MUSCAT: The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation has disbursed monthly living allowances retroactively from September to December 2024 to students of private higher education institutions within the Sultanate of Oman as per conditions prescribed by the National Support System.
The monthly living allowances for students in the former social security category, who were previously paid in previous years, will be disbursed in two instalments during this week.
According to the National Support System website, eligibility for these monthly allowances is tied to family income levels, as determined by the National Support System’s criteria. The support is linked to the number of family members and will commence from the 2024/2025 academic year.
Students accepted into internal scholarship programmes within the country benefit from these allowances, which aim to lower the cost of education at private universities and colleges. The grant is awarded based on the distance between the student's registered residence (as per Civil Status records) and their educational institution.
Students living less than 50 kilometres from the institution receive a monthly allowance of RO 45, while those residing more than 50 kilometres away receive RO 90. The family income support scheme sets specific thresholds for eligibility. Families with a monthly income of RO 500 or less automatically qualify.
For families earning up to RO 750, the number of family members must be five or more to qualify. This threshold increases with income, requiring seven or more family members for families earning up to RO 1,000, and nine or more members for incomes up to RO 1,250.
Families earning more than RO 1,250 are not eligible for the support. Students meeting these criteria will receive their allowances directly into their bank accounts, ensuring timely financial assistance to cover education-related costs.
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