Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
According to UIS data, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for both sexes in 2023 was 15.04%. In the same year, initial government funding per tertiary student amounted to 24.87% of GDP per capita. Data on initial household funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita is not available.
Tuition-free status
Under the Education Bill (2024), Article 78 establishes that nationals are not required to pay tuition fees for public and compulsory education. However, since higher education is not considered part of compulsory education, public tertiary education is not tuition-free under the law.
Governance
The Education Bill (2024) states that the Minister of Education, Youth Development, Sports and Digital Transformation is responsible for regulating and administering bursaries for higher education.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
There are no funding mechanisms for transferring resources from the central government to local government for public higher education.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
There are no mechanisms which provide funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions.
Allocation and equity
There are no equity mechanisms or targeted funding provisions for specific groups within higher education; allocations are made on a general basis rather than to promote access for disadvantaged or vulnerable populations.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
There are no specific admission criteria for vulnerable groups nor financial support provided for their admission. Financial support is offered through scholarships.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
The First-Generation Full Scholarship Programme, launched in 2023 and expanded in 2025 from 50 to 75 scholarships at Monroe College, targets students from households without a university graduate. It provides full financial support for tertiary studies and is jointly funded by the Government of Saint Lucia and Monroe College. The programme aims to break cycles of poverty through education and is complemented by an Education Financing Facility at the Saint Lucia Development Bank (SLDB), backed by a US$3.7 million Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) loan to ensure access for financially disadvantaged students.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation, Accommodation, Textbooks
Through the UNI PASS Grant 2025, the Government of Saint Lucia, via the Department of Education, Innovation and Vocational Training, provides one-time financial assistance to university students with demonstrated financial need. The grant covers tuition, accommodation, transportation, airfare, visas, fees, and books, reducing education costs and improving access to tertiary studies for disadvantaged students.
Recipients of the merit-based Saint Lucia Island Scholarship are also entitled to a round-trip travel grant, according to the Education Bill (2024).
