From 2023, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will enhance the UPLIFT Scholarship, which was introduced in 2019 to recognize the achievements of students from lower-income families who are admitted to Independent Schools (IS) and Specialised Independent Schools (SIS) due to their good academic performance or specific talents. The UPLIFT Scholarship was also intended to provide additional financial support to these students who may have reservations about applying to IS/SIS due to financial concerns. Hence, the enhancements aim to strengthen financial support for these students and enable more of them to benefit from the scholarship, as well as support prospective students who intend to enroll in IS/SIS.
2. The UPLIFT Scholarship has so far benefited around 470 students annually, and the enhancements are expected to benefit an additional 230 students each year.
3. A summary of the enhancements to the UPLIFT Scholarship are as follows:
| Current Provision/Criteria (before 2023) | Enhanced Provision/Criteria from 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Scholarship Quantum | Cash award of $800 | Cash award of $1,000 |
| Eligible Income Criteria | Singapore Citizen students with a monthly gross household income (GHI) of ≤ $2,750 or monthly per capita income (PCI) of ≤ $690. | Singapore Citizen students with a monthly GHI of ≤ $4,400 or monthly PCI ≤ $1,100. |
4. The enhanced provisions and criteria will apply to all existing and new UPLIFT Scholarship recipients from 2023. Schools will identify and grant eligible students the UPLIFT scholarship automatically if they qualify and are already receiving certain fee subsidies under the MOE Independent School Bursary (ISB). No application is required.
5. Other forms of financial support available for students from lower-income families in IS/SIS include the ISB and school-based Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) offered by schools. MOE will continue to regularly review the support for students from lower-income households and make enhancements where necessary.
