The Government of Liberia has announced the expansion of its Presidential Scholarship Program to all 15 counties, with the initiative set to cover public high schools, technical and vocational institutions, community colleges, and universities.
The announcement was made Friday, August 7, 2026, during the Executive Mansion’s regular press briefing by Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, Bill McGill.
According to Deputy Minister McGill, the expansion is intended to increase access to higher education and skills training while reducing the financial burden on Liberian families, particularly students from underserved communities.
He said the revised program will prioritize public institutions across the counties, with the recruitment of new beneficiaries expected to begin soon as nearly 100 current scholarship recipients prepare to graduate this year.
According to him, the Presidential Scholarship Program, launched in December 2024 as a merit-based initiative, has so far supported more than 490 students across seven counties and 22 colleges, according to the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.
Deputy Minister McGill explained that students are generally required to maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average to qualify under the academic merit category, while students with a 2.5 GPA may also be considered when there is demonstrated humanitarian need.
He stressed that all scholarship beneficiaries are required to perform community service as part of the program, working with their universities and local authorities to contribute to development initiatives within their communities. “The community-service component is designed to ensure that scholarship beneficiaries contribute directly to the development of their communities while pursuing their education,” he said.
Under the expansion, McGill said public high schools serving students in grades 10 through 12, technical and vocational education institutions, and community colleges will be incorporated into the scholarship framework.
He noted that the move recognizes that not every young Liberian will pursue a four-year university degree, emphasizing that vocational and technical education is equally important to developing the country’s workforce.
Among the institutions expected to benefit from the expansion, he named Grand Bassa University, Bong County University, Sinoe Community College, Grand Gedeh Community College, and the University of Liberia’s Sengbe Campus in Grand Cape Mount County.
McGill added that existing beneficiary counties, including Lofa, Nimba, Grand Kru, Maryland, and Margibi, will also see an increase in the number of students benefiting from the program, with the government targeting full coverage of all 15 counties by the end of next year.
The Deputy Minister disclosed that the scholarship is supported by an annual US$200,000 allocation from the Government of Liberia, with additional assistance from private-sector partners, including Orange Liberia, which has supported the initiative since its inception under a three-year memorandum of understanding.
Speaking, he identified other supporting institutions as the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), Liberia Maritime Authority, Liberia Telecommunications Authority, National Port Authority, and Liberia Petroleum Refining Company, while announcing that an inter-university debate involving scholarship beneficiaries will be held August 13 and 14 at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Monrovia.
The Deputy Minister explained that nearly 500 young people are expected to participate, with individual and institutional winners to receive prizes from President Joseph N. Boakai during Flag Day celebrations on August 24. With nearly 100 beneficiaries expected to graduate this year, McGill said applications for a new intake will soon open and urged qualified Liberian students to apply through official government channels once the application window is announced.
