SHEFA receives 435 applications for new semester

Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance received a total of 435 applications for the spring 2012 semester, of which 36 have so far been found ineligible for financial awards.

SHEFA administrator Henry Hofschneider disclosed that the number of applicants may increase slightly in the coming weeks when the office receives all supporting documents from applicants by Feb. 29.

Of 435 applications, it was disclosed that majority are ongoing recipients while only a few are new applicants.

As of Feb. 15, SHEFA has reviewed 295 of these applications, of which 259 have been found eligible while 36 were denied due to either lack of supporting documents or failure to meet the scholarship requirements.

SHEFA administers three scholarship programs: grant in aid, field of study, and incentive. Each fiscal year, the Legislature appropriates $3 million for these programs, with the money coming from poker and license fees collected by the government.

For the 259 applications that were found eligible for awards, Hofschneider said he recommended the approval of $457,000 in total financial assistance. He targets to complete the review and assessment of all applications after the Feb. 29 deadline for supporting documents.

So far, there are still 149 applications remaining to be reviewed with an estimated slight increase by end of this month. “The office estimates that by the Feb. 29 deadline, it would have reviewed at least 450 applications, inclusive of the 295 [earlier reviewed],” said Hofschneider.

He said awards that may be approved for spring 2012 scholars is estimated at $850,000.

Hofschneider also revealed that of the total number of eligible applicants this new semester, most are pursuing a baccalaureate degree at 57 percent, or 148 students. Another 108 are taking up associate degrees, which translates to 42 percent of the total number of students eligible for the financial assistance. Only one applicant is pursuing a doctoral degree in pharmacy while two are pursuing master’s studies.

For this new semester applicants, freshmen and sophomore students are twice the number of off-island applicants.

Among off-island applicants are 29 freshmen, 26 sophomores, 24 juniors, and 20 seniors; two taking up masters; and one enrolled in advanced studies. For on-island applicants, there are 53 freshmen; 57 sophomores; 13 juniors; and 34 seniors.