The Government of Saint Lucia has expanded the First-Generation Scholarship Programme at Monroe College from 50 to 75 full awards for the 2025/26 academic year. The programme, introduced in 2023, is the flagship of Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre’s “One University Graduate per Household” vision.
The initiative targets students from households without a university graduate, giving more families the opportunity to see a graduate for the first time. In his 2024/25 Budget Address, Prime Minister Pierre stressed the policy’s foundation:
“The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge. The Government’s policy of at least one university graduate per household continues with partnerships and with government funding.”
The First-Generation Full Scholarships are made possible through collaboration between the Government of Saint Lucia and Monroe College, with both sharing the cost of delivery.
This expansion complements broader measures to improve tertiary access, including a new Education Financing Facility at the Saint Lucia Development Bank (SLDB), supported by a US$3.7 million loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The Government will guarantee these loans to ensure qualified students are not turned away.
In the 2025/26 academic year, Saint Lucian students have been awarded 44 scholarships from Taiwan, 140 nursing scholarships at SALCC, and 11 scholarships from Cuba, alongside other international awards.
Over the past four years, the Government has invested more than $9 million in tertiary bursaries and scholarships, directly benefiting over 1,200 students.
