Haidar urges students to submit complete stipend documents early to avoid delays

Higher Education Minister Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed said on Monday that delays in disbursing stipends to Maldivian students studying abroad occur only when the ministry is unable to verify essential information.

Speaking on the President’s Office spokesperson’s podcast, Haidar said the ministry checks two key factors before releasing stipends: whether the student is actively enrolled, and whether the information submitted is accurate.

He noted that stipend disbursement begins two months before the due date, and that 75 percent of students have received their payments on time over the past four years.

Haidar said Finance Regulations require students to submit all required information for every disbursement cycle, as the ministry cannot fill in missing details on their behalf. After verification at multiple levels within the Higher Education Ministry, the documents are forwarded to the Ministry of Finance.

However, he said delays often occur because students submit incomplete forms, forcing the ministry to return the documents for correction. In some cases, payments are further delayed when the Ministry of Finance is unable to confirm the validity of the bank account provided.

“When the Ministry of Finance tries to send money, if it is not confirmed that it is the correct account, it will come back to us. Then it takes time. Again, we have to contact the student to verify the information. Because of that, payments are often delayed,” Haidar said.

The minister also highlighted that many students submit stipend applications just a week before the disbursement deadline, contributing to last‑minute processing delays. He urged students to submit all required documents as early as possible to avoid disruptions.