Residency requirement for scholarship awards increased to 10 years, prompting questions and a review

The residency requirement for access to scholarship awards has been increased from five to 10 years, according to information laid out in the student handbook for 2026.

Details of the changed criteria were laid out in student handbooks recently provided to by state schools but will apply across the board, with private schools subject to separate processes set out in their respective handbooks.

“The necessary criterion referred to is length of residency, not distinguishing between the schools,” a Government spokesperson told the Chronicle.

“The 10-year residency rule applies to all types of applicants including mature students, gap-year students, and returning Gibraltar residents as well as to all awards.”

The Government said the change had been flagged by the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, in his New Year Message last January, adding it was in response to Gibraltar’s growing resident population.

Under the new criteria, applicants for awards “...must have been ordinarily resident in Gibraltar for a continuous period of ten years at the time you start the course,” the 2026 handbook states. Until now, it had been five years.

The increased residency requirement was designed “to prevent abuse of Gibraltar’s generous scholarship system,” the Government spokesperson said.

The last published census was conducted in 2012, when there were 33,566 people present on census night, of whom 32,194 were usually resident on the Rock.

The results of the 2022 census have yet to be published but Parliament was told earlier this year that preliminary data suggested Gibraltar’s resident population had grown to 38,000, an increase of some 6,000 people.

In his New Year Message, Mr Picardo warned Gibraltar must define clearly who is entitled to the many benefits Gibraltar provides its citizens.

“Housing, access to the services of our Health Authority and students’ scholarships are the flagship benefits that we enjoy in Gibraltar,” Mr Picardo said at the time.

“It is time to ensure that our rules are clearly drawn to provide these benefits to our people and not to those who may move here simply to benefit from them.”

“In coming months we will also therefore be drawing more tightly the entitlement criteria for access to services going forward.”

Last March, the Government said scholarships had cost over £17m in 2023/24, adding it was important to ensure awards were only accessed by those who were entitled to do so.

But the decision to increase the residency requirement for scholarships has raised questions for many families now established in Gibraltar.

They potentially include students who had previously qualified under the five-year rule but now fall short, others who deferred their studies to begin in 2026 and students educated abroad, in private schools or under dual-residency arrangements, or students who had temporary absences for family relocation or overseas study.

After receiving representations following publication of the handbook, the Government said it would review how the policy is implemented.

Its advice for now is that students should apply as normal.

“The 10-year residency rule applies to all types of applicants including mature students, gap-year students and returning Gibraltar residents, as well as to all awards,” the Government spokesperson said.

“The detail of how the policy will be applied is currently being reviewed following representations from students and parents.”

“The Minister for Education will be meeting with these stakeholders in the coming weeks, following which review a statement will be made.”

“In the meantime, the advice to students is to continue with their applications as normal.”

At present it is unclear whether students found ineligible under the new criteria will be able to appeal that decision and through what mechanism.