There is going to be a €1 million increase in terms of investment in student stipends and grants for the 2022-23 academic year.

With the additional €1 million investment, the overall investment into student stipends and grants will reach €33 million. This investment shall be going towards 17,000 students who will be receiving stipends and grants, Minister for Education Clifton Grima said.

"We believe that a strong investment in our children will guarantee their success, society's success and the country's success. Our promise, is that we will continue to build a system that aids all students to reach their full potential, and helps them achieve all their aspirations," Grima said.

Grima also provided information about the opening of applications for stipends and grants for the upcoming academic year.

He said that the name has changed from Students Maintenance Grants to Stipends and Grants. Besides the change in name, the application process was also simplified.

He said that students who were previously benefiting from stipends last year and were promoted to another year in their course, need to access the application to confirm all the details of the course they are in to continue benefiting from stipends and grants.

The application is also open to those students who have not yet obtained a qualification at level 6 of the Maltese Qualifications Framework (MQF). This includes any qualifications leading to a Bachelor's degree and vocational qualifications. Through the "Malta Government Undergraduate Scheme," people who are in private institutions or abroad also benefit from stipends and grants, he said.

He encouraged students to apply early because those who apply before the first week of December will start benefitting immediately. The last day for students to apply to receive stipends and grants from the beginning of the academic year is 31 December 2022. Whilst those who apply after December will only benefit from stipends and grants from the day they submitted their stipend application.