OVER $14 million will be spent on bursaries for 268 students, the Education Ministry announced on Thursday.

Last year, Cabinet announced that 500 bursaries would be made available to those who met the specified criteria.

During a post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said of the 282 who applied, 14 did not make the final cut, with one being accepted to an international university.

Of the 268 bursaries, 145 were awarded to non-medical students and 123 to medical students. Meanwhile, 179 or 67 per cent of the bursaries were awarded to female students and 89 or 33 per cent were awarded to males.

The criteria were: students must have sat CAPE over a period of two consecutive years including the awarding year and must attain at least eight units with grades I or II over the two-year period. The eight units must include compulsory subjects Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies as well as three subjects at both Units I and II and must provide an acceptance letter from any accredited local tertiary level institution or a regional campus of UWI.

The students also needed to supply the Education Ministry with proof of need through a GATE means test; a purpose statement; their intended study should align with the country's priority areas of development and show they participate in extracurricular activities or contribute to their communities.

Following the completion of their studies, the students will be contractually bound to work in their field of study for the State for a stipulated period Gadsby-Dolly said.

Medical students who were selected will receive a book allowance of $9,711 as a first-time payment and $5,711 annually thereafter. Non-medical winners will receive a book allowance of $8,062, then $4,062 annually.

All students will be paid a personal maintenance allowance of $3,043.00 per month, which will be paid every quarter. This will amount to $14,792,887 for the first year.

Students who completed their CAPE exams this year can apply for bursaries from July 19. Applications will close on August 9. This will allow for at least 232 students who completed their exams this year, who failed to meet the March 15-April 12 deadline.