Important Update to Students in the United States and Canada
April 17th, 2013
Dear Students,
This message is a follow up to an email sent by CBIE on April 9, 2013 and aims to clarify a number of points related to the funding situation.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research released a list of students who are active in their system, along with a copy of the 2nd quarter Monthly Living Allowance (MLA) budget allocated for these students.
There were a number of discrepancies between CBIE’s records and the Ministry’s list which led to understandable concerns from students. The information below outlines some of the steps CBIE has taken to address the situation and alleviate these concerns:
2nd Quarter (April – June) Monthly Living Allowance for Students Included on the Ministry’s List
To the best of our knowledge, funds for the second quarter MLA are currently being transferred by the Ministry to CBIE. CBIE will update students immediately upon receiving the funds.
Note: In regards to discrepancies on the list, including: marital status, number of dependents, wrong start/end scholarship period dates, we are in communication with the Ministry to ensure that the updated information is noted in their system accordingly.
In the meantime, upon receipt of the 2nd quarter MLA Budget, CBIE will continue to pay students on the list according to the MLA rate you received from CBIE in March. Please refrain from contacting your Academic Managers regarding any discrepancies with the Ministry’s list, as CBIE is addressing this issue program-wide with the Ministry.
For Students not on the Ministry’s list
The Ministry and CBIE are working together to resolve the status of students who were not included in the Ministry’s second quarter list. On April 7, CBIE sent a report to the Ministry highlighting the discrepancies between the Ministry’s and CBIE’s records. In our most recent official correspondence with the Ministry, CBIE provided a comprehensive list of current ‘active’ students, along with the specific reasons why each file is active in CBIE records. The Ministry requested clarifications and additional lists, which were provided to them. We remain hopeful that the records will be aligned.
Financial Support Letters - for Summer 2013
Please note that at this time CBIE is unable to issue financial support letters for registration for the full-term summer semester (May/June-August 2013). However, we will continue issuing FS letters for admission to eligible primary students.
Please also note that we are not able to issue letters for immigration purposes until funds are received.
Insurance and Tuition – All Students
CBIE has not yet received the second quarter funds for health insurance and tuition fees. We have discussed this issue with the Ministry and hope to receive the required funds by the expected deadlines. In the meantime, insurance will be active until April 30th, 2013.
Please be assured that CBIE is in regular contact with the Ministry regarding these issues. The Ministry and CBIE understand the urgency of the situation for students, as well as your families and institutions, and appreciate your continued patience as we work towards a solution for these pending issues.
We will update you by Thursday, April 25, 2013 whether insurance for May 2013 will be covered or whether you will need to make alternate arrangements for coverage.
Scholarship Entitlements
Scholarship entitlements will continue to be placed on-hold until we receive funds from the Ministry and these include, but are not limited to the following:
a) April 2013 MLA;
b) Reimbursement Processing (this includes test and application fees, thesis reimbursement, moving reimbursements, etc.);
c) Dependent Study Requests*;
d) Computer and Book Allowances;
e) Financial Support Letters for Summer 2013 onwards;
f) Conference Requests*;
g) Equipment Allowance Requests*;
h) Mid-period Travel Tickets*;
i) Field Study Requests*.
* If active students choose to proceed with these expenses, they do so at the risk of not being reimbursed.
Sincerely,
The Libyan-North American Scholarship Program
