Scholarships and Student Funding in Mauritius

Why funding looks different in Mauritius

Many African higher education systems lean on student loans, such as NSFAS in South Africa or HELB in Kenya. Mauritius leans on free tuition instead. That changes what "funding" means here: your main task is securing a place under the Free Tertiary Education Scheme, then filling remaining gaps with specific scholarship tracks or, after graduation, employment support schemes.

Free Tertiary Education Scheme

The main financial support most students in Mauritius rely on is not a scholarship in the traditional sense, it is free tuition. Under the Free Tertiary Education Scheme, the State pays tuition fees directly to public higher education institutions on behalf of eligible students, monitored by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). This removes the largest single cost of a degree for students who secure a place at a public institution, though registration, exam, and material costs still apply on top.

Ministry of Education scholarship tracks

The Ministry of Education runs several distinct scholarship categories rather than one general fund:

• 🎓 A scholarship track for Mauritian students.

• 🏠 A dedicated track for learners with disabilities.

• 💵 A track for children from vulnerable families.

• 📩 The Mauritius Africa Scholarships Scheme, which funds students from other African countries to study in Mauritius, part of the country's wider role as a regional study destination.

Eligibility rules, award values, and application windows are set and updated by the Ministry for each cycle. Check the Ministry's scholarships pages directly before an intake starts, since criteria for each track are published separately and change from year to year.

HRDC support once you finish studying

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) does not fund tuition, but it supports the move from study into work, which affects your total cost of education over time. Its Graduate Training for Employment Scheme (GTES) pays up to Rs 100,000 toward training costs for an unemployed graduate, plus a monthly stipend of Rs 10,000 during the placement. HRDC also runs the National Skills Development Programme (NSDP) and National Training and Reskilling Scheme (NTRS) for people who need further training, and the School Placement Programme (SPP), which gives Grade 12 students a short work placement to test career paths before choosing a university program.

What free tuition doesn't cover

Living costs, accommodation, and study materials sit outside the Free Tertiary Education Scheme and outside most Ministry scholarship tracks. Dedicated bursaries for living expenses are limited, so most students cover these through family support or part-time work. Ask your institution's student affairs office directly whether it runs any internal hardship fund, since these are rarely advertised outside the campus.

Other funding to check

• Institution-level bursaries: some public and private universities run their own hardship or merit funds, separate from government schemes.

• Employer sponsorship: some Mauritian employers, particularly in finance, ICT, and hospitality, sponsor staff or school leavers through a degree in exchange for a return-of-service period.

• Regional and bilateral scholarships: programs between Mauritius and partner countries occasionally fund study, though seats are limited and competitive.

How to apply

1. Confirm your program is covered under the Free Tertiary Education Scheme with your institution's finance office before you enroll.

2. Check the Ministry of Education's scholarships section for the track that matches your situation and its current deadline.

3. If you already hold a degree and are job hunting, register interest in HRDC's GTES or NSDP through their program websites.

4. Ask your university directly about any internal bursary or hardship fund, since these are rarely advertised outside the campus.