The application process for the government’s free higher education initiative targeting 10,000 students from low-income families studying at public universities remains open, with the target number yet to be reached, said Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim.
He said the scheme, implemented through the Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN), has been accepting applications since January this year and is expected to attract more applicants in the coming months.
Adam Adli said this is likely to occur when new applications for diploma and bachelor’s degree programmes through the Universiti Pusat Unit Pengambilan Universiti (UPU) system open between April and May.
He noted that all applications submitted through PTPTN will be subject to verification involving several agencies, including the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri and the eKasih database, as well as other institutions offering sponsorships.
“The verification process is necessary because a student is generally only allowed to receive one form of sponsorship or financial aid,” he said after attending an iftar event with media practitioners here recently.
Adam Adli explained that although the assistance operates in a similar manner to PTPTN financing, recipients under the initiative will not be required to repay the funds after completing their studies.
The programme initially covered 5,800 students with a yearly allocation of RM120 million, which translates to roughly RM20,000 for each student.
“The government has since increased its commitment so that more students from poor families can benefit from the assistance. The initiative has already been implemented for this year’s intake starting January,” he said.
He added that the move is part of the government’s broader efforts to ensure that financial hardship does not prevent students from disadvantaged backgrounds from pursuing higher education.
Previously, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the free education scheme via PTPTN for children from poor households studying at public higher education institutions would be expanded to 10,000 recipients this year.
The expansion builds on the earlier allocation for 5,800 students announced under the 2026 Budget last October, targeting households with a monthly income below RM2,705.
-EDUCATION TVET ASIA