SHEFA application forms now online

Despite the controversy brought about by the delay in the issuance of scholarship checks, the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance said new applications for financial assistance for the Spring 2006 semester are now available online.

Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela and the SHEFA board of directors announced last week that the new applications for the financial assistance can now be downloaded and filled out via the Internet.

Tudela said any Saipan resident who has not been a recipient of SHEFA assistance must submit a completed and signed printed application form or electronic application and supporting documents to the SHEFA office in Garapan by 5:30pm on or before Dec. 1.

For continuing college students, the mayor said, they must submit a renewal application and supporting documents on the same date if they are continuing students with assistance during Fall 2004 term and Spring 2005 semester and failed to submit their renewal application for the Fall 2005 semester.

These students must submit the required documents, together with an original copy of the SHEFA Promissory Note and Memorandum of Agreement.

Tudela said that new applicants and continuing students for the Fall 2005 semester may be reconsidered for assistance in the Spring 2006 semester upon submission of all required supporting documents, including the original copy of the SHEFA Promissory Note and Memorandum of Agreement.

“The deadline for submission of applications and supporting documents is Dec. 1,” he said, adding that applications and supporting documents submitted after the deadline will not be entertained or considered for the Spring 2006 cycle for financial assistance.

Any bona fide resident of Saipan or the Northern Mariana Islands who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident attending U.S. accredited colleges or universities on Saipan or abroad, enrolled as full-time student, and has at least 2.5 GPA for undergraduate and 3.0 GPA for graduate and advanced standing, must submit a completed application and all required supporting documents to the SHEFA office located in the Garapan Housing Complex behind Garapan Elementary School.

For detailed information on SHEFA, interested students are invited to log on to the SHEFA website at www.saipanshefa.com. They may also contact the office via email at contact@saipanshefa.com or call the office at 233-5995 or fax 233-5996.