who have completed Year 10 and are of the age 17 and above.
(f) Applicants who have not qualification levels prescribed in 1 (a) to (d) but are of the age 17 and above.
In case where two of more applicants are ranked equally for any category of TELS and there is only one spot in the quota available to be awarded, the date of application will be considered. The applicant submitting the application earlier will be considered over the remaining applicants with the same ranking.