Changes to the Regulations on Student Benefits and State Scholarships

During the meeting held on October 28, the Government of Armenia decided to amend the regulations for granting student benefits and state scholarships in higher educational institutions.

The necessity for these changes arises from the laws on amendments to the "Law on Higher and Postgraduate Professional Education" (HO-317-N) and the "Law on Education" (HO-319-N), which came into force on August 16, 2021. These laws establish new categories of learners eligible for state financial support, including those who participated in combat operations and those who have two or more minor children. This has been reflected in the decision.

By making appropriate amendments and providing a legal basis, the government has created the opportunity to regulate, through its decisions, the amounts of benefits granted to students participating in combat operations, families with high poverty scores, those receiving social assistance in border communities, and to students enrolled in bachelor’s or integrated educational programs with two or more minor children.

According to the decision, for learners accounted for in the poverty assessment system, maintaining the current poverty score and partial reimbursement amounts (28+5 points for a 50% discount, 28+10 points for a 60% discount, 28+15 points for a 70% discount, and 28+20 points for an 80-90% discount), a requirement to surpass the threshold of at least 60% of the average qualitative assessment (MQA) has been established. Furthermore, for students in bachelor’s and integrated educational programs in their first year, partial reimbursement will be provided based on the results of the entrance examinations defined for that specialty.

As per the decision, students from socially supported border communities, and those who participated in combat operations, who have two or more minor children enrolled in full-time bachelor’s and integrated educational programs, will receive reimbursements as follows:

1. For first-year students:
   • For those enrolled in bachelor’s and integrated educational programs, based on the results of the entrance exams defined for that specialty, a reimbursement of 50% of the annual tuition fee;
   • For those in a master's program, students who surpass 60% of the MQA from the previous educational stage will receive a reimbursement of 50% of the annual tuition fee;
2. For subsequent years:
   • Students with an MQA maximum of 60-70% based on the previous academic year's results will receive a reimbursement of 50% of the annual tuition fee;
   • Students with an MQA maximum of 71-79% based on the previous academic year's results will receive a reimbursement of 60% of the annual tuition fee;
   • Students with an MQA of 80% or more based on the previous academic year's results will receive a reimbursement of 70% of the annual tuition fee.