A total of 348 potential scholarship recipients were left without financial aid from the Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation (IKYK) for the 2023-24 academic year. The issue was raised during a meeting of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, where MPs voiced strong objections over the matter.

According to IKYK President Giorgos Skalias, the number of applicants surged due to revised criteria that expanded eligibility for merit-based scholarships and an intensive public awareness campaign in collaboration with the Press and Information Office.

Despite the increased demand, the foundation requested an additional budget to cover the shortfall, but the Ministry of Finance informed them that retroactive adjustments could not be made.

Under the new criteria, students graduating with a grade point average of 19.65 or higher qualify for merit scholarships—lower than the previous threshold. Additionally, the majority of the 348 applicants fell under the income-based scholarship category.

Niki Paschali, a representative of the Ministry of Finance, announced an €800,000 increase in funding for IKYK in 2025, bringing the total to €9.6 million compared to €8.8 million in 2023. She added that applicants denied scholarships this year could reapply next year.

Paschali noted that while the 2023 budget rose significantly from €6-6.5 million between 2019 and 2022, some funds were left unutilized in 2024 due to delayed processing of applications, a situation attributed to understaffing at IKYK.

Skalias acknowledged efforts by the foundation’s board to secure funding for the 348 applicants but noted that the Ministry of Finance refused to amend the 2023-24 budget. He expressed satisfaction with the increased budget for 2025 but lamented that these students would go without scholarships.

He clarified that IKYK, under its governing laws, is not obligated to provide scholarships to all eligible applicants if funding is exhausted. He also highlighted severe understaffing issues within the foundation, stating that there is no contingency plan for the absence of key personnel.

DISY MP Onoufrios Koullas criticized the government, calling it “unacceptable” that 348 deserving students meeting the criteria are denied scholarships due to poor communication between IKYK and the government or insufficient budget allocations.

Koullas urged the government to address this issue promptly, noting the harsh impact on these young individuals trying to build their futures.

AKEL MP Christos Christofides pointed out that the students denied scholarships often come from low-income families who critically needed the support. He criticized the state for failing to do its job properly, emphasizing the contradiction between government statements and actions.

He also recalled comments by the First Lady, who had highlighted students’ financial needs in Parliament. Despite this acknowledgment, Christofides argued, the government refused to provide the necessary funds to cover approved scholarships.

“We will not accept the victimization of students striving to build their futures,” he concluded, urging the Ministry of Finance to reconsider its position.