Requirements

Persons are eligible for Study Financing from the age of:

• Under 17 years old
  • Study financing is awarded to applicants younger than 17 years old, if they already successfully completed highest available secondary education on Sint Maarten
    • For example: The applicant successfully completed HAVO at 16. To receive study financing, the applicant must be provide proof of ineligibility to pursue VWO until the age of 17.
• Between 17 – 26 years old at start of study
• Older than 26 and younger than 40 years old
  • The study must be a high priority study

• The chosen study must be listed on the Government of St.Maarten Priority Listing of Studies and Careers
• Applicants classified as Gifted students or Exceptional academic Achievers are exempted from this requirement.
• The applicant must be admissible to the chosen study .

• Only persons who are in possession of the DUTCH nationality are eligible for study financing.
• Naturalization
  • Persons who are in the process of being naturalized must have the following document:
  • Bekendmaking van de verkrijging van het Nederlanderschap
    
  • A letter from the Governor regarding the ceremony is not valid proof

• The applicant must have been resident of St. Maarten for at least five (5) years prior to requesting study financing
• If the applicant is not residing on St.Maarten then:
  • At least 1 parent or guardian must have been a resident of St. Maarten for at least five (5) years preceding the request for study financing.

• Persons who have completed a form of secondary education
• The completed form of secondary education must be higher than PSVE PBL
  • Graduates from the St. Maarten Vocational Training School are only eligible for study financing to pursue a study or certification at NIPA

Persons are only eligible for study financing:

• once per degree type.
  • For example: An applicant is not eligible for study financing to pursue two bachelor’s -or master’s degree
• more than once to pursue continuing education such as:
  • A bachelor’s degree after completing SBO or MBO or
  • A master’s degree after bachelor’s degree

Applicants should not receive funding from another source not being parents, family or school that is equivalent or more than the amount awarded by the Government of Sint Maarten.

For Example:
– Tuition and living expenses: US$40,000
– Study Financing Government SXM: US$18,000
– US Financial Aid (American Citizen): US$22,000

This applicant is not eligible for study financing.

• The applicant must be admissible to the chosen educational institution and study major
• The educational institution must be the most efficient to pursue the chosen study.
• The most efficient educational institutions are ranked as follows:
  • Institutions having Memoranda of Understanding with the Government of Sint Maarten
  • Institutions on Sint Maarten and Caribbean Region
    • E.g.: Studies available at USM or NIPA must be pursued on Sint Maarten
  • Studies with specific language or professional requirements
    • E.g.: Legal studies can only be pursued at educational institutions in the Netherlands

The availability of sufficient financial resources (liquidity position of the Government of St. Maarten) taking into the responsibilities towards existing study financing recipients and new applications may result in the denial of requests for study financing.

In all cases, applicants with the best academic results will be given first preference

The following diplomas make applicants eligible to receive study financing for this level of education:

• PSVE TKL or PKL.
• MAVO or BVO or further study pathway.
• HAVO-3 OR VWO-3 REPORTCARD with proof of promotion to year 4
• Any comparable diploma or certificate designated as such by or on behalf of the minister.
• The applicant must have overall satisfactory grades AND satisfactory grades or higher for prerequisites subjects for the intended program of study.
• The applicant must demonstrate, on the basis of the most recently obtained academic results, a sufficient probability of successfully completing the intended program of study.

The following diplomas make applicants eligible to receive study financing for this level of education:

• HAVO or VWO diploma,
  • The applicant must have overall satisfactory grades AND satisfactory grades or higher for prerequisites subjects for the intended program of study.
  • The applicant must demonstrate, on the basis of the most recently obtained academic results, a sufficient probability of successfully completing the intended program of study.
• CXC diploma with at least five (5) subjects acquired on General levels I, II or III and a III or higher for the subjects deemed as prerequisites for the desired study program,
• International Baccalaureate (IB) or Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) diploma,
  • The applicant must have overall satisfactory grades AND satisfactory grades or higher for prerequisites subjects for the intended program of study.
  • The applicant must demonstrate, on the basis of the most recently obtained academic results, a sufficient probability of successfully completing the intended program of study.
• General Equivalency Diploma (GED) diploma with a score of at least 520 in accordance with the old format or a minimum test score of 165 or (College Ready) for each subject in accordance with the new General Equivalency Diplomas GED® which went into effect on January 26, 2016.
• American or Canadian secondary education diploma with a GPA of at least 2.50 or equivalent.
  • The applicant must demonstrate, on the basis of the most recently obtained academic results, a sufficient probability of successfully completing the intended program of study.
• Any comparable diploma or certificate designated as such by or on behalf of the minister.

The following diplomas make applicants eligible to receive study financing for this level of education:

• VWO diploma
  • The applicant must demonstrate, on the basis of the most recently obtained academic results, a sufficient probability of successfully completing the intended program of study.
• A first-year completion ( propaedeutic) certificate in higher professional education (HBO).
  • The applicant must demonstrate, on the basis of the most recently obtained academic results, a sufficient probability of successfully completing the intended program of study.
• CAPE CSEC diploma with at least six (6) units.
• IB diploma with minimal twenty four (24) points of which at least twelve on High Level.
• A high school diploma with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and evidence of successful completion of a college preparatory curriculum.
• A bachelor- or master degree.
  • The applicant must demonstrate, on the basis of the most recently obtained academic results, a sufficient probability of successfully completing the intended program of study.
• Any comparable diploma or certificate designated as such by or on behalf of the minister.

The following diplomas make applicants eligible to receive study financing for this level of education:

• Bachelor- or master degree.
  • The applicant must demonstrate, on the basis of the most recently obtained academic results, a sufficient probability of successfully completing the intended program of study.